William Cook's Blog, page 5
May 7, 2015
Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors #7 - William Malmborg
Today I bring you the final long-awaited interview in the popular series
Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors.
Today's guest is author William Malmborg who is a successful writer of dark psychological horror/thriller fiction. From William's Amazon bio: "William Malmborg has been publishing short stories in horror magazines and dark fiction anthologies since 2002. In addition, four of his novels, JIMMY, TEXT MESSAGE, NIKKI'S SECRET and DARK HARVEST, are all available, as is a short story collection titled SCRAPING THE BONE that features five previously published and five original tales of horror. When not writing William caters to the whims of Toby and Truman, two cats who reside with him in Wheaton, IL."
Who are you and where do you come from? Do you think that your life experience has gone someway towards making you a successful author in your chosen genre?
My name is William Malmborg and I live in the Chicago suburbs. It's hard to say whether or not my life experiences have played a part in my success simply because this is the only path I have taken. I came into the publishing world during an interesting time. For the first five years of my career, magazines were still printing stories and you submitted everything via the mail. Social media wasn't a thing yet, and I had my first story published by a magazine before I had an internet connection on my computer. During the second half of my career, magazines began to disappear, many of them with stories of mine that were supposed to be published, and publishing houses began to get goofy. And then ebooks hit the marketplace, which opened up a whole new road toward publishing success. Given all this, I think the fact that my first several years were spent in the trenches of the traditional publishing world – interacting with editors at magazines, facing rejection with work that wasn't ready for publication, and having other stories bought and published that were ready – helped in giving me an edge when the ebook marketplace arrived.
Did you try to get publishing contracts for your books early on with traditional book publishers? If so, did you have any success there or if not what was it that made you decide to self-publish the majority of your work?
For the first ten years of my writing career, traditional publishing was the only real route an author could take if they wanted to make a living. During that time, my short stories sold frequently to horror and suspense magazines, but my novels had a difficult time. Just having a publisher agree to read the first fifty pages seemed a monumental success, and if they then wanted to read the entire thing . . . well, let’s just say that such was so rare that it in itself was a moment worthy of celebration.
My novel JIMMY was the one that I strived the hardest to have published during that early period of my career, though I did have others, TEXT MESSAGE, SIMPLE LIES and THE MISSING KID, which publishers looked at as well. Nothing was ever accepted during those early years of submission, the typical reason being that the editors felt the serial killers within my novels were too likable, and that readers would have a difficult time dealing with that. “Who do they root for?” was a common question they asked. Year after year, this went on, until finally Don D’Auria at Dorchester Publishing informed me (a year after I had submitted the novel) that he really enjoyed JIMMY, and that he would like to make an offer on it. First, however, it needed some rewrites, specifically the portions of the novel written in the interview format. He wanted the entire thing as a third person novel. Two months later, I sent him the new version of JIMMY, one that was actually better than the original version had been. Following that, sale imminent, I went on to do some self-imposed rewrites for TEXT MESSAGE, because I felt that would be a good follow up to JIMMY. This did not happen. Dorchester Publishing started to spiral toward bankruptcy before JIMMY could be published, and while I stuck with them for nearly a year, I eventually did the right thing and took the novel elsewhere.
Following that, thinking other publishers would be interested in having a novel that had been ready for publication with another publishing house; I began sending queries for JIMMY to everyone that was accepting proposals. Each one was rejected. No one was interested in JIMMY, which really surprised me. During that period, I began to hear success stories from authors that were uploading titles to the Amazon Kindle. Intrigued, I did as much research as I could on this new method of publishing, and then, once I made the decision to jump in, hired a well-known artist to create a cover, and uploaded it. A few months later, it was a bestseller on Amazon and had made me more money during that short period of time than I had made in the first ten years of my writing career combined.
Why self-publish?
I self-publish the majority of my work simply because it is the most logical and profitable method of delivery within the US right now. With foreign language editions, I still use traditional publishers within the countries where the titles will be released since they know their markets the best.
Once you have decided that self-publishing might be your route, what financial and artistic considerations should you keep in mind before you begin?
One of the biggest misconceptions of self-publishing is that it carries no overhead. After all, with print-on-demand, the printer only has to print copies as they are ordered, and with ebooks, it is nothing but computer code that is stored within a device. However, there are other costs to consider, upfront ones that are important in making it so the book will be noticed by the public and enjoyed once it is read. The first cost; the cover. If you want to be treated like a professional author, one whose work is going to stand alongside authors who have major publishers behind them, then you need to have a professional create the cover. Poor covers are the most common reason why books are passed over when a potential reader is looking for their next fix. It doesn’t matter how amazing the writing within is, if people aren't going to pick it up and open it, it might as well be four hundred blank pages. Second: editing. You need a professional to look over your work once it is completed. Mistakes happen and it is nearly impossible for an author to catch their own when they have lived with the work, day in and day out, for months at a time. Initial sales via a fantastic cover are great, but nothing will knock a title down like poor reviews due to editing and grammar errors. Now, will these two things guarantee success? No. Nothing will ever do that. But it will make the chances of success more likely.
What do you see as your most innovative promotional strategy?
Honestly, I don’t really have a promotional strategy. I simply write and release the work. Initially, I always price my new releases at 99 cents, so that the readers who have been with me from the beginning will be treated to a great deal, but after that, once the price goes up to my typical $4.99, I step back and let word of mouth do its thing. The only exception to this is when I’m able to get a book promoted by BookBub. When that happens, I once again lower the price to 99 cents for the days they market it and enjoy the snowball effect as the initial sales from the ad bump the title into several top ten categories, which then brings in more sales.
What kind of marketing did you do to establish your author brand and what do you think is the most successful marketing for self-published authors? Is there any one thing that you have determined has helped you sell more books – i.e. could you outline your path to establishing your brand and your most successful sales method/s as?
As I noted above, I didn’t really do anything to establish my author brand. I simply wrote and released books. I think that attempting to create a brand is a bit counterproductive for a writer. Readers should be the ones to establish the brand for an author, and then the author can embrace it. Doing it the other way around will simply create an author who is so focused on image that they aren’t focused on writing.
Authors do not get books noticed, books get authors noticed. Once a reader enjoys a work, they will seek out more by the author and might even join a page dedicated to the author while seeking out more information on that author. Trying to get noticed as an author to drive interest toward the books is silly. It just doesn’t work.
My initial success was due to one thing, a professional book cover that encased a story that readers enjoyed. Without that book cover, no one would have picked up the book, and without anyone picking up the book, there would have been no word of mouth that generated the sales that followed.
Do you design your own covers? How important do you think cover design is to a potential reader and how big a part do you think it has played in your success to date?
I think cover design is one of the most important factors for a reader when deciding what to buy, and for that reason, I don't design my own covers. I've attempted too, and do have skill when it comes to creating interesting cover concepts, but I'm not skilled enough to create something that can stand alongside the other professional works that are being released. As for my success, I think most of it is due to the fact that I always use professional cover artists for my work. Without them, my work would look like the standard 'self published' work that is being release, work that doesn't really sell. It doesn't matter how fantastic the writing is, if the cover looks like it was thrown together at the last minute, readers aren't going to want to buy it. Now, there are exceptions to this to be found within the marketplace, but one should never consciously drive toward being the exception. Becoming successful when doing everything right is hard enough, so why try to make it harder.
In your opinion, is traditional publishing on the way out? Do you think that traditional publishing can continue to keep up with the rise of self-publishing?
I don't think traditional publishing is on the way out, but I do think they're going to have to do a better job at adapting to the new world of publishing. Brick and mortar bookstores are no longer the standard delivery method for books, so focusing on shelf space and prominent ‘front of store’ displays seems somewhat silly. Publishers also need to recognize that authors can now play a big part in their own careers given the technology that exists, so there is no reason why authors shouldn't be brought into the decision making process on how their work is delivered to the public. This isn't to say that the author should get to make ALL the decisions (if they want that power then they need to go independent), but they should be brought into the process. Lastly, contracts need to reflect the current marketplace rather than the one that used to exist, especially when it comes to the term IN PRINT. One of the biggest factors on why I've turned down several book contracts that had been presented to me during the last three years is due to the gray area that now exists with the term IN PRINT. In the past, when a publisher stopped printing a title, an author could get the rights to that title back. Now, if the publisher has the book available as an ebook, it can still be considered IN PRINT even if they aren't doing anything to market it. This makes it incredibly difficult for an author to get their rights back on the title.
Would you ever consider signing all your books to a traditional publishing house or will you always mange some of your titles yourself through self-publishing?
I wouldn't have a problem signing all my books to a traditional publisher if the contract presented to me was a good one, and if it looked as if the publisher was honestly going to do everything they could to make the books even more successful than they were prior to the contract.
Have you ever used free book promotions? Do you think they are a worth-while marketing tool for self-published authors? If so/not – why?
I have used free book promotions and felt they were worthwhile. During its last free promotion, JIMMY was downloaded 30,000 times in three days, which brought in over 100 new reviews within a month and helped bump the title into several top ten categories on Amazon. It also got the attention of foreign publishers, who then bought foreign rights to it. JIMMY is now a bestseller in both print and ebook in Germany. Therefore, that free promotion was incredibly worthwhile. That said, the free promotion only really worked because it had a good cover, one that readers clicked on. Without a good cover, free isn't going to mean much, because there are always thousands of titles being offered for free.
What avenues of self-promotion did you find to be most effective and affordable? What’s the best ‘bang-for-your-buck’ advertising you have employed?
BookBub is the only marketing site that I would ever recommend. They have consistently driven thousands of readers toward my work whenever I have hired them to do a promotion, which, in turn, bumps the title up into the top 100 categories, which brings in even more readers as the Amazon algorithms start to market it based on its bestseller status. Of course, there is no guarantee that they will drive such sales to the work, but if a title has a good cover and an enticing description, the odds are good that it will drive quite a few readers to that author's work.
Note: If it seems like I'm harping on that professional cover thing, it is because I am. Having a good cover it is very important.
Do you feel there’s a good sense of community within the self-publishing industry?
I think there is a false community, a circle jerk type of community where authors are constantly promoting themselves and swapping reviews with other authors, all while feeling like they are somehow in competition. When I joined Twitter a few months back, I started to get swamped by authors who would follow me and then unfollow me within a few days because I did not follow them back. And every author group I've ever been in was one where everyone was trying to get everyone else to like their Amazon page and review swap. Now, I have no problem with reviewing other authors’ work if I enjoy it, and if they want to review my work because they enjoyed it, that's great. But contacting me with a 'I will review your work if you review my work' proposal, will simply cause the proposal to go into my trash bin.
Would you recommend other aspiring self-publishing authors pay for particular services? Editing or cover design, for example?
I’d say that authors should be ready to lay down about $1500 for a cover and editing before they release their work. This is what I budget for my titles when doing it myself, and I always make that back within a month. Simply put, if you don’t think a title is going to make that money back, then why release it in the first place.
You use social media a lot and interact with your readership – how important do you think this is to becoming a success as a self-published author?
I don’t think the use of social media by the author helps in becoming a success; I think it is the use of social media by readers who have enjoyed the work that helps an author become a success. An author’s use of social media is simply a way of interacting with those that have already discovered them. Books bring readers to authors, not the other way around. Now, once an author is successful, and has a readership that likes to interact with them, then social media can be used to announce new titles, which will help maintain success, but using it in the beginning in hopes of driving readers toward ones work in order to become successful . . . nope. That’s a fool's errand. Just focus on writing and releasing professional pieces of fiction, the rest will follow.
Where to from here? Are you currently represented by an agent and are you working with any publishers on future projects?
2015 will be an interesting year. I have two titles that will be released, Blind Eye in May and Santa Took Them November. I've also signed a deal with a publishing house to be one of the authors that writes for their supernatural crime thriller line. Nothing has been made public about this deal yet, so I can't share any specifics on it; however, I'm really excited to be working with that particular publisher and with the other authors that are currently involved in the series, many of whom I read when first starting out. Lastly, this year should see more foreign editions of my work being released overseas, which is always exciting. I have a publisher in Germany that has helped establish my work in that country, and now I'm hoping to branch out into the surrounding countries.
Finally, thanks for sharing your thoughts on self-publishing. Where is the best place for readers to find your books?
Anywhere books are sold.
Links for William Malmborg williammalmborg.comAmazon.comFacebook Twitter
#selfpub, Amazon Best-sellers, Interview, William Malmborg, Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors, Self-Publishing, Selfpublishing vs traditional publishing, William Cook, writing
Who are you and where do you come from? Do you think that your life experience has gone someway towards making you a successful author in your chosen genre?
My name is William Malmborg and I live in the Chicago suburbs. It's hard to say whether or not my life experiences have played a part in my success simply because this is the only path I have taken. I came into the publishing world during an interesting time. For the first five years of my career, magazines were still printing stories and you submitted everything via the mail. Social media wasn't a thing yet, and I had my first story published by a magazine before I had an internet connection on my computer. During the second half of my career, magazines began to disappear, many of them with stories of mine that were supposed to be published, and publishing houses began to get goofy. And then ebooks hit the marketplace, which opened up a whole new road toward publishing success. Given all this, I think the fact that my first several years were spent in the trenches of the traditional publishing world – interacting with editors at magazines, facing rejection with work that wasn't ready for publication, and having other stories bought and published that were ready – helped in giving me an edge when the ebook marketplace arrived.
Did you try to get publishing contracts for your books early on with traditional book publishers? If so, did you have any success there or if not what was it that made you decide to self-publish the majority of your work?
For the first ten years of my writing career, traditional publishing was the only real route an author could take if they wanted to make a living. During that time, my short stories sold frequently to horror and suspense magazines, but my novels had a difficult time. Just having a publisher agree to read the first fifty pages seemed a monumental success, and if they then wanted to read the entire thing . . . well, let’s just say that such was so rare that it in itself was a moment worthy of celebration.
My novel JIMMY was the one that I strived the hardest to have published during that early period of my career, though I did have others, TEXT MESSAGE, SIMPLE LIES and THE MISSING KID, which publishers looked at as well. Nothing was ever accepted during those early years of submission, the typical reason being that the editors felt the serial killers within my novels were too likable, and that readers would have a difficult time dealing with that. “Who do they root for?” was a common question they asked. Year after year, this went on, until finally Don D’Auria at Dorchester Publishing informed me (a year after I had submitted the novel) that he really enjoyed JIMMY, and that he would like to make an offer on it. First, however, it needed some rewrites, specifically the portions of the novel written in the interview format. He wanted the entire thing as a third person novel. Two months later, I sent him the new version of JIMMY, one that was actually better than the original version had been. Following that, sale imminent, I went on to do some self-imposed rewrites for TEXT MESSAGE, because I felt that would be a good follow up to JIMMY. This did not happen. Dorchester Publishing started to spiral toward bankruptcy before JIMMY could be published, and while I stuck with them for nearly a year, I eventually did the right thing and took the novel elsewhere.
Following that, thinking other publishers would be interested in having a novel that had been ready for publication with another publishing house; I began sending queries for JIMMY to everyone that was accepting proposals. Each one was rejected. No one was interested in JIMMY, which really surprised me. During that period, I began to hear success stories from authors that were uploading titles to the Amazon Kindle. Intrigued, I did as much research as I could on this new method of publishing, and then, once I made the decision to jump in, hired a well-known artist to create a cover, and uploaded it. A few months later, it was a bestseller on Amazon and had made me more money during that short period of time than I had made in the first ten years of my writing career combined.
Why self-publish?
I self-publish the majority of my work simply because it is the most logical and profitable method of delivery within the US right now. With foreign language editions, I still use traditional publishers within the countries where the titles will be released since they know their markets the best.
Once you have decided that self-publishing might be your route, what financial and artistic considerations should you keep in mind before you begin?
One of the biggest misconceptions of self-publishing is that it carries no overhead. After all, with print-on-demand, the printer only has to print copies as they are ordered, and with ebooks, it is nothing but computer code that is stored within a device. However, there are other costs to consider, upfront ones that are important in making it so the book will be noticed by the public and enjoyed once it is read. The first cost; the cover. If you want to be treated like a professional author, one whose work is going to stand alongside authors who have major publishers behind them, then you need to have a professional create the cover. Poor covers are the most common reason why books are passed over when a potential reader is looking for their next fix. It doesn’t matter how amazing the writing within is, if people aren't going to pick it up and open it, it might as well be four hundred blank pages. Second: editing. You need a professional to look over your work once it is completed. Mistakes happen and it is nearly impossible for an author to catch their own when they have lived with the work, day in and day out, for months at a time. Initial sales via a fantastic cover are great, but nothing will knock a title down like poor reviews due to editing and grammar errors. Now, will these two things guarantee success? No. Nothing will ever do that. But it will make the chances of success more likely.
What do you see as your most innovative promotional strategy?
Honestly, I don’t really have a promotional strategy. I simply write and release the work. Initially, I always price my new releases at 99 cents, so that the readers who have been with me from the beginning will be treated to a great deal, but after that, once the price goes up to my typical $4.99, I step back and let word of mouth do its thing. The only exception to this is when I’m able to get a book promoted by BookBub. When that happens, I once again lower the price to 99 cents for the days they market it and enjoy the snowball effect as the initial sales from the ad bump the title into several top ten categories, which then brings in more sales.
What kind of marketing did you do to establish your author brand and what do you think is the most successful marketing for self-published authors? Is there any one thing that you have determined has helped you sell more books – i.e. could you outline your path to establishing your brand and your most successful sales method/s as?
As I noted above, I didn’t really do anything to establish my author brand. I simply wrote and released books. I think that attempting to create a brand is a bit counterproductive for a writer. Readers should be the ones to establish the brand for an author, and then the author can embrace it. Doing it the other way around will simply create an author who is so focused on image that they aren’t focused on writing.
Authors do not get books noticed, books get authors noticed. Once a reader enjoys a work, they will seek out more by the author and might even join a page dedicated to the author while seeking out more information on that author. Trying to get noticed as an author to drive interest toward the books is silly. It just doesn’t work.
My initial success was due to one thing, a professional book cover that encased a story that readers enjoyed. Without that book cover, no one would have picked up the book, and without anyone picking up the book, there would have been no word of mouth that generated the sales that followed.
Do you design your own covers? How important do you think cover design is to a potential reader and how big a part do you think it has played in your success to date?
I think cover design is one of the most important factors for a reader when deciding what to buy, and for that reason, I don't design my own covers. I've attempted too, and do have skill when it comes to creating interesting cover concepts, but I'm not skilled enough to create something that can stand alongside the other professional works that are being released. As for my success, I think most of it is due to the fact that I always use professional cover artists for my work. Without them, my work would look like the standard 'self published' work that is being release, work that doesn't really sell. It doesn't matter how fantastic the writing is, if the cover looks like it was thrown together at the last minute, readers aren't going to want to buy it. Now, there are exceptions to this to be found within the marketplace, but one should never consciously drive toward being the exception. Becoming successful when doing everything right is hard enough, so why try to make it harder.
In your opinion, is traditional publishing on the way out? Do you think that traditional publishing can continue to keep up with the rise of self-publishing?
I don't think traditional publishing is on the way out, but I do think they're going to have to do a better job at adapting to the new world of publishing. Brick and mortar bookstores are no longer the standard delivery method for books, so focusing on shelf space and prominent ‘front of store’ displays seems somewhat silly. Publishers also need to recognize that authors can now play a big part in their own careers given the technology that exists, so there is no reason why authors shouldn't be brought into the decision making process on how their work is delivered to the public. This isn't to say that the author should get to make ALL the decisions (if they want that power then they need to go independent), but they should be brought into the process. Lastly, contracts need to reflect the current marketplace rather than the one that used to exist, especially when it comes to the term IN PRINT. One of the biggest factors on why I've turned down several book contracts that had been presented to me during the last three years is due to the gray area that now exists with the term IN PRINT. In the past, when a publisher stopped printing a title, an author could get the rights to that title back. Now, if the publisher has the book available as an ebook, it can still be considered IN PRINT even if they aren't doing anything to market it. This makes it incredibly difficult for an author to get their rights back on the title.
Would you ever consider signing all your books to a traditional publishing house or will you always mange some of your titles yourself through self-publishing?
I wouldn't have a problem signing all my books to a traditional publisher if the contract presented to me was a good one, and if it looked as if the publisher was honestly going to do everything they could to make the books even more successful than they were prior to the contract.
Have you ever used free book promotions? Do you think they are a worth-while marketing tool for self-published authors? If so/not – why?
I have used free book promotions and felt they were worthwhile. During its last free promotion, JIMMY was downloaded 30,000 times in three days, which brought in over 100 new reviews within a month and helped bump the title into several top ten categories on Amazon. It also got the attention of foreign publishers, who then bought foreign rights to it. JIMMY is now a bestseller in both print and ebook in Germany. Therefore, that free promotion was incredibly worthwhile. That said, the free promotion only really worked because it had a good cover, one that readers clicked on. Without a good cover, free isn't going to mean much, because there are always thousands of titles being offered for free.
What avenues of self-promotion did you find to be most effective and affordable? What’s the best ‘bang-for-your-buck’ advertising you have employed?
BookBub is the only marketing site that I would ever recommend. They have consistently driven thousands of readers toward my work whenever I have hired them to do a promotion, which, in turn, bumps the title up into the top 100 categories, which brings in even more readers as the Amazon algorithms start to market it based on its bestseller status. Of course, there is no guarantee that they will drive such sales to the work, but if a title has a good cover and an enticing description, the odds are good that it will drive quite a few readers to that author's work.
Note: If it seems like I'm harping on that professional cover thing, it is because I am. Having a good cover it is very important.
Do you feel there’s a good sense of community within the self-publishing industry?
I think there is a false community, a circle jerk type of community where authors are constantly promoting themselves and swapping reviews with other authors, all while feeling like they are somehow in competition. When I joined Twitter a few months back, I started to get swamped by authors who would follow me and then unfollow me within a few days because I did not follow them back. And every author group I've ever been in was one where everyone was trying to get everyone else to like their Amazon page and review swap. Now, I have no problem with reviewing other authors’ work if I enjoy it, and if they want to review my work because they enjoyed it, that's great. But contacting me with a 'I will review your work if you review my work' proposal, will simply cause the proposal to go into my trash bin.
Would you recommend other aspiring self-publishing authors pay for particular services? Editing or cover design, for example?
I’d say that authors should be ready to lay down about $1500 for a cover and editing before they release their work. This is what I budget for my titles when doing it myself, and I always make that back within a month. Simply put, if you don’t think a title is going to make that money back, then why release it in the first place.
You use social media a lot and interact with your readership – how important do you think this is to becoming a success as a self-published author?
I don’t think the use of social media by the author helps in becoming a success; I think it is the use of social media by readers who have enjoyed the work that helps an author become a success. An author’s use of social media is simply a way of interacting with those that have already discovered them. Books bring readers to authors, not the other way around. Now, once an author is successful, and has a readership that likes to interact with them, then social media can be used to announce new titles, which will help maintain success, but using it in the beginning in hopes of driving readers toward ones work in order to become successful . . . nope. That’s a fool's errand. Just focus on writing and releasing professional pieces of fiction, the rest will follow.
Where to from here? Are you currently represented by an agent and are you working with any publishers on future projects?
2015 will be an interesting year. I have two titles that will be released, Blind Eye in May and Santa Took Them November. I've also signed a deal with a publishing house to be one of the authors that writes for their supernatural crime thriller line. Nothing has been made public about this deal yet, so I can't share any specifics on it; however, I'm really excited to be working with that particular publisher and with the other authors that are currently involved in the series, many of whom I read when first starting out. Lastly, this year should see more foreign editions of my work being released overseas, which is always exciting. I have a publisher in Germany that has helped establish my work in that country, and now I'm hoping to branch out into the surrounding countries.
Finally, thanks for sharing your thoughts on self-publishing. Where is the best place for readers to find your books?
Anywhere books are sold.
Links for William Malmborg williammalmborg.comAmazon.comFacebook Twitter
#selfpub, Amazon Best-sellers, Interview, William Malmborg, Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors, Self-Publishing, Selfpublishing vs traditional publishing, William Cook, writing
April 24, 2015
Recent Interview: Men in Horror: WILLIAM COOK
Recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Malina Roos for her very cool blog: How To Dismantle Your Life. Check it out.
Men in Horror: WILLIAM COOK
I first read William Cook a couple of years ago and was immediately enthralled with his writing and his style. The book I read was BLOOD RELATED. I loved it. It was intense, creepy, dark and twisted. For some reason, my review of this book has disappeared from Amazon and Goodreads, so I dug it up and reposted it.
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Charlie and Caleb Cunningham are twins and serial killers, following in the footsteps of their father and grandfather.<br /><br />The story is told through letters, news articles and from the points of view of the killers, the police and the doctors involved. All the pieces of the story are woven together beautifully through the the magical way William Cook has with syntax. Well worth the read....if you can stomach it."</i> </span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">William Cook</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">1.<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">When did you start writing horror?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">I started writing horror stories (although I didn</span>’<span lang="EN-US">t know they were horror stories) when I was about ten years old. The first one I wrote won a school competition </span>–<span lang="EN-US"> it was about a boy who gets lost in a strange desert where he witnesses giant heads falling out of the sky. He discovers that the heads are being fired out of a cannon by a voodoo witch-doctor who has somehow reversed the process of shrinking heads. I think I got the idea after watching King Solomon</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s Mines and seeing the scary witch doctor in the movie. My first real horror publication was a story called </span>‘<span lang="EN-US">Devil Inside</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> which was published in 2010 in Lee Pletzer</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s Masters of Horror Anthology. Since then I haven</span>’<span lang="EN-US">t stopped.</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">2. Have you written in any other genre?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Yes, I have recently ventured into Science Fiction, Young Adult and even had a story published in a collection of children</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s Christmas tales. I also write a lot of poetry </span>–<span lang="EN-US"> too much perhaps, and my first ever book published was a limited edition release called </span>‘<span lang="EN-US">Journey: The Search for Something</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> way back in 1996.</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">3. What makes you uncomfortable?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Bad reviews! Seriously though, I am not a fan of needles </span>–<span lang="EN-US"> absolutely hate getting jabbed, especially at the dentist when they use those syringes and stick them in the roof of your mouth etc. Bullies also make me uncomfortable and I quite often write about them. Usually really bad things happen to them in my books. </span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">4. Does your family read your work?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">I deliberately don</span>’<span lang="EN-US">t encourage them to read my (horror) books for obvious reasons. Although some of my newer work like the kid</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s stories and science fiction I don</span>’<span lang="EN-US">t mind as much. I</span>’<span lang="EN-US">ve found it</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s very true the old adage that the worst critics are family and friends </span>–<span lang="EN-US"> I don</span>’<span lang="EN-US">t know why the hell it is but I can count the friends and family (you know who you are) who have bothered reading my books on one hand! I used to actively seek feedback on my writing from friends and family in the early days, but gave up when I realized any critique from such quarters was largely pointless as it was either biased or I could tell they hadn</span>’<span lang="EN-US">t actually read the work in question. Sort of related to the question . . . I am working on a small kids book with my seven-year-old daughter who is a keen writer herself. She has written about ten pages so far of a story about zombies (don</span>’<span lang="EN-US">t know where she gets that from!) and it</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s really good. Obviously I</span>’<span lang="EN-US">m biased (see above) but it really is good and I</span>’<span lang="EN-US">m looking forward to publishing it for her when it</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s finished.</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">5. Does your writing make you uneasy?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Most of the time, no. However, it really depends on the subject matter though and I must admit to getting a bit nervous about some of my research subjects for stories. Not so much in the subject material but in what other people or readers will think of the finished stories. I am a bit paranoid about the NSA and their monitoring of certain taboo subjects that are common to the grist of the horror mill. Subjects like </span>‘<span lang="EN-US">terror</span>’<span lang="EN-US">, murder and serial killers, for example, are common research subjects for horror authors and </span>‘<span lang="EN-US">red-flag</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> search strings that are actively monitored by the powers that be. I used to feel uneasy when writing about topics (such as described above) but I think that I have largely become desensitized to the emotional effects of dealing with this material on a daily basis. Writing </span>‘<span lang="EN-US">Blood Related, my novel about a family of serial-killers, definitely made me pretty strung-out and slightly disturbed due to having to project the main character</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s stream of consciousness on to the page via a first person narrative. Five years of my free-time went into this book and I researched just about every case of serial murder that I could find which definitely impacted on my psyche but paid off in the final presentation of the story. Suffice to say, I now have an encyclopedic knowledge of these weirdos whether I like it or not! </span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">6. Who would you say you write like?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">I write like me of course! My writing style or </span>‘<span lang="EN-US">voice</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> is a collage of influence and styles </span>–<span lang="EN-US"> everything from the way I learned to write at school, the accent of my written voice (a combination of UK and US spelling and theory), the authors I have read over and over again, and the evolution of my own style and development as a writer. I don</span>’<span lang="EN-US">t try to write like anyone but I do try to write like someone who knows what they</span>’<span lang="EN-US">re doing (hopefully). Over the past five years I have been intentionally writing in the (north) American vernacular and it was a decision that I worried about for a while but it largely came down to the way certain words were spelled and styled and now it is like second nature to me. My schooling was based on a U.K. education system and we were taught to spell and write according to the commonwealth rules and style-guides of the day. </span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">7. Who are your favourite authors?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">I have many favorite authors and it will be no surprise that writers like Stephen King, James Herbert, Robert Bloch, Robert McCammon, Clive Barker, Edgar Allan Poe and Ramsey Campbell are at the top of the list. Over and above horror the authors I love to read again and again are Sherwood Anderson, Roald Dahl, James Ellroy, Colin Wilson, Charles Bukowski, Ray Bradbury, Peter Carey, Dostoyevsky and Thomas Harris. For a full rundown on my favorite books and authors, check out my list here: <a href="http://www.williamcookwriter.com/2013... class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">8. Who influences you as a writer?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">I find that I</span>’<span lang="EN-US">m not really influenced by people directly but that I am more influenced by the things that people create. Art influences me greatly in my writing, film and music particularly, but graphic art and, obviously, written works conjure up emotion and IDEAS that definitely inform my own work. Probably the biggest influences on me have been Stephen King and Ray Bradbury. King for his amazing and prolific output and superb writing style and advice (</span>‘<span lang="EN-US">On Writing</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> really changed the way I approached my writing), Bradbury for his simplicity and story-telling ability that encourages original and creative thought (his stories influenced my dreams for a long time) </span>–<span lang="EN-US"> a very inspirational pair. Ultimately though, without being too modest, I am my biggest influence. It is up to me to drive myself forward and to push hard with my writing. The outside world is full of influence and affectation, but at the end of the day, it is my will-power and my mind that allows me to sift through all the detritus and glean the remaining gems and pearls of wisdom and apply it to my own style and philosophy. One of the works I studied at University was Harold Bloom</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s </span>‘<span lang="EN-US">The Anxiety of Influence</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> and it really struck home with me. The central tenet being that writers (specifically poets in Bloom</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s discourse, but equally applicable to writers in general in my opinion) are inspired by writers that have come before them and that this somewhat inescapable influence inspires a sense of anxiety in authors attempting to forge new and original works. I believe it is true to a large extent and I work hard to try and create work that is as free from the influence of other authors</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> styles and subject matter as much as possible. However, when you write genre fiction, this is a nearly impossible task. No writer creates in a vacuum and for every style we have a representative genre (or sub-genre) and a group of influential writers and works at the helm of such literary movements, regarded as exemplars and pinnacles by which up-and-coming authors should somehow emulate to attain the same success. Unless an author doesn</span>’<span lang="EN-US">t read, influence is unavoidable but, in my view, not necessarily a bad thing. </span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">9. Do you remember what your first horror book was that you read?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">The Monster</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s Room (or Pete</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s Angel) by Hope Campbell introduced me to Frankenstein, Dracula and The Wolfman when I was about seven years old. Loved it! The first real horror book I read was probably James Herbert</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s The Rats at about eleven years old, followed closely by Shaun Hutson</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s Spawn, Stephen King</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s Carrie and Night Shift, and Robert McCammon</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s Mystery Walk. Suffice to say by the age of twelve I was hooked on horror in any shape or form.</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">10. How old were you?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">See above. I used to watch Hammer House of Horror on Sunday nights with my Mum when I was eleven/twelve years old. Still cannot work out why mum used to let me watch those shows but wouldn</span>’<span lang="EN-US">t let me listen to KISS because she thought they were </span>‘<span lang="EN-US">Satanic</span>’<span lang="EN-US">! Go figure!</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">11. Is there any subject you will not touch as an author?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Graphic descriptions of pedophilia are something I have no interest in portraying in my work. I have written stories about these creeps before but I feel it is unnecessary to portray the acts for any reason. Implication is far more subtle and effective than graphic description. I write horror that attempts to confront readers with their own fears, not make them sick in the process. </span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">12. What was the best advice you were given as a writer?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<span lang="EN-US">If you want to be a writer, just write.</span>”<span lang="EN-US"> Pretty simple really, but a no-brainer (obviously). The best advice about writing I have read/received is Stephen King</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s excellent memoir/writing guide </span>–<span lang="EN-US"> </span>‘<span lang="EN-US">On Writing.</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> It is a wonderfully inspiring book for a budding writer, and more so for the writer of dark fiction. Highly recommended. </span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">13. If you had to start all over again, what would you do different?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">I would begin writing as soon as possible, at any age. Self-doubt is one of the biggest killers to a writer</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s self-confidence and career. In retrospect, I see that I could have had established myself as an author a lot earlier than I have if I had just given a go instead of doubting my ability and listening to naysayers who were mostly inexperienced or wannabe writers themselves. I would probably not restrict myself to genre fiction as I have up until now. I think I would have made more of an attempt to develop my story-writing skills in Science Fiction and Children</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s literature. Oh well, tomorrow</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s only a day away </span>–<span lang="EN-US"> still time to alter direction. </span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">14. How many books do you read a year?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Between twenty-forty books now that I have a Kindle. Before I started reading eBooks I</span>’<span lang="EN-US">d probably only read ten books a year while I was writing. Before I started writing seriously I used to read about forty novels/books a year at least.</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">15. Do you write every day?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">In one form or another. I do a lot of blog posts and marketing which cuts into my writing time but I try and write at least 1,000 words a day. Life is very busy as I look after two primary school age kids when they</span>’<span lang="EN-US">re no tat school and I have a couple of casual jobs that bring in a little bit of cash. Luckily I have a very supportive wife who earns a good salary and who encourages me with my work from home. Without her support, life would be very tough as a writer.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WEf3f6ikQTU..." style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WEf3f6ikQTU..." height="320" width="233" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><i><b>AUTHOR LINKS</b></i></span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Amazon <a href="http://www.amazon.com/William-Cook/e/... page</a></span><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Website <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://williamcookwriter.com/"&g... style="color: windowtext;">http://williamcookwriter.com/</spa... lang="EN-US"></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Twitter @williamcook666</span><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/williamcooka... 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With Me</a></span><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Google+ <a href="https://plus.google.com/1075414594995... Me To Your Circle</a></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">You can find this interview included in my most recent book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hopeless-Short-..." target="_blank">Hopeless</a> (click on the image below to buy - only $0.99): </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /><i>A young girl must face her biggest fear – her father. As she struggles to protect her mother from the man who she once idolized, young Hope must confront her situation and the possibility that they may not get out alive. A fast-paced short horror story with a twist that will keep you on the edge of your seat. From the author of Blood Related and Dreams of Thanatos <br /><br />Bonus Features: includes an additional short story and a recent interview with the author.</i><br /><br /><u>Warning: contains adult content + themes of psychological horror and domestic abuse.</u> </span></span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hopeless-Short-..." target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.amazon.com/Hopeless-Short-..." border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IVe35Y_hByk..." height="400" width="280" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><h2><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Interview, William Cook, Malina Roos, Men In Horror, New Release, Amazon, Kindle, #Amazon, #Kindle, Horror, #Writing</span></span></span></span></h2></div>
Men in Horror: WILLIAM COOK
I first read William Cook a couple of years ago and was immediately enthralled with his writing and his style. The book I read was BLOOD RELATED. I loved it. It was intense, creepy, dark and twisted. For some reason, my review of this book has disappeared from Amazon and Goodreads, so I dug it up and reposted it.
<!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Georgia; panose-1:2 4 5 2 5 4 5 2 3 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto; mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none; punctuation-wrap:simple; text-autospace:none; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family:Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; color:black; mso-font-kerning:16.0pt; mso-ansi-language:EN-NZ;} p.MsoNormalCxSpFirst, li.MsoNormalCxSpFirst, div.MsoNormalCxSpFirst {mso-style-parent:""; mso-style-type:export-only; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto; mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none; punctuation-wrap:simple; text-autospace:none; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family:Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; color:black; mso-font-kerning:16.0pt; mso-ansi-language:EN-NZ;} p.MsoNormalCxSpMiddle, li.MsoNormalCxSpMiddle, div.MsoNormalCxSpMiddle {mso-style-parent:""; mso-style-type:export-only; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto; mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none; punctuation-wrap:simple; text-autospace:none; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family:Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; color:black; mso-font-kerning:16.0pt; mso-ansi-language:EN-NZ;} p.MsoNormalCxSpLast, li.MsoNormalCxSpLast, div.MsoNormalCxSpLast {mso-style-parent:""; mso-style-type:export-only; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-add-space:auto; mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none; punctuation-wrap:simple; text-autospace:none; font-size:12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Georgia; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family:Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; color:black; mso-font-kerning:16.0pt; mso-ansi-language:EN-NZ;} @page Section1 {size:595.05pt 841.7pt; margin:3.0cm 72.0pt 3.0cm 72.0pt; mso-header-margin:35.45pt; mso-footer-margin:35.45pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} -</style><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN-NZ"><i>"Be warned, this tale is not for anyone who dislikes gore and violence.<br /><br />This is a brilliant tale of fathers and sons, serial killing at its finest and the legacy families create. Charlie and Caleb Cunningham are twins and serial killers, following in the footsteps of their father and grandfather.<br /><br />The story is told through letters, news articles and from the points of view of the killers, the police and the doctors involved. All the pieces of the story are woven together beautifully through the the magical way William Cook has with syntax. Well worth the read....if you can stomach it."</i> </span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">William Cook</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA" style="margin-left: 18pt; text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">1.<span style="font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-language-override: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-synthesis: weight style; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span lang="EN-US">When did you start writing horror?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">I started writing horror stories (although I didn</span>’<span lang="EN-US">t know they were horror stories) when I was about ten years old. The first one I wrote won a school competition </span>–<span lang="EN-US"> it was about a boy who gets lost in a strange desert where he witnesses giant heads falling out of the sky. He discovers that the heads are being fired out of a cannon by a voodoo witch-doctor who has somehow reversed the process of shrinking heads. I think I got the idea after watching King Solomon</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s Mines and seeing the scary witch doctor in the movie. My first real horror publication was a story called </span>‘<span lang="EN-US">Devil Inside</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> which was published in 2010 in Lee Pletzer</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s Masters of Horror Anthology. Since then I haven</span>’<span lang="EN-US">t stopped.</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">2. Have you written in any other genre?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Yes, I have recently ventured into Science Fiction, Young Adult and even had a story published in a collection of children</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s Christmas tales. I also write a lot of poetry </span>–<span lang="EN-US"> too much perhaps, and my first ever book published was a limited edition release called </span>‘<span lang="EN-US">Journey: The Search for Something</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> way back in 1996.</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">3. What makes you uncomfortable?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Bad reviews! Seriously though, I am not a fan of needles </span>–<span lang="EN-US"> absolutely hate getting jabbed, especially at the dentist when they use those syringes and stick them in the roof of your mouth etc. Bullies also make me uncomfortable and I quite often write about them. Usually really bad things happen to them in my books. </span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">4. Does your family read your work?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">I deliberately don</span>’<span lang="EN-US">t encourage them to read my (horror) books for obvious reasons. Although some of my newer work like the kid</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s stories and science fiction I don</span>’<span lang="EN-US">t mind as much. I</span>’<span lang="EN-US">ve found it</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s very true the old adage that the worst critics are family and friends </span>–<span lang="EN-US"> I don</span>’<span lang="EN-US">t know why the hell it is but I can count the friends and family (you know who you are) who have bothered reading my books on one hand! I used to actively seek feedback on my writing from friends and family in the early days, but gave up when I realized any critique from such quarters was largely pointless as it was either biased or I could tell they hadn</span>’<span lang="EN-US">t actually read the work in question. Sort of related to the question . . . I am working on a small kids book with my seven-year-old daughter who is a keen writer herself. She has written about ten pages so far of a story about zombies (don</span>’<span lang="EN-US">t know where she gets that from!) and it</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s really good. Obviously I</span>’<span lang="EN-US">m biased (see above) but it really is good and I</span>’<span lang="EN-US">m looking forward to publishing it for her when it</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s finished.</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">5. Does your writing make you uneasy?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Most of the time, no. However, it really depends on the subject matter though and I must admit to getting a bit nervous about some of my research subjects for stories. Not so much in the subject material but in what other people or readers will think of the finished stories. I am a bit paranoid about the NSA and their monitoring of certain taboo subjects that are common to the grist of the horror mill. Subjects like </span>‘<span lang="EN-US">terror</span>’<span lang="EN-US">, murder and serial killers, for example, are common research subjects for horror authors and </span>‘<span lang="EN-US">red-flag</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> search strings that are actively monitored by the powers that be. I used to feel uneasy when writing about topics (such as described above) but I think that I have largely become desensitized to the emotional effects of dealing with this material on a daily basis. Writing </span>‘<span lang="EN-US">Blood Related, my novel about a family of serial-killers, definitely made me pretty strung-out and slightly disturbed due to having to project the main character</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s stream of consciousness on to the page via a first person narrative. Five years of my free-time went into this book and I researched just about every case of serial murder that I could find which definitely impacted on my psyche but paid off in the final presentation of the story. Suffice to say, I now have an encyclopedic knowledge of these weirdos whether I like it or not! </span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">6. Who would you say you write like?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">I write like me of course! My writing style or </span>‘<span lang="EN-US">voice</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> is a collage of influence and styles </span>–<span lang="EN-US"> everything from the way I learned to write at school, the accent of my written voice (a combination of UK and US spelling and theory), the authors I have read over and over again, and the evolution of my own style and development as a writer. I don</span>’<span lang="EN-US">t try to write like anyone but I do try to write like someone who knows what they</span>’<span lang="EN-US">re doing (hopefully). Over the past five years I have been intentionally writing in the (north) American vernacular and it was a decision that I worried about for a while but it largely came down to the way certain words were spelled and styled and now it is like second nature to me. My schooling was based on a U.K. education system and we were taught to spell and write according to the commonwealth rules and style-guides of the day. </span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">7. Who are your favourite authors?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">I have many favorite authors and it will be no surprise that writers like Stephen King, James Herbert, Robert Bloch, Robert McCammon, Clive Barker, Edgar Allan Poe and Ramsey Campbell are at the top of the list. Over and above horror the authors I love to read again and again are Sherwood Anderson, Roald Dahl, James Ellroy, Colin Wilson, Charles Bukowski, Ray Bradbury, Peter Carey, Dostoyevsky and Thomas Harris. For a full rundown on my favorite books and authors, check out my list here: <a href="http://www.williamcookwriter.com/2013... class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">8. Who influences you as a writer?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">I find that I</span>’<span lang="EN-US">m not really influenced by people directly but that I am more influenced by the things that people create. Art influences me greatly in my writing, film and music particularly, but graphic art and, obviously, written works conjure up emotion and IDEAS that definitely inform my own work. Probably the biggest influences on me have been Stephen King and Ray Bradbury. King for his amazing and prolific output and superb writing style and advice (</span>‘<span lang="EN-US">On Writing</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> really changed the way I approached my writing), Bradbury for his simplicity and story-telling ability that encourages original and creative thought (his stories influenced my dreams for a long time) </span>–<span lang="EN-US"> a very inspirational pair. Ultimately though, without being too modest, I am my biggest influence. It is up to me to drive myself forward and to push hard with my writing. The outside world is full of influence and affectation, but at the end of the day, it is my will-power and my mind that allows me to sift through all the detritus and glean the remaining gems and pearls of wisdom and apply it to my own style and philosophy. One of the works I studied at University was Harold Bloom</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s </span>‘<span lang="EN-US">The Anxiety of Influence</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> and it really struck home with me. The central tenet being that writers (specifically poets in Bloom</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s discourse, but equally applicable to writers in general in my opinion) are inspired by writers that have come before them and that this somewhat inescapable influence inspires a sense of anxiety in authors attempting to forge new and original works. I believe it is true to a large extent and I work hard to try and create work that is as free from the influence of other authors</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> styles and subject matter as much as possible. However, when you write genre fiction, this is a nearly impossible task. No writer creates in a vacuum and for every style we have a representative genre (or sub-genre) and a group of influential writers and works at the helm of such literary movements, regarded as exemplars and pinnacles by which up-and-coming authors should somehow emulate to attain the same success. Unless an author doesn</span>’<span lang="EN-US">t read, influence is unavoidable but, in my view, not necessarily a bad thing. </span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">9. Do you remember what your first horror book was that you read?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">The Monster</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s Room (or Pete</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s Angel) by Hope Campbell introduced me to Frankenstein, Dracula and The Wolfman when I was about seven years old. Loved it! The first real horror book I read was probably James Herbert</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s The Rats at about eleven years old, followed closely by Shaun Hutson</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s Spawn, Stephen King</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s Carrie and Night Shift, and Robert McCammon</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s Mystery Walk. Suffice to say by the age of twelve I was hooked on horror in any shape or form.</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">10. How old were you?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">See above. I used to watch Hammer House of Horror on Sunday nights with my Mum when I was eleven/twelve years old. Still cannot work out why mum used to let me watch those shows but wouldn</span>’<span lang="EN-US">t let me listen to KISS because she thought they were </span>‘<span lang="EN-US">Satanic</span>’<span lang="EN-US">! Go figure!</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">11. Is there any subject you will not touch as an author?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Graphic descriptions of pedophilia are something I have no interest in portraying in my work. I have written stories about these creeps before but I feel it is unnecessary to portray the acts for any reason. Implication is far more subtle and effective than graphic description. I write horror that attempts to confront readers with their own fears, not make them sick in the process. </span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">12. What was the best advice you were given as a writer?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“<span lang="EN-US">If you want to be a writer, just write.</span>”<span lang="EN-US"> Pretty simple really, but a no-brainer (obviously). The best advice about writing I have read/received is Stephen King</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s excellent memoir/writing guide </span>–<span lang="EN-US"> </span>‘<span lang="EN-US">On Writing.</span>’<span lang="EN-US"> It is a wonderfully inspiring book for a budding writer, and more so for the writer of dark fiction. Highly recommended. </span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">13. If you had to start all over again, what would you do different?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">I would begin writing as soon as possible, at any age. Self-doubt is one of the biggest killers to a writer</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s self-confidence and career. In retrospect, I see that I could have had established myself as an author a lot earlier than I have if I had just given a go instead of doubting my ability and listening to naysayers who were mostly inexperienced or wannabe writers themselves. I would probably not restrict myself to genre fiction as I have up until now. I think I would have made more of an attempt to develop my story-writing skills in Science Fiction and Children</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s literature. Oh well, tomorrow</span>’<span lang="EN-US">s only a day away </span>–<span lang="EN-US"> still time to alter direction. </span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">14. How many books do you read a year?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Between twenty-forty books now that I have a Kindle. Before I started reading eBooks I</span>’<span lang="EN-US">d probably only read ten books a year while I was writing. Before I started writing seriously I used to read about forty novels/books a year at least.</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">15. Do you write every day?</span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">In one form or another. I do a lot of blog posts and marketing which cuts into my writing time but I try and write at least 1,000 words a day. Life is very busy as I look after two primary school age kids when they</span>’<span lang="EN-US">re no tat school and I have a couple of casual jobs that bring in a little bit of cash. Luckily I have a very supportive wife who earns a good salary and who encourages me with my work from home. Without her support, life would be very tough as a writer.</span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WEf3f6ikQTU..." style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WEf3f6ikQTU..." height="320" width="233" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><i><b>AUTHOR LINKS</b></i></span></span></span></div><div class="BodyA"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Amazon <a href="http://www.amazon.com/William-Cook/e/... page</a></span><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Website <span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://williamcookwriter.com/"&g... style="color: windowtext;">http://williamcookwriter.com/</spa... lang="EN-US"></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Twitter @williamcook666</span><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/williamcooka... Me</a></span><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Facebook Page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WilliamCookW... My Page</a></span><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">GoodReads <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/... a Fan</a></span><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">LinkedIn <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/profile/edit?... With Me</a></span><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">Google+ <a href="https://plus.google.com/1075414594995... Me To Your Circle</a></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US">You can find this interview included in my most recent book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hopeless-Short-..." target="_blank">Hopeless</a> (click on the image below to buy - only $0.99): </span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /><i>A young girl must face her biggest fear – her father. As she struggles to protect her mother from the man who she once idolized, young Hope must confront her situation and the possibility that they may not get out alive. A fast-paced short horror story with a twist that will keep you on the edge of your seat. From the author of Blood Related and Dreams of Thanatos <br /><br />Bonus Features: includes an additional short story and a recent interview with the author.</i><br /><br /><u>Warning: contains adult content + themes of psychological horror and domestic abuse.</u> </span></span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hopeless-Short-..." target="_blank"><img alt="http://www.amazon.com/Hopeless-Short-..." border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IVe35Y_hByk..." height="400" width="280" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><h2><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Interview, William Cook, Malina Roos, Men In Horror, New Release, Amazon, Kindle, #Amazon, #Kindle, Horror, #Writing</span></span></span></span></h2></div>
April 5, 2015
Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors #5 - April M Reign
Today we have a very special guest, best-selling author, April M. Reign. This from her bio: April was born and raised in Southern California by her happily married parents. She is the oldest of three daughters and considers both of her sisters to be her best friends. Growing up, she was involved in many sports: softball, surfing, tennis, and Kenpo karate. Many weekends at the beach with her family included her father packing up the long boards and teaching all three daughters how to ride a wave. The activity that stands out the most for her is the thirteen years that she spent studying karate with her family. The family’s karate days remain as some of her fondest memories. Sports weren’t the only activities that she enjoyed. She played the accordion for twelve years and even played for Jerry Lewis kids fundraisers. During those years, she learned how to read and write music.
Besides writing music, during her high school years, she also discovered her passion for writing words. At fifteen, she began writing poetry. By the time she reached the age of twenty, she was writing short stories, with no other intention than to get the stories from her mind to paper. At twenty-one years old, she married and shortly after, two handsome sons graced her life. When her marriage ended, she faced the long, difficult path of raising her two boys into strong, well-mannered young men. She took on the task with fervor. In order to support her children, she worked as a litigation analyst for ten years at a large company and began to pursue a career in law. After long hours in college and even more hours at the law library, while still raising her children alone, she realized that practicing law was not the dream that she wanted to live. She spent the next eleven years as a U.S. Customs Broker, working directly with the FDA and FWS, clearing international shipments into the country. While she worked full time and raised two adolescent boys, she also decided to follow her dream to write a book. A year later, Enticing the Moon was published. Since then, she has written more than 25 novels and several short stories, and has entered many writing contests, winning first place on several occasions. As an indie author, April M. Reign writes and publishes her own books. With the increase in her book sales, she was able to give up her job in the corporate world and pursue her dream of writing stories, which she hopes capture the attention and intrigue of her readers. And here she is, sharing much valuable information for those of you interested in the writers' life and Self-Publishing.
Where do you get your inspiration from for your writing?
Oh William, there are so many things that inspire me. A dream…a conversation or even a newspaper article can strike up my creativity. However, writing full time can be a lonely job. Therefore, I use my travel vlog, Uncovering California, as a major source of inspiration.
On my vlog, we’ve stepped into an abandoned insane asylum, ventured on a deserted [island] hike to a 1961 abandoned shipwreck, took on haunted cemeteries, and captured the abandoned, yet famous resort, The Salton Sea, where there were three inches of fish bones resting on top of the sand. One adventure to a 1700’s plantation in New Orleans gave us the opportunity to capture on film the same spiritual Orb in two different places on the plantation. It’s those adventures that thrust me into my deepest creative mode.
Where do you get your inspiration for the way you brand yourself as an author?
This is such a great question because I think many people miss the opportunity of branding. I’ve come to realize that writing is the easiestpart of this industry and being an indie author who wears many hats is the hardest.
So what is branding and how do I go about it? Every successful business has a brand and it starts with that reliable logo that makes the consumer feel safe. Amazon, Apple, Mc Donald’s, and Best Buy among a plethora of others have that one logo that gives us, as the consumer, comfort while differentiating them from others that may sell the same service or product.
What does that mean for Indie authors? It means that your branding should set you apart from the millions of other authors out there as well as give your readers a sense of trust and security when they pick up your books to read. And this is just a tiny part of branding.
When my readers pick up my books, I want them to trust in the quality and consistency of my work. When they see the AMR logo, I want them to get a sense of excitement knowing that my story will have action and intrigue.
Branding isn’t tangible. It’s a feeling, emotion and sometimes physical need provoked by your brand on to the consumer. I’m going to release some free pamphlets on branding and many other things when it comes to being a successful indie author. I encourage your readers to visit my website over the next two months to grab these important downloads that will take a writer from conceiving a story to writing the story to marketing and discovering success.
Did you try to get publishing contracts for your books early on with traditional book publishers? If so, did you have any success there or if not what was it that made you decide to self-publish the majority of your work?
Originally, I did NOT try to get a publishing contract. What was a publishing contract? My once naïve mind thought writers like Stephen King and Nora Roberts only got things like that.
I’ve always been a writer but my first book, I wrote for my family. Having no idea how to go about obtaining a publishing contract, I used a vanity press to publish my book, so I could hand the paperback out to family and friends. After I wrote my second book, I discovered Amazon’s self-publishing platform. The first month that my book was live on Amazon, I made $90.00. That was an exciting time. The second month it had increased to $423.00 and by the third month, I’d reached an unconceivable amount of $1500.00.
Why would I go to a traditional publisher? Because. Like every writer, in the early stages of our craft, we want validation by a company of people that may know more about the industry than we do. So, I submitted my third book to a mid-sized publisher. I got an email back stating they were interested, but they wanted me to re-work my first chapter. I cringed. That was the only chapter they had read so far.
I’d already had the taste of being my own boss, and being my own creative team. I thought long and hard and realized that whether they were right or wrong, I didn’t want to give up that side of my creativity. I wasn’t ready to turn over my work and have it torn apart (not in editing, I’m okay with that) in storyline, title or vision. I published my third book and watched my sales on the 6th month go from $2400.00 to $3600.00. This was a dream come true!
Why self-publish?
Self-publishing or traditional publishing is a personal journey. As stated above, you know which journey I chose and the reason why. I encourage new writers to consult themselves, their needs, their goals before making the decision.
Once you have decided that self-publishing might be your route, what financial and artistic considerations should you keep in mind before you begin?
This is going to sound strange but I think it plays a big part in how successful you are as an indie author.
Are you a controlling person or are you able to let go of work and delegate?Either one can be successful, but if you’re controlling and you go against your nature by letting go, you may spend most your time worrying if things are getting done right. With that said, if you’re able to let go, but you try and do it all, you may become overwhelmed with the various outlets you’ll need to know in this industry.
So, first, determine your personality. If you want to take on all the work yourself, you’ll save money but lose time. Let me say that again: YOU’LL SAVE MONEY BUT LOSE TIME! Keep in mind, in this business, time is valuable. When you lose time, you’ll have to set your writing aside to accomplish the other demands of indie publishing.
What needs to be done after the story is written?
· Editor· Interior formatting for eBook · Book cover Design· Publish on various platforms · Promotional setup and planning· Interior formatting for paperback· Paperback book cover design
These are a few of the things that you can do yourself or outsource to a professional.Keep in mind, if you’ve never done graphic design before, your book cover will probably not look as professional as you want it to look. Also, editing is a must and formatting is important. As I stated earlier, remember branding. You don’t want readers to see your author name and cringe because they know the interior will be completely off or the editing will be non-existent.
Your name. Your brand. Your decision. Those free pamphlets I talked about will have a deeper list of duties as an indie author plus links to places where you can start to hire your team, or learn to do those things yourself. They will be on my website and launched over the next two months.
What do you see as your most innovative promotional strategy?
There are so many strategies that an indie author can use to promote their work. I don’t have a “most” innovative strategy because we’re in a very noisy world on Amazon and social media, so it’s been trial and error for me.
Some things have worked like a charm and others have left a lot to be desired. In the end, I’ve put together a list of those do’s and dont’s according to my years of experience. There is one amazing promotion that I did, which garnered 23,000 downloads in 4 days. It was a remarkable strategy that I will share with you on those free pamphlets I’ve talked about.
What kind of marketing did you do to establish your author brand and what do you think is the most successful marketing for self-published authors?
Marketing is a business all unto itself. Remember when we talked about assessing the type of personality that you are? Unless you have a ton of time to research the ins and outs of marketing, you may want to hand it over to someone with more experience. Otherwise, I will have a free pamphlet giving you some insights on marketing and directions to go with that decision when it comes to your business. With that said, it’s not enough to throw your book out there, tweet a couple times a day and post some FB messages. In this day and age, connection is more important than anything. It’s building relationships with your fans and readers while providing quality work that will set you apart from other authors.
For my brand, I don’t let one email go unanswered, one Facebook message unopened. Everyone is important to me and every question needs to be answered to the best of my ability. Helping others makes me happy. I wouldn’t want Best Buy to ignore my question when I ask, so why would I let my readers, fans and fellow writers down?
Although, there’s more to it than that, but that’s where I’d start in building a brand and a marketing strategy that works.
How important are ‘series’ books to your success as a self-published author?
Aside from series books being important in their own right, I love writing them. The deeper into the series I write, the more I get to know the characters and what their all about. It’s like I’m learning with the reader.
But there are different things you can do for your readers when it comes to series that gives you flexibility. Like sharing the first book in the series free, or putting the entire series in a box set and slashing the price. I think it gives us room to reach our readers and share with them the deeper story of our characters. It allows plot lines to twist and turn and weave through the course of all the books rather than just one.
Why do we watch, The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, and Scandal? We love to follow the lives of our favorite characters and even our favorite reality show stars. It’s in our nature. If you haven’t started a series, it’s very important that you do.
Do you design your own covers? How important do you think cover design is to a potential reader and how big a part do you think it has played in your success to date?
Yes, I design most my own covers. I’m the “controlling” person I talked about above that has a hard time delegating work. I know this about myself, so I’ve spent endless hours learning and practicing cover design. However, I also know when a series cover isn’t working. At that point, I’ve hired out for help.
I can’t express how important a cover can be. It’s as important as keywords, categories etc. In my free pamphlets, I will go over all those things in depth.
I’ve made mistakes in the area of graphics and one series has struggled for 2 years because of those mistakes. Finally, with the latest cover, it’s hit 3 bestselling lists. Don’t skip over how important cover design can be… it’s another step in branding that will make you stand out or cause you to fall to the bottom of those mountains of books on publishing platforms. Also, don’t be afraid to rebrand your books and covers. Many big businesses do it just like many authors do it.
In your opinion, is traditional publishing on the way out? Do you think that traditional publishing can continue to keep up with the rise of self-publishing?
No, I don’t think traditional publishing is on the way out nor is self-publishing. At this point, I think the industry has a lot of changing to do. It will be interesting to see how it changes and how we take on those changes.
Would you ever consider signing all your books to a traditional publishing house or will you always mange some of your titles yourself through self-publishing?
I never say never… but in this case, probably never. :D
Have you ever used free book promotions? Do you think they are a worth-while marketing tool for self-published authors? If so/not – why?
Yes! Every new reader makes it worth the time and effort. This isn’t a get rich quick market nor is it a get famous quick industry. What works for me may not work for someone else, but free book promotions are more than worth your time and effort.
If you’ve written a good book, branded yourself well and taken the time to connect with readers, then who wouldn’t want a new fan on board reading your work. It doesn’t matter where you get them as long as you get them.
If you were able to reach them through free book promotions then what have you lost? There was a time when (now famous) authors had to drive from book store to book store in order to solicit the brick and mortar to sell their book in their store. Those who wanted it bad enough… did it. Those who didn’t may have taken a different route to find success or they failed altogether.
Luckily, we have this thing called the internet at our fingertips. Why not use it to its full potential? Why not market on free book promotional sites? You’d be a fool not to.
Do you feel there’s a good sense of community within the self-publishing industry?
Absolutely. I’ve met some great people and amazing writers.
What would you say is the single biggest advantage of deciding to self-publish?
Having creative control.
Are there things you feel as though you missed out on by not going down the traditional publishing route (working alongside an editor, for example)?
Yes! I feel I missed out on having a middle person take some of my money! HA!
The fact is, William, I work alongside an editor and sometimes two, cover designers, formatters, industry specialists and many others. Aside from that, I know the entire process. I’ve streamlined my writing to such precision that I can publish 12 novels in a single year. I know what goes into making this writing career work.
So why would I ever want to go the traditional route? I like keeping my profits and would never want to give them away at this stage of my career. (Unless we’re talking big, big advance.) <smiling>
Would you recommend other aspiring self-publishing authors pay for particular services? Editing or cover design, for example?
In my opinion, I think EVERY writer should pay or have a professional editor scour their manuscript. Keyword is PROFESSIONAL! We’re all human beings and we all skip over things when we read. We have a trained eye to be able to read words that are misspelled and not even realize that we passed them up. Don’t skip the editor…
Everything else goes back to your personality type and your skill-sets.
What do you want to take on or have time to take on? Are you a graphic designer by profession? If so, I would make my own covers.
Do you work in marketing by profession? If yes, then I’d market my own books.
Are you that controlling person by nature? Absolutely. Then you might want to see what you can do on your own (aside from editing) and work on learning to delegate. (Only because it will make life easier)
You use social media a lot and interact with your readership – how important do you think this is to becoming a success as a self-published author?
I explained the importance of this on a previous question. Hands down, it’s one of the most important things you can do for your business, branding and success.
Are you in regular contact with other self-published authors and how important was any input you may have received early on in your career? Do you have a mentor in terms of your self-publishing success – someone who may have inspired you to ‘give it a go’?
I’m in contact with self-published authors every day. When I started publishing on Amazon, two people were instrumental in introducing me to the site. H.T. Night and J.R. Rain (brothers) are friends of mine and I’ve known their family (most of them write) for years. It was H.T. Night who stepped up and told me not to use a vanity press and instead publish on this platform called “Amazon.”
I listened, I learned and I prevailed. :D
Can you offer any advice to fellow writers if you could go back in time and “do it all over?” What’s your top tip for other indie authors?
Be strategic from beginning to end…from conceiving the story to cover design to selling your books and marketing your brand.
There’s a whole lot to learn. Let’s face it, the one thing traditional publishers have going for them is a TEAM OF SPECIALISTS. They hire industry professionals that don’t try to wear all the hats involved, but instead work on the task of one job or another.
Think things through. Grab my free pamphlets as they come available and take this journey with some solid knowledge from my mistakes and my successes. Don’t expect to get rich overnight but allow your craft and your business to cultivate over time.
Finally, thanks for sharing your thoughts on self-publishing. Where is the best place for readers to find your books?
Thank you for giving me an opportunity to pay it forward and share what I know with your readers. I have a list of links where you can find me. In the beginning of May, I will be launching a series of free pamphlets for authors or inspiring writers. I encourage everyone to check them out. You can’t go wrong… they’re free and full of insight, links and direction to make money and be successful in this business.
Website: www.aprilmreign.comAmazon: http://bit.ly/amramazonlowFacebook: www.facebook.com/aprilmreign.authorTwitter: www.twitter.com/aprilmreignInstagram: www.instagram.com/aprilmreignPinterest: www.pinterest.com/aprilmreign
Travel VlogYoutube chanel: http://bit.ly/UCTRAVELWebsite: www.uncoveringcalifornia.com
GRAB A COPY NOW!
#selfpub, Amazon Best-sellers, Interview, April M Reign, Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors, Self-Publishing, Selfpublishing vs traditional publishing, William Cook, writing
March 21, 2015
Corpus Delicti - Poetry Collection, Critique by Anthony Servante
Recently, this very insightful and intelligent critique of my poetry collection, 'Corpus Delicti', was posted online by Anthony Servante. Please have a read and visit Mr Servante's wonderful blog for more interesting and thoughtful article and reviews.
Poetry Today February 2015Featuring William CookCritique by Anthony Servante
Available here.
Just as Andrew D. Blacet represents the poetry of stream of consciousness, William Cook reflects the work of self-awareness, what the Romantic Poets called "sublime realization". Utilizing the form of a "journal" to capture his perspective, Cook escorts us through a prosaic journey "between birth and death", not so much "life" as the waiting period of consciousness as it develops only to die. Thus the title "Corpus Delicti", an allusion to a crime without the evidence of a body, or rather, a body of work without the evidence of existence. The book of selected poetry becomes that body, that proof of life, that self-awareness of being without beginning or end, or in Cook's words: "the realization of a truth about oneself...And this new knowledge of the soul — that there is no soul, no muse, no thinking heart . . . it is the worst truth I have ever had to bear". And so he shared his burden with his readers. It is our intent here to see how he does so in poetic deed.
If we read each of the poems as if they were each a breath the poet is taking and that each breath will lead to death, we can understand how William Cook has arranged his words for us to empathize with rather than understand. This is not a puzzle with one solution. It is more a prism with a sequence of colors leading to blackness or in this case the absence of color. It is more about the order of chaos rather than a "meaning" to life. We can call this empathetic reading a "subjective correlative", a personal reading unique unto each reader rather than a unified book of poems with a universal truth that we can all identify with. That is not the experience here. But allow me to delineate a bit to discuss the "objective correlative" from which I have altered my phrase to better appreciate its relevance and history given Cook's poetic rapport with the Age of Romanticism.
T.S. Eliot, poet and literary critic, developed the "objective correlative" in his criticism of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Simply, it is the evocation of emotion by its representation in the work (poem, play, painting, etc) or the corresponding "image" in the world to the word or symbol of the image. We write "my first puppy" and its corresponding emotion should be a nostalgically pleasant memory of one's own first puppy. And this definition worked fine for the Romantic critics, but today we must not trust to its universality. Not all people have pleasant memories of their first puppy. Some of us wept in terror when we were first introduced to this four-legged beast, while others suffered an allergic reaction. We understand what the writer intends when he writes of his first puppy, we understand the consensus, but we each have our own empathetic relationship to the term, namely, "I screamed" or "I sneezed" rather than I fell in love with the little critter. It is this personal correspondent with the image, rather than the intellectual understanding of it, that we call the subjective correlative. We want to find ourselves in the work, not the artist.
Corpus Delicti is a challenge to our emotions, not our intellect. To read it as an objective correlative is to detach oneself from the experience; to read it as a subjective correlative is to share Cook's experience with our own, for each individual consciousness is itself an object in the world just as much as a puppy or chair or poem. In Circle of Ouroboros, the poet points out this relation of the work to the readers,
And so the steps one makes towards the endto quote a clichéare aspects of the journeythe final destination relegatedto the ethereal realms of the unknownthe infinite possibilities that existoutside of human consciousness (p 13).
To know the "unknown" is to know ourselves outside of human awareness, just as we understand Cook's realization of this "cliché" (that is, its universality). In New dawn prophecy, Cook expands on this alienating realization,
What lies outside the heart and soul is restrictionthat leads an arterial bypass past life’s true intentions (p 14).
How does one come to know one's self? Alone, one can only know alienation and solitude, but via others (friends, poetry, art, etc), we find our humanity, our individuality among the multitude.
In Epiphanous vision, the poetry echoes the fallibility ("bullshit") of finding universal truths, whereas individual truths coalesce with others' truths,
nothing is as plain as it seemswhen you put words to itwhen you apply words to the world ...
perhaps of some consequenceto the greater scheme of things(whatever that may be!)‘truth’ that elusive quagmireof common censusinferring evidencethat many, can make one realityand that it is without varianceindisputable . . .bullshit!!! (p 17).
"Without variance", there can be no universal truth. We vary as individuals and it is with variance that we find ourselves rather than a "greater scheme" (an objective correlative to reality or the world).
Once William Cook has established this intent for the reader to experience, he delves into the workings of individual minds. In Terror is not my thing, Cook joins his experience with his readers, "It’s fear for all and all for fear" (p 22). In Dead Love, he is more specific in his emotive description, "My warm loving cadaver we are one, forever". The cadaver can be read as his lover or his own dead body, the vessel that his life occupies. This dualism (other and self) represents individuality as single being and collective beings, just as the reader and the poet become one through the "corpus delicti".
In Truth, Cook gives us a straightforward accounting of the universality of emotions:
Truth is: hungerpain/deathviolence/dissolutionapathy/hope . . .Anythingyou want it to be.I believe . . . (p 33).
The italicized "I believe" describes the poet's thoughts on "truth" after sharing with us those universal emotions that we all identify with in our own way (subjective correlative) while this belief also asserts Cook's own identity as its own subjective correlative. Very clever. Very forceful. Then in ironic reflection, Cook restates this truth in I who am no one:
I is nothing andI speak for all of us whenI say that (p 34)
Ego is everything and nothing. All egos are also everything and nothing. But our collective empathy with this "truth" is the only truth we can realize. Much as the individual can be alone in a crowd, so too can he be the crowd. Cook teases us with this irony. Think of the illusion where the drawing can be seen as an old woman or a young woman. Which is it? Neither. And both.
The totality of the poetry of Corpus Delicti echoes that last sentiment, for the book is neither the work of William Cook nor our own reflections, but both. In this dark journal of self-realization, self-deprecation, and selfish irony, William Cook has given us the abyss that we stare into just as it stares into us.
Get your copy here.
Anthony Servante, Review, Corpus Delicti, Poetry, Critical Analysis, Literary Criticism, critique,
Poetry Today February 2015Featuring William CookCritique by Anthony Servante
Available here.Just as Andrew D. Blacet represents the poetry of stream of consciousness, William Cook reflects the work of self-awareness, what the Romantic Poets called "sublime realization". Utilizing the form of a "journal" to capture his perspective, Cook escorts us through a prosaic journey "between birth and death", not so much "life" as the waiting period of consciousness as it develops only to die. Thus the title "Corpus Delicti", an allusion to a crime without the evidence of a body, or rather, a body of work without the evidence of existence. The book of selected poetry becomes that body, that proof of life, that self-awareness of being without beginning or end, or in Cook's words: "the realization of a truth about oneself...And this new knowledge of the soul — that there is no soul, no muse, no thinking heart . . . it is the worst truth I have ever had to bear". And so he shared his burden with his readers. It is our intent here to see how he does so in poetic deed.
If we read each of the poems as if they were each a breath the poet is taking and that each breath will lead to death, we can understand how William Cook has arranged his words for us to empathize with rather than understand. This is not a puzzle with one solution. It is more a prism with a sequence of colors leading to blackness or in this case the absence of color. It is more about the order of chaos rather than a "meaning" to life. We can call this empathetic reading a "subjective correlative", a personal reading unique unto each reader rather than a unified book of poems with a universal truth that we can all identify with. That is not the experience here. But allow me to delineate a bit to discuss the "objective correlative" from which I have altered my phrase to better appreciate its relevance and history given Cook's poetic rapport with the Age of Romanticism.
T.S. Eliot, poet and literary critic, developed the "objective correlative" in his criticism of Shakespeare's Hamlet. Simply, it is the evocation of emotion by its representation in the work (poem, play, painting, etc) or the corresponding "image" in the world to the word or symbol of the image. We write "my first puppy" and its corresponding emotion should be a nostalgically pleasant memory of one's own first puppy. And this definition worked fine for the Romantic critics, but today we must not trust to its universality. Not all people have pleasant memories of their first puppy. Some of us wept in terror when we were first introduced to this four-legged beast, while others suffered an allergic reaction. We understand what the writer intends when he writes of his first puppy, we understand the consensus, but we each have our own empathetic relationship to the term, namely, "I screamed" or "I sneezed" rather than I fell in love with the little critter. It is this personal correspondent with the image, rather than the intellectual understanding of it, that we call the subjective correlative. We want to find ourselves in the work, not the artist.
Corpus Delicti is a challenge to our emotions, not our intellect. To read it as an objective correlative is to detach oneself from the experience; to read it as a subjective correlative is to share Cook's experience with our own, for each individual consciousness is itself an object in the world just as much as a puppy or chair or poem. In Circle of Ouroboros, the poet points out this relation of the work to the readers,
And so the steps one makes towards the endto quote a clichéare aspects of the journeythe final destination relegatedto the ethereal realms of the unknownthe infinite possibilities that existoutside of human consciousness (p 13).
To know the "unknown" is to know ourselves outside of human awareness, just as we understand Cook's realization of this "cliché" (that is, its universality). In New dawn prophecy, Cook expands on this alienating realization,
What lies outside the heart and soul is restrictionthat leads an arterial bypass past life’s true intentions (p 14).
How does one come to know one's self? Alone, one can only know alienation and solitude, but via others (friends, poetry, art, etc), we find our humanity, our individuality among the multitude.
In Epiphanous vision, the poetry echoes the fallibility ("bullshit") of finding universal truths, whereas individual truths coalesce with others' truths,
nothing is as plain as it seemswhen you put words to itwhen you apply words to the world ...
perhaps of some consequenceto the greater scheme of things(whatever that may be!)‘truth’ that elusive quagmireof common censusinferring evidencethat many, can make one realityand that it is without varianceindisputable . . .bullshit!!! (p 17).
"Without variance", there can be no universal truth. We vary as individuals and it is with variance that we find ourselves rather than a "greater scheme" (an objective correlative to reality or the world).
Once William Cook has established this intent for the reader to experience, he delves into the workings of individual minds. In Terror is not my thing, Cook joins his experience with his readers, "It’s fear for all and all for fear" (p 22). In Dead Love, he is more specific in his emotive description, "My warm loving cadaver we are one, forever". The cadaver can be read as his lover or his own dead body, the vessel that his life occupies. This dualism (other and self) represents individuality as single being and collective beings, just as the reader and the poet become one through the "corpus delicti".
In Truth, Cook gives us a straightforward accounting of the universality of emotions:
Truth is: hungerpain/deathviolence/dissolutionapathy/hope . . .Anythingyou want it to be.I believe . . . (p 33).
The italicized "I believe" describes the poet's thoughts on "truth" after sharing with us those universal emotions that we all identify with in our own way (subjective correlative) while this belief also asserts Cook's own identity as its own subjective correlative. Very clever. Very forceful. Then in ironic reflection, Cook restates this truth in I who am no one:
I is nothing andI speak for all of us whenI say that (p 34)
Ego is everything and nothing. All egos are also everything and nothing. But our collective empathy with this "truth" is the only truth we can realize. Much as the individual can be alone in a crowd, so too can he be the crowd. Cook teases us with this irony. Think of the illusion where the drawing can be seen as an old woman or a young woman. Which is it? Neither. And both.
The totality of the poetry of Corpus Delicti echoes that last sentiment, for the book is neither the work of William Cook nor our own reflections, but both. In this dark journal of self-realization, self-deprecation, and selfish irony, William Cook has given us the abyss that we stare into just as it stares into us.
Get your copy here.
Anthony Servante, Review, Corpus Delicti, Poetry, Critical Analysis, Literary Criticism, critique,
March 19, 2015
Free E-Books For You - Amazon Kindle Giveaway Promotion
Hello everyone - hope you're all having a good week and if you're not I hope next week makes up for it. In the mean time why not grab a couple of freebies while they're available? I have two to offer you at the moment - Devil Inside and One Way Ticket. Both are short reads, perfect for when you've got a spare half-hour before lights outs! Although, be warned, these stories have been known to induce profound nightmares of the most unimaginable sort! Just kidding, but seriously, download a copy and tell your pals (please) and remember, if you like what you read, please drop a short review on Amazon when you're done.Without having to buy anything, this is the best way to say thanks to us indie authors who slave over our keyboards to bring you entertaining (hopefully) works of fiction that will keep you up at night.
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In the tradition of EC Comics, The Twilight Zone and Tales From The Darkside, Devil Inside is a spine-chilling short horror story that will leave you wanting more. Graphic and descriptive, this supernatural tale winds itself around a disturbed young boy who discovers that when you make a wish, you better make sure you really want it. After all, monsters are sometimes real.
From Devil Inside:
“Jacob had no doubt as to what it was. It was the night-Beast under his bed, that lurked in his closet – the Beast that now raged before him, out in the light of day. It had escaped. ”
Recommended for mature readers. Horror, Violence, Supernatural, M15+
Short Story + 4 x Poems + Excerpt from Blood Related (novel).
“This man is simply scary. There is both a clinical thoroughness and a heartfelt emotional thoroughness to his writing. He manages to shock as well as empathize, to scare as well as acclimatize, yet beneath it all is a well read intelligence that demands to be engaged. I loved Blood Related. Ordinarily I hate serial killer stories, but William Cook won me over. He is a unique and innovative talent.”
– Joe McKinney, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Flesh Eaters and Dog Days
AMAZON U.S. - http://www.amazon.com/Devil-Inside-Horror-Short-Fiction-ebook/dp/B00B3OCVMC/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426801246&sr=1-11
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If you have trouble downloading it for free from Amazon - try Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/503706
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From the belly of the swamp issues forth a visit in the middle of the night from a force as dark and unimaginable as hell itself. Poor pig-farmer Abel Laroux, must battle the demons of his past as well as the nightmarish reality of the present, as he confronts a devilish visitor who has come to collect on an outstanding debt, inherited by Abel from his forefathers.
Bonus Features: Includes an excerpt from the author's novel, 'Blood Related' + the long poem 'The Temper of The Tide', in its entirety.
AMAZON U.S. - http://www.amazon.com/Ticket-Short-Horror-Fiction-Book-ebook/dp/B00RAMNUBM/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425506580&sr=1-6
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Hope you enjoy 'em.
#bookbuzz #free #books #kindle #amazon #bookgiveaway #freebie #AuthorRT William Cook, Devil Inside, One Way Ticket, free, freebie, freebook
#FREE 'til Sunday - Grab a copy quick! DEVIL INSIDE
AMAZON U.S. - http://www.amazon.com/Devil-Inside-Horror-Short-Fiction-ebook/dp/B00B3OCVMC/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426801246&sr=1-11AMAZON U.K. - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00B3OCVMC/ref=s9_simh_gw_p351_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1RKPC3E5P1E9EZ3M3A2R&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=455344027&pf_rd_i=468294
In the tradition of EC Comics, The Twilight Zone and Tales From The Darkside, Devil Inside is a spine-chilling short horror story that will leave you wanting more. Graphic and descriptive, this supernatural tale winds itself around a disturbed young boy who discovers that when you make a wish, you better make sure you really want it. After all, monsters are sometimes real.
From Devil Inside:
“Jacob had no doubt as to what it was. It was the night-Beast under his bed, that lurked in his closet – the Beast that now raged before him, out in the light of day. It had escaped. ”
Recommended for mature readers. Horror, Violence, Supernatural, M15+
Short Story + 4 x Poems + Excerpt from Blood Related (novel).
“This man is simply scary. There is both a clinical thoroughness and a heartfelt emotional thoroughness to his writing. He manages to shock as well as empathize, to scare as well as acclimatize, yet beneath it all is a well read intelligence that demands to be engaged. I loved Blood Related. Ordinarily I hate serial killer stories, but William Cook won me over. He is a unique and innovative talent.”
– Joe McKinney, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Flesh Eaters and Dog Days
AMAZON U.S. - http://www.amazon.com/Devil-Inside-Horror-Short-Fiction-ebook/dp/B00B3OCVMC/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426801246&sr=1-11
AMAZON U.K. - http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00B3OCVMC/ref=s9_simh_gw_p351_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1RKPC3E5P1E9EZ3M3A2R&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=455344027&pf_rd_i=468294
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AMAZON U.S. - http://www.amazon.com/Ticket-Short-Horror-Fiction-Book-ebook/dp/B00RAMNUBM/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425506580&sr=1-6
If you have trouble downloading it for free from Amazon - try Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/503706
One Way Ticket. Fast Train To Hell . . .
From the belly of the swamp issues forth a visit in the middle of the night from a force as dark and unimaginable as hell itself. Poor pig-farmer Abel Laroux, must battle the demons of his past as well as the nightmarish reality of the present, as he confronts a devilish visitor who has come to collect on an outstanding debt, inherited by Abel from his forefathers.
Bonus Features: Includes an excerpt from the author's novel, 'Blood Related' + the long poem 'The Temper of The Tide', in its entirety.
AMAZON U.S. - http://www.amazon.com/Ticket-Short-Horror-Fiction-Book-ebook/dp/B00RAMNUBM/ref=la_B003PA513I_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1425506580&sr=1-6
If you have trouble downloading it for free from Amazon - try Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/503706
Hope you enjoy 'em.
#bookbuzz #free #books #kindle #amazon #bookgiveaway #freebie #AuthorRT William Cook, Devil Inside, One Way Ticket, free, freebie, freebook
March 15, 2015
Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors #4 - Michaelbrent Collings
Today we have another special interview in the popular series - Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors . Today's guest is author Michaelbrent Collings, an internationally bestselling novelist, a #1 bestseller in the U.S., and has been one of Amazon's top selling horror writers for years. He is one of the most successful indie horror writers in the United States, as well as a produced screenwriter and member of the WGA, HWA, and several other writing groups with cool-sounding letters. He's also a martial artist, and cooks awesome waffles ('cause he's macho like that). He published his first "paying" work - a short story for a local paper - at the age of 15. He won numerous awards and scholarships for creative writing while at college, and subsequently became the person who had more screenplays advance to quarterfinals and semifinals in the prestigious Nicholl Fellowship screenwriting competition in a single year than anyone else in the history of the competition. His first produced script, Barricade, was made into a movie starring Eric McCormack of TV's Will & Grace and Perception, and was released in 2012. Michaelbrent also wrote the screenplay for Darkroom (2013), starring Kaylee DeFer (Gossip Girl, Red State) and Elisabeth Rohm (American Hustle, Law & Order, Heroes). As a novelist, Michaelbrent has written enough bestsellers that listing them seems weird, especially since they're already listed elsewhere on the website. In addition, he has also written dozens of non-fiction articles which have appeared in periodicals on several continents.
Here he is, Mr Michaelbrent Collings:
Who are you and where do you come from? Do you think that your life experience has gone someway towards making you a successful author in your chosen genre?
I come from a background that is mildly schizophrenic: a sickly, small kid who devoured every martial art he could growing up; was a missionary for two years in an exceptionally poor part of South America; graduated from college majoring in TV production; went to a top 20 law school where I juggled work as a law clerk, work on the law review, and an unpaid church job that took up close to thirty hours a week; became a partner at a respected Los Angeles law firm; and having failed at my fallback job moved into work as a full-time writer. Sheesh.
Yes, this totally helped with my writing and my success. I learned to talk to people as a missionary, I learned to work with graphics and layouts (talents that port over to book covers and book trailers!) in college for studio work, I learned lots about people in general through all of it. And my writing was a thread throughout, learned from the very beginning at my parents' knees: my father, a tremendously talented writer and English professor at a major university; and my mother, who is Made of Awesome.
You are a #1 best-selling author on Amazon – if you could pinpoint one thing in particular that has grabbed readers of your work, what would you say it is?
Most people who write me say it's my honesty and my outlook. By which I think they mean that I write a lot of scary stories, but those scary stories are, at their core, stories about hope – about the light beyondthe darkness. Or at least about a sense that there is more to life than just loss. And a lot of my books are populated not by nubile teens whose prime motivation is "To bang or not to bang?" but by families with real world problems – paying the rent, taking care of wayward kids, loving each other.
You are also a successful script-writer and a public speaker – how important are the things that you do outside of writing novels and fiction, to your success as an author? I.e. how important is it to self-published authors to be other things (than just an author) and to spread their work across other genres and creative outlets?
I think it's tremendously important that authors today be willing to do things that take them out of their "writing caves." I blog, I tweet, I Facebook, I speak at schools and comic cons and symposia. All this feeds into people who (hopefully) look at my books. The books have to be awesome to keep them as readers – and, more important, as people who will recommend the books to their friends – but it's all a great net for catching more audience.
I notice that you and other best-selling self-published authors also write non-fiction titles. How important is it for successful self-published authors to establish themselves as ‘experts in their field’ via non-fictional works?
Non-fiction titles aren't tremendously important for me. I've written some law and some martial arts instruction books, but those are so outside my bivouac that most people looking for those aren't looking for my fiction titles, and vice-versa. Or maybe they are, because they're as crazed in their interests as I am. <grin>
What kind of marketing did you do to establish your author brand and what do you think is the most successful marketing for self-published authors? Is there any one thing that you have determined has helped you sell more books – i.e. could you outline your path to establishing your brand and your most successful sales method/s as?
My most successful practices for marketing and brand promotion are simply this:
1) Write great books.
2) Tell others about the great books.
A lot of people don't care to learn how to write. Or if they do, then they don't write volume – one or two is enough for them. Mistake. Forbes recently did a study of the top selling authors of all time, and the ONLY things they had in common were a huge body of work cranked out over time. And then, once you've learned how to write awesome books (which will take an average of ten years of hard study), and you have actually written them… you gotta tell folks about them. No one will search in your underwear drawer for your manuscript, you have to take it into the world yourself. Well, I might poke around in your underwear drawer, but that's a whole other ball of wax.
Do you design your own covers? How important do you think cover design is to a potential reader and how big a part do you think it has played in your success to date?
Cover design is critical. I do design my own covers, but again – thank you crazy background – I had a bit more schooling on the subject than a lot of authors. Don't do something that looks amateur – people won't buy it. They just won't. If you haven't the skill to put together a professional cover or the commitment to shell out some bucks to have someone else do it, people will infer that you're work sucks. And they'll likely be correct. Stinky but true.
In your opinion, is traditional publishing on the way out? Do you think that traditional publishing can continue to keep up with the rise of self-publishing?
I think they both have an important place in our reading landscape. Self-pub is here to stay, but trad-pub has great strengths, too. I'm not a "hater" of either. The more the merrier.
Would you ever consider signing all your books to a traditional publishing house or will you always mange some of your titles yourself through self-publishing?
I am a HUGE whore. So if someone offered me the right deal, I'd take it and run. "What, you're the reincarnated combination of Hitler, Stalin, and the guy who invented those toilet paper dispensers in public toilets that only let me have one sheet at a time? And you're offering me WHAT? Sign ME UP!"
Yeah, money is a huge consideration since I have a family that I haven't managed to break of their ridiculous eating habit. And, again, I don't hate trad-pub, just the self-pub world has worked for me thus far.
Have you ever used free book promotions? Do you think they are a worth-while marketing tool for self-published authors? If so/not – why?
Again, this is something that's only really worthwhile if you have a body of work. Say 10,000 people download your free book and LOVE it. Maybe 100 will tell their friends to buy it, then realize they can loan it to them for free. The others will look for your next book. And if there isn't one they'll move on to their next favourite author. Write, write, WRITE!
Was it always your intention to self-publish, or would you have considered the traditional publishing route had the opportunity presented itself?
See above re: HUGE WHORE.
What would you say is the single biggest advantage of deciding to self-publish?
I get to do everything. I don't have to hold my breath hoping that I get assigned a good editor, or a good cover designer, or a good PR person. I decide that stuff. Win or lose, it's on me.
Would you recommend other aspiring self-publishing authors pay for particular services? Editing or cover design, for example?
Again, it depends on your expertise. I do my own covers, but I'm a weirdo freak. I also have "in house" editing assistance in that my dad is senior editor at a respected horror publisher. So I usually toss my stuff at him, but at this point he usually finds half a dozen typos and we roll on. But most people will benefit a lot more from editing, from help with covers.
You use social media a lot and interact with your readership – how important do you think this is to becoming a success as a self-published author?
Very.
'Nuff said.
Are you in regular contact with other self-published authors and how important was any input you may have received early on in your career? Do you have a mentor in terms of your self-publishing success – someone who may have inspired you to ‘give it a go’?
No mentors, really – other than my dad, who didn't know about self-pub stuff. But wouldn't it have been nice!
Where to from here? Are you currently represented by an agent and are you working with any publishers on future projects?
No agent. I've never had one, even on my film deals. But again: former lawyer. So once more I've got all this weirdness assisting me. As for future projects, I've got a book I'm wrapping up and another one on deck. A few script projects I'm hoping to put together.
Busy busy busy. Which is a good thing.
Can you offer any advice to fellow writers if you could go back in time and “do it all over?” What’s your top tip for other indie authors?
Write. Just write and write and write and talk and talk and talk about it to everyone you can. Practice and network.
Finally, thanks for sharing your thoughts on self-publishing. Where is the best place for readers to find your books?
You're welcome! I'm easy to find: http://michaelbrentcollings.com is my website because I'm creative like that. And you can also touch bases with me on Facebook, Twitter, or sign up for my mailing list at http://eepurl.com/VHuvX.
GRAB A COPY NOW
More info: Michaelbrent Collings is a frequent guest speaker at genre and literary conventions, high schools, church groups, and anywhere else that wants to talk about writing. If you're interested in having him speak to your group, please contact him via the contact form on the bottom of the page. Michaelbrent also has a Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/MichaelbrentCollings and can be followed on Twitter @mbcollings. Follow him and you will be kept safe when the Glorious Revolution begins!
Lastly, if you want to be kept abreast of Michaelbrent's newest releases and special deals that no one else knows about, sign up for his mailing list... and keep on reading!
March 10, 2015
Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors #3 - Matt Drabble
Today, I'm proud to bring you another interview in what is proving to be quite a popular series - Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors. In the hot seat is Best-selling U.K. author, Matt Drabble. His Amazon Author's page bio describes him as thus:
"Born in Bath, England in 1974, a self-professed "funny onion", equal parts sport loving jock and comic book geek. I am a lover of horror and character driven stories. I am also an A.S sufferer who took to writing full time two years ago after being forced to give up the day job. I have a career high position of 5th on Amazon's Horror Author Rank of which I am immensely proud. "GATED" is a UK & US Horror Chart Top Ten Best Seller & winner of the Full Moon Awards 2014 Horror Book of the Year. "ASYLUM - 13 TALES OF TERROR" is a US Horror Chart #5 It was also voted #5 on The Horror Novel Review's Top 10 Books of 2013 & is a Readers Favorite 2014 Gold Medal Winner.
"ABRA-CADAVER" won an Indie Book of the Day award."
Without further ado, let's get in to it. Remember to make sure you check out Matt's excellent books and the other interviews in this series here on my website.
Who are you and where do you come from? Do you think that your life experience has gone someway towards making you a successful author in your chosen genre?
My name is Matt Drabble and I am originally from a city called Bath in the South West of England. A few years ago I suffered a nasty back injury and as a result I was unable to keep on working a full time job. I have always liked writing and had many a notepad full of ideas and the beginnings of books. One day I stumbled across an article on Amazon’s self-publishing platform. With time on my hands I figured why not turn one of my half finished stories into a full book, mainly just to see if I could, so I did.
Where do you get your inspiration from for your writing and for the way you brand yourself as an author?
For me King is King and long live the King. I am increasingly working in the short story format and have produced three anthologies so for and am currently working on my fourth. Inspiration for a short story with a twist really comes from the world around me. It could be a news article that makes me think “what if?” What if the outcome was different, what if something else happened that changed the whole complexion? Normally I start at the end with a twist and work backwards from there.
If you could pinpoint one thing in particular that has grabbed readers of your work, what would you say it is? I.e. What do you think it is about your work that makes readers buy your books?
I always try and write stories with some depth to them. There is a market for the gross out horror fan, especially amongst younger readers, but my audience seem to be older readers. I’d like to think that I write with a decent pace, interesting and exciting situations, but all with three dimensional characters that you’ve come to care about.
You have enjoyed best-selling status – is there a particular moment in your career as an author that you realized that you had done something right to get where you are now? Can you pinpoint what it was that spiked your success to date?
When I first started self-publishing about two and a half years ago, the market was less saturated and you could do a free giveaway and I’d average maybe 3000 downloads a day without any marketing. Now without any advertising you’d be lucky to see 100 [downloads]. I set myself a deadline of three books to see some improvement in sales figures to give me any encouragement to keep going. Luckily, after the first two sank without trace, the third offering was a horror thriller called “Gated” which was a more deliberate attempt to produce something with more of a commercial appeal. The going was slow but with a lot of patience and determination sales started to pick up, reviews were good and I had a big free giveaway weekend which netted me around 31,000 downloads. My next book was a horror anthology called “Asylum – 13 Tales of Terror” which sold about 1600 books in the first month with no marketing. I am a firm believer that as long as your work is decent, once people see it they will buy it. The obvious problem with Amazon now is getting your book high enough up the charts for readers to see it.
Did you try to get publishing contracts for your books early on with traditional book publishers? If so, did you have any success there or if not what was it that made you decide to self-publish the majority of your work?
Yes. I sent out my stuff to every agent and publisher that accepted submissions. I did finally sign a deal with a publisher based in San Francisco who then unfortunately went out of business about four days before my launch.
Why self-publish?
The great thing about self-publishing is that anyone can do it; unfortunately, the bad thing is also that anyone can do it. I believe that a lot of readers have had their fingers burnt by poor work and can be more sceptical and less willing to give a new author a chance. Self-publishing also gives an author time to grow and breathe, time to develop and time to forge a very thick skin. The only way to get better is to write and write a lot.
How important do you think awards are, to an independent self-published author’s success?
This is a tough one as awards look great on your Amazon page when trying to entice a reader and I have entered a few and won a few. But there are also a lot of “vanity” awards out there that are tantamount to simply buying one. I would say always look for the larger and more prestigious award ceremonies.
Once you have decided that self-publishing might be your route, what financial and artistic considerations should you keep in mind before you begin?
Writing a novel really costs you nothing but time. Financially, you will need a proof reader at the very least. There are sites that sell cover designs if you are not artistically equipped. If you are writing for yourself then just write. If you are hoping to build a career or make money then first realise that the odds of any of us hitting the big time are pretty slim. I have been writing for almost three years and at the moment I am making a wage (I would dread to try and calculate my hourly rate as it would be lower than minimum wage when you add up hours versus reward)
What do you see as your most innovative promotional strategy?
Social media is always an excellent source for growing an audience. Once you start to build a readership they are a fantastic tool to use.
What kind of marketing did you do to establish your author brand and what do you think is the most successful marketing for self-published authors? Is there any one thing that you have determined has helped you sell more books – i.e. could you outline your path to establishing your brand and your most successful sales method/s as?
Marketing myself is always an area where I really should be doing more. I think that it all comes down to download numbers and that can be a matter of luck. Facebook and Twitter are crucial to getting yourself out there. I do a few book tours before every launch mainly to garner quotable reviews that I can use on my Amazon page. Again, interacting with readers is great, as it can give you excellent feedback to be able to communicate with your audience to beta test books to make sure that your customers are going to like the next project. Websites and blogs are a great marketing tool but as always what you write only matters if people are reading it. I always put clickable adverts for my other books into every Kindle novel along with links to my social media and websites. I also use a mailing service and put a link to sign up for my newsletter in every book. I shudder to think of the tens of thousands of downloads that I had before I started adding links into my books. That’s a hell of a lot of potential return customers that I could have harnessed. If someone likes one of your books then chances are that they would like others, but without directing them to the rest of your catalogue once they’ve put yours down and picked up someone else’s they will forget your name.
What are some current best practices that you’re using to sell books? Any tips?
Without question, BookBub has been by far the most successful site that I’ve used to date. The drawback though is that it is incredibly difficult to get a novel accepted and seems to be getting more difficult by the day. I’ve managed to get four promotions with them and I’m about to do my fifth and their numbers are fantastic whether it’s a free giveaway or a $0.99 sale. The initial downloads are very high but it’s the knock on effect on sales for maybe three months after that you can make your money back several times over.
How important are ‘series’ books to your success as a self-published author?
I think that they are great when trying to establish a brand. I have published “Gated” and “Gated II” with plans for a third to end the trilogy. I have also published a horror anthology collection called “After Darkness Falls I and II” and I am currently writing a sequel to “Asylum – 13 Tales of Terror”
Do you design your own covers? How important do you think cover design is to a potential reader and how big a part do you think it has played in your success to date?
I design all of my covers. I have a background in design so fortunately I am able to design (hopefully) decent covers. The cover is the only part of the book that can draw a reader’s eye when they are staring at an Amazon page full of potential reads, it has to draw them in as readers have so many choices now.
In your opinion, is traditional publishing on the way out? Do you think that traditional publishing can continue to keep up with the rise of self-publishing?
I think that self-publishing is growing at a fast rate and the impact has been felt by publishers as many are now trying to poach the most successful. Amazon now have several publishing companies that will recruit successful self-publishers and promote them above us little guys.
Would you ever consider signing all your books to a traditional publishing house or will you always mange some of your titles yourself through self-publishing?
I still send stuff off to publishers from time to time and I would always try a traditional route if one was offered to compare the two processes if nothing else. There is still a part of me that can’t help but feel I haven’t made it until I was traditionally published.
Have you ever used free book promotions? Do you think they are a worth-while marketing tool for self-published authors? If so/not – why?
Yes I use free promotions all the time. As I’ve said before, the market is so saturated now that a lot of readers can exist solely on free books and never have to buy one. Giving one free book to one reader can turn them into a regular customer. Reviews are also a huge part of attracting new readers and the review to read rate is tiny, something like one review per 1000 downloads. So the more downloads you have the more reviews you will get.
What avenues of self-promotion did you find to be most effective and affordable? What’s the best ‘bang-for-your-buck’ advertising you have employed?
As said before BookBub was by far the most effective.
Do you feel there’s a good sense of community within the self-publishing industry?
There is good and bad everywhere. I’d like to think that the overwhelming majority of people in our field are good spirited souls always willing to hand out advice. There will always be those who resent any kind of success and I have been trolled a few times by obviously disgruntled authors.
Was it always your intention to self-publish, or would you have considered the traditional publishing route had the opportunity presented itself?
My intention at the beginning was always to just finish a book with no thought to sales or downloads. I would like to try the traditional route as publishers are still a mighty machine when it comes to marketing, proofing, editing etc.
What would you say is the single biggest advantage of deciding to self-publish?
You obviously have complete control. You will also have the time to grow, to fail, to improve and develop a thick skin. Hopefully if you stick with it then in time you will hit your stride and be ready for the next step.
Are there things you feel as though you missed out on by not going down the traditional publishing route (working alongside an editor, for example)?
Definitely. When I was briefly signed to my publisher before they went bust I worked with an editor who was reshaping my novel for the commercial market and it was very interesting to see what she thought worked and what didn’t.
Would you recommend other aspiring self-publishing authors pay for particular services? Editing or cover design, for example?
I would always use an outside proof reader that is essential as there is no latitude given to self-publishers when it comes to errors. Readers will demand that your book is as perfect as the new King or Koontz despite them having huge companies with multiple proofers, editors etc behind them. If you can’t design a decent cover then get someone else to do it for you, you might have written a best seller masterpiece but it won’t matter if no one picks it up.
You use social media a lot and interact with your readership – how important do you think this is to becoming a success as a self-published author?
You have to work hard to develop your audience as you are a one voice screaming for attention amongst millions of others.
Are you in regular contact with other self-published authors and how important was any input you may have received early on in your career? Do you have a mentor in terms of your self-publishing success – someone who may have inspired you to ‘give it a go’?
Not really, no. It was still relatively new when I started and much of what I learned was through trial and error, but there are lots of things that I wish I’d known then.
Where to from here? Are you currently represented by an agent and are you working with any publishers on future projects?
I am still plugging away on my own. I make a living from writing and am of the opinion that the more work I do the more I stand a chance of attracting attention. I have had a few approaches from publishers, agents and a film company, but as of yet nothing has panned out. I believe that the right deal is out there for me and I’ll find it when it’s meant to be.
Can you offer any advice to fellow writers if you could go back in time and “do it all over?” What’s your top tip for other indie authors?
Proof, proof and then proof again and when you’re finished proof again! A good tip when finishing a novel is to put it away for a couple of weeks and then come back to it with a fresh mind. Always get it proofed by other people, if you can’t find or afford a proof reader then look around your circle of friends and family. Find a professional, someone who works with facts and figures, someone with a meticulous eye like an accountant for instance. Always insert links to a website, blog or social media sites into your Kindle novels, help people to remember you and find other works of yours.
Finally, thanks for sharing your thoughts on self-publishing. Where is the best place for readers to find your books?
www.mattdrabble.com https://twitter.com/MattDrabble01https://www.facebook.com/matt.drabble.3http://www.amazon.com/MATT-DRABBLE/e/B0089NFG8Q http://www.amazon.co.uk/MATT-DRABBLE/e/B0089NFG8Q
Matt Drabble, Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors, Self-Publishing, #selfpub, Writing, Amazon Best-sellers, Selfpublishing vs traditional publishing, William Cook, Interview
March 1, 2015
Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors #2 - Matt Shaw
Hi again, today I'm pleased to bring you the second interview in what is proving to be a very popular interview series -
Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors.
Today's interviewee is none other than the inimitable, best-selling U.K. horror author, Matt Shaw. His Amazon Author's page describes him as thus: "Matt Shaw is the published author of over 50 stories. Although known as being a horror author, he also enjoys spending time in other genres too - something he had always planned to do in order to have at least one book, in a wide collection, which would appeal to people from all walks of life. Shaw was first published in 2004 with his horror novel Happy Ever After - the first of his books to reach the number one slot on Amazon and the first of his books to use his trademark style of narrating the stories through the first person perspective. An extremely prolific writer, Matt Shaw is continually writing as well as keeping up to date with his readers via his (some might say) crazy Author Page on Facebook. Once Published weekly in a lad's magazine with his photography work, Matt Shaw is also a published author and cartoonist. More recently he is known for turning his stories into films."
Who are you and where do you come from? Do you think that your life experience has gone someway towards making you a successful author in your chosen genre? Matt Shaw. Earthling. Sort of.I was born in Winchester Hospital, down the South of England. I remember the day well. The birds were singing and the Gods were looking down upon my mother, and smiling, as she pushed me out. Then when I was past the point of no return, and spilling into the world, the Gods began laughing at her.“Too late! He’s your problem now, wench!” they shouted in unison.I have always been good at telling stories (don’t mind me, just blowing my own trumpet) but I’d never really found myself an audience, which was frustrating me to say the least. It was only after I was disowned by someone whom was supposed to love me, that I really pushed myself harder and harder with each passing day to prove them wrong in what their last words said of me. Had I not been disowned, I couldn’t honestly say I’d be in this position today. For all I know, I’d still be in the same dead end job that I was in before my personal life exploded. I couldn’t tell you where the horror came from though. For all intents and purposes I had a normal childhood :S
Your stories are many things – violent, satirical, horrific – with an obviously penchant for the dark macabre – if you could pinpoint one thing in particular that has grabbed readers of your work, what would you say it is? I think it is the fact I don’t pussyfoot around with subject matters. I write horror, therefore you need to expect a full-on experience which will - in places - sicken you. Too many ‘horror’ authors are out there now who like to pull their punches for fear of putting the readers off. Horror fans do not want to have things diluted. They want the full experience. Once word of mouth gets out about what I write, they tend to give my work a go and then fall for the writing style (the majority of my books being in the first person perspective).
You have enjoyed best-selling status on Amazon recently and have also been the recipient of book contracts and even a movie deal – is there a particular moment in your career as an author that you realized that you had done something right to get where you are now? Can you pinpoint what it was that spiked your success to date? My ‘success’ came about after the release of my first Black Cover Book (black cover books are the extreme horrors). The book - ‘sick b*stards’ - came out and just instantly took off. I was surprised to be honest. The whole thing was written in an attempt to shock and sicken people but they lapped it up. After that, it was all about pushing more Black Cover Books out. I believe there are ten now and that is since February 2014. I have another three written and due out over the next few months too: “Don’t Read”, “ASHES” and “MONSTER” - the latter being co-written with ART co-writer Michael Bray.
Did you try to get publishing contracts for your books early on with traditional book publishers? If so, did you have any success there or if not what was it that made you decide to self-publish the majority of your work? I decided to self-publish immediately and have never looked back. Funnily enough now, I am getting knocks on my door from people interested in publishing me but - at this stage - I am not interested. I am doing okay by myself and the publishing companies hitting me up can’t offer anything I am not doing already. Self-Publishing doesn’t really carry the stigma that it used to anymore but I will tell you this - to be noticed, it is extremely difficult. More and more people are turning to writing to make money now thinking they can write the next 50 Shades. It doesn’t work like that. It’s hard to find readers, especially those who have the potential to turn your fortunes around. This is not a short-term get rich quick scheme!
What do you see as your most innovative promotional strategy? I don’t sell the book, I sell me.I am turning myself into a brand. Someone people want to check in on, over on Facebook. That strange little horror author who keeps doing silly strip videos, or videos putting condoms over his head. I act the fool to keep people watching. They are then more likely to invest in my work. There are a lot of authors who just continually push their books in the shape of adverts or shout-outs. Really, this isn’t the way. They get lost in a sea of publicity and all read the same and smell of desperation. Whatever you try, the most important thing is to be original! Do not copy someone else, do not rip off a style that you’ve seen work elsewhere. You will highlight yourself for the wrong reasons.
What kind of marketing did you do to establish your author brand and what do you think is the most successful marketing for self-published authors? Is there any one thing that you have determined has helped you sell more books – i.e. could you outline your path to establishing your brand and your most successful sales method/s as? As mentioned above: it’s all about selling yourself and making you as a person stand out from the crowd. You do that, it’s half the battle. If people do not like you, they won’t invest. Simple!
What are some current best practices that you’re using to sell books? Any tips? I just keep writing and setting up pre-orders for them. I have the next four months sealed with books ready to release in the coming months meaning there is always something for the reader to find on Amazon. But - it means I am also working extremely hard and I haven’t stopped writing for a long, long time!
How important are ‘series’ books to your success as a self-published author? They’re not. You write a ten book series but no one reads the first. You need to write lots of different stories and release them thick and fast. If you’re lucky, one will find an audience who will then go back and find the rest of your work. If you have ten books based on the same thing, and the first isn’t a success - neither are the remaining nine. Harry Potter doesn’t happen to everyone and nor does Twilight!
Do you design your own covers? How important do you think cover design is to a potential reader and how big a part do you think it has played in your success to date? Mark Kelly does the majority of my covers. I went to him with about forty or fifty books and said, “Re-brand these”. I gave him ideas of what I wanted (such as same font, tag-lines etc etc) and he gave me a bill. He’s a good man and needs very little input to come up with something truly awesome. He is also grounded. I used to work with one cover designer who had never done a book before. I found her on another site and asked if she fancied it. She did and charged me fairly. We worked together for a while and then her prices went through the roof! Mark keeps his prices fair and discusses them with you before you starts doing anything. Highly recommended. In your opinion, is traditional publishing on the way out? Do you think that traditional publishing can continue to keep up with the rise of self-publishing? I do not understand how traditional publishing is still around with self-publishing taking such a hold of the market. I am surprised more authors do not just put their own work out there and take the money themselves, as opposed to sharing it with publishing companies but, then, I guess it is easier for them and they don’t have further stress other than writing the book in the first place. I hope it doesn’t go anywhere. There are places in the market for both.
Would you ever consider signing all your books to a traditional publishing house or will you always mange some of your titles yourself through self-publishing? They would need to offer me a very good deal to make it worth my while. I am happy to work with respected publishing houses but - at the moment - I’m having some luck…
Have you ever used free book promotions? Do you think they are a worth-while marketing tool for self-published authors? If so/not – why? They used to be great but - for some reason - now they don’t really work. There are various sites where you can pay to get promoted on but I don’t think it’s entirely necessary so long as you have marketed yourself properly on Facebook. I did a 99p sale not so long ago and shifted thousands of books without paying out for some company to put it on the web. It was all down to my great readers sharing and spreading the word. The readers are the ones who work magic for us.
What avenues of self-promotion did you find to be most effective and affordable? What’s the best ‘bang-for-your-buck’ advertising you have employed? I only use KDP - Amazon’s platform. They have price promotions where you can lower the price for x amount of days. It is free to do it but you need to be exclusive to Amazon (which I am). I once tried putting my books on other sites but the perks of being exclusive to Amazon are worth too much to me. And - the other sites - I did next to no sales! I think in one month I sold two books on one of the sites…. Not really worth the time of uploading them.
What would you say is the single biggest advantage of deciding to self-publish? Keeping control and all rights to do as you please. I do not have to worry about anything other than entertaining my reader and giving them a good story.
Are there things you feel as though you missed out on by not going down the traditional publishing route (working alongside an editor, for example)? I hire an editor. I hire a cover-designer (unless Black Cover Books which I do myself or the Red Cover Erotica which I also do). At the moment I have no regrets. The only thing I’ve not received is obviously an advance but I know I’d spend it all in one weekend and then have nothing to show for it. I’m not very good with money!
You use social media a lot and interact with your readers – how important do you think this is to becoming a success as a self-published author? Extremely. Why would they support you if you ignore them. I had an email the other week from a reader who got in touch. I’ve never heard of them before but replied. They then came back to me saying it was a surprise and how they’d email this other author twice who had chosen to ignore them. That is not good. An author is NOTHING without their reader. That’s why this year - every month, when my bills are paid, I am treating my readers. For example, I am surprising a reader with a surprise visit soon (can’t say more yet), I took some readers to the pub, I’m taking another out for a meal with her husband and then I am sending signed books across the ocean. They give me their time, I want to give something back. I also take pride in the fact I reply to everyone even though, I’ll be honest, it’s taking longer and longer each and every day! I won’t be stopped though!
Are you in regular contact with other self-published authors and how important was any input you may have received early on in your career? Do you have a mentor in terms of your self-publishing success – someone who may have inspired you to ‘give it a go’? I did this because I wanted to do it. I have always been part of a social network of authors and I’ve always set my sights on them, to learn from them and take what I can. Iain Rob Wright, for example, always used to put tips in his blogs and little notes up on Facebook about what is working for him. or what wasn’t. Some of his ideas I have used, some I have tried something else with - with varying degrees of success. Now I find myself answering questions from authors who are keen to get into the game. We all need to help each other but sadly it doesn’t work like that some of the time. There is a lot of jealously in the industry and it can be horrible. Especially when it is from unexpected sources.
Can you offer any advice to fellow writers if you could go back in time and “do it all over?” What’s your top tip for other indie authors? Don’t stop writing. Don’t get wrapped up writing a 100,000 word novel that no one will read. Start with novellas. Get a back catalogue of books that people can pick up and read. Don’t get greedy, putting high prices on your books (mine are 99p - £2). Don’t get an ego and think you’re something you’re not. We are only here because of our readers. I know I keep saying it but it’s important. They’re the ones in control and they’re the ones who deserves respect.
Finally, thanks for sharing your thoughts on self-publishing. Where is the best place for readers to find your books?
Thanks for having me.People can see my work on Amazon:Or they can find me direct on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/mattshawpublications
Matt Shaw, Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors, Self-Publishing, #selfpub, Writing, Amazon Best-sellers, Selfpublishing vs traditional publishing, William Cook, Interview
Who are you and where do you come from? Do you think that your life experience has gone someway towards making you a successful author in your chosen genre? Matt Shaw. Earthling. Sort of.I was born in Winchester Hospital, down the South of England. I remember the day well. The birds were singing and the Gods were looking down upon my mother, and smiling, as she pushed me out. Then when I was past the point of no return, and spilling into the world, the Gods began laughing at her.“Too late! He’s your problem now, wench!” they shouted in unison.I have always been good at telling stories (don’t mind me, just blowing my own trumpet) but I’d never really found myself an audience, which was frustrating me to say the least. It was only after I was disowned by someone whom was supposed to love me, that I really pushed myself harder and harder with each passing day to prove them wrong in what their last words said of me. Had I not been disowned, I couldn’t honestly say I’d be in this position today. For all I know, I’d still be in the same dead end job that I was in before my personal life exploded. I couldn’t tell you where the horror came from though. For all intents and purposes I had a normal childhood :S
Your stories are many things – violent, satirical, horrific – with an obviously penchant for the dark macabre – if you could pinpoint one thing in particular that has grabbed readers of your work, what would you say it is? I think it is the fact I don’t pussyfoot around with subject matters. I write horror, therefore you need to expect a full-on experience which will - in places - sicken you. Too many ‘horror’ authors are out there now who like to pull their punches for fear of putting the readers off. Horror fans do not want to have things diluted. They want the full experience. Once word of mouth gets out about what I write, they tend to give my work a go and then fall for the writing style (the majority of my books being in the first person perspective).
You have enjoyed best-selling status on Amazon recently and have also been the recipient of book contracts and even a movie deal – is there a particular moment in your career as an author that you realized that you had done something right to get where you are now? Can you pinpoint what it was that spiked your success to date? My ‘success’ came about after the release of my first Black Cover Book (black cover books are the extreme horrors). The book - ‘sick b*stards’ - came out and just instantly took off. I was surprised to be honest. The whole thing was written in an attempt to shock and sicken people but they lapped it up. After that, it was all about pushing more Black Cover Books out. I believe there are ten now and that is since February 2014. I have another three written and due out over the next few months too: “Don’t Read”, “ASHES” and “MONSTER” - the latter being co-written with ART co-writer Michael Bray.
Did you try to get publishing contracts for your books early on with traditional book publishers? If so, did you have any success there or if not what was it that made you decide to self-publish the majority of your work? I decided to self-publish immediately and have never looked back. Funnily enough now, I am getting knocks on my door from people interested in publishing me but - at this stage - I am not interested. I am doing okay by myself and the publishing companies hitting me up can’t offer anything I am not doing already. Self-Publishing doesn’t really carry the stigma that it used to anymore but I will tell you this - to be noticed, it is extremely difficult. More and more people are turning to writing to make money now thinking they can write the next 50 Shades. It doesn’t work like that. It’s hard to find readers, especially those who have the potential to turn your fortunes around. This is not a short-term get rich quick scheme!
What do you see as your most innovative promotional strategy? I don’t sell the book, I sell me.I am turning myself into a brand. Someone people want to check in on, over on Facebook. That strange little horror author who keeps doing silly strip videos, or videos putting condoms over his head. I act the fool to keep people watching. They are then more likely to invest in my work. There are a lot of authors who just continually push their books in the shape of adverts or shout-outs. Really, this isn’t the way. They get lost in a sea of publicity and all read the same and smell of desperation. Whatever you try, the most important thing is to be original! Do not copy someone else, do not rip off a style that you’ve seen work elsewhere. You will highlight yourself for the wrong reasons.
What kind of marketing did you do to establish your author brand and what do you think is the most successful marketing for self-published authors? Is there any one thing that you have determined has helped you sell more books – i.e. could you outline your path to establishing your brand and your most successful sales method/s as? As mentioned above: it’s all about selling yourself and making you as a person stand out from the crowd. You do that, it’s half the battle. If people do not like you, they won’t invest. Simple!
What are some current best practices that you’re using to sell books? Any tips? I just keep writing and setting up pre-orders for them. I have the next four months sealed with books ready to release in the coming months meaning there is always something for the reader to find on Amazon. But - it means I am also working extremely hard and I haven’t stopped writing for a long, long time!
How important are ‘series’ books to your success as a self-published author? They’re not. You write a ten book series but no one reads the first. You need to write lots of different stories and release them thick and fast. If you’re lucky, one will find an audience who will then go back and find the rest of your work. If you have ten books based on the same thing, and the first isn’t a success - neither are the remaining nine. Harry Potter doesn’t happen to everyone and nor does Twilight!
Do you design your own covers? How important do you think cover design is to a potential reader and how big a part do you think it has played in your success to date? Mark Kelly does the majority of my covers. I went to him with about forty or fifty books and said, “Re-brand these”. I gave him ideas of what I wanted (such as same font, tag-lines etc etc) and he gave me a bill. He’s a good man and needs very little input to come up with something truly awesome. He is also grounded. I used to work with one cover designer who had never done a book before. I found her on another site and asked if she fancied it. She did and charged me fairly. We worked together for a while and then her prices went through the roof! Mark keeps his prices fair and discusses them with you before you starts doing anything. Highly recommended. In your opinion, is traditional publishing on the way out? Do you think that traditional publishing can continue to keep up with the rise of self-publishing? I do not understand how traditional publishing is still around with self-publishing taking such a hold of the market. I am surprised more authors do not just put their own work out there and take the money themselves, as opposed to sharing it with publishing companies but, then, I guess it is easier for them and they don’t have further stress other than writing the book in the first place. I hope it doesn’t go anywhere. There are places in the market for both.
Would you ever consider signing all your books to a traditional publishing house or will you always mange some of your titles yourself through self-publishing? They would need to offer me a very good deal to make it worth my while. I am happy to work with respected publishing houses but - at the moment - I’m having some luck…
Have you ever used free book promotions? Do you think they are a worth-while marketing tool for self-published authors? If so/not – why? They used to be great but - for some reason - now they don’t really work. There are various sites where you can pay to get promoted on but I don’t think it’s entirely necessary so long as you have marketed yourself properly on Facebook. I did a 99p sale not so long ago and shifted thousands of books without paying out for some company to put it on the web. It was all down to my great readers sharing and spreading the word. The readers are the ones who work magic for us.
What avenues of self-promotion did you find to be most effective and affordable? What’s the best ‘bang-for-your-buck’ advertising you have employed? I only use KDP - Amazon’s platform. They have price promotions where you can lower the price for x amount of days. It is free to do it but you need to be exclusive to Amazon (which I am). I once tried putting my books on other sites but the perks of being exclusive to Amazon are worth too much to me. And - the other sites - I did next to no sales! I think in one month I sold two books on one of the sites…. Not really worth the time of uploading them.
What would you say is the single biggest advantage of deciding to self-publish? Keeping control and all rights to do as you please. I do not have to worry about anything other than entertaining my reader and giving them a good story.
Are there things you feel as though you missed out on by not going down the traditional publishing route (working alongside an editor, for example)? I hire an editor. I hire a cover-designer (unless Black Cover Books which I do myself or the Red Cover Erotica which I also do). At the moment I have no regrets. The only thing I’ve not received is obviously an advance but I know I’d spend it all in one weekend and then have nothing to show for it. I’m not very good with money!
You use social media a lot and interact with your readers – how important do you think this is to becoming a success as a self-published author? Extremely. Why would they support you if you ignore them. I had an email the other week from a reader who got in touch. I’ve never heard of them before but replied. They then came back to me saying it was a surprise and how they’d email this other author twice who had chosen to ignore them. That is not good. An author is NOTHING without their reader. That’s why this year - every month, when my bills are paid, I am treating my readers. For example, I am surprising a reader with a surprise visit soon (can’t say more yet), I took some readers to the pub, I’m taking another out for a meal with her husband and then I am sending signed books across the ocean. They give me their time, I want to give something back. I also take pride in the fact I reply to everyone even though, I’ll be honest, it’s taking longer and longer each and every day! I won’t be stopped though!
Are you in regular contact with other self-published authors and how important was any input you may have received early on in your career? Do you have a mentor in terms of your self-publishing success – someone who may have inspired you to ‘give it a go’? I did this because I wanted to do it. I have always been part of a social network of authors and I’ve always set my sights on them, to learn from them and take what I can. Iain Rob Wright, for example, always used to put tips in his blogs and little notes up on Facebook about what is working for him. or what wasn’t. Some of his ideas I have used, some I have tried something else with - with varying degrees of success. Now I find myself answering questions from authors who are keen to get into the game. We all need to help each other but sadly it doesn’t work like that some of the time. There is a lot of jealously in the industry and it can be horrible. Especially when it is from unexpected sources.
Can you offer any advice to fellow writers if you could go back in time and “do it all over?” What’s your top tip for other indie authors? Don’t stop writing. Don’t get wrapped up writing a 100,000 word novel that no one will read. Start with novellas. Get a back catalogue of books that people can pick up and read. Don’t get greedy, putting high prices on your books (mine are 99p - £2). Don’t get an ego and think you’re something you’re not. We are only here because of our readers. I know I keep saying it but it’s important. They’re the ones in control and they’re the ones who deserves respect.
Finally, thanks for sharing your thoughts on self-publishing. Where is the best place for readers to find your books?
Thanks for having me.People can see my work on Amazon:Or they can find me direct on Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/mattshawpublications
Matt Shaw, Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors, Self-Publishing, #selfpub, Writing, Amazon Best-sellers, Selfpublishing vs traditional publishing, William Cook, Interview
February 24, 2015
A FREE BOOK FOR YOU
Hi everyone, hope you are doing well and enjoying the month of February? Things are starting to get quite busy here at williamcookwriter.com. You may have noticed the first in a new series of interviews with the self-explanatory title of Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors. The first interview is with a great author and online pal of mine, Mark Edward Hall. Mark details his path to self-publishing fulfillment after having experienced the pitfalls of traditional publishing first-hand.
This interview series should prove fascinating reading (for readers and authors alike), providing many details and information from an insider's perspective on the world of digital and POD (Print On Demand) publishing and the pros and cons from an author's perspective. The next author that I interview is uber-talented, best-selling Horror writer, Matt Shaw. Get ready, this interview will be a doozy!
Scheduled for the next month or two, will be a continuation of these interviews with other talented and successful self-published authors including Matt Drabble, April M Reign, Michaelbrent Collings, and Russell Blake. Make sure to subscribe to the newsletter to stay tuned for future interviews and freebies etc.
In the meantime, I'd like to thank you all for visiting and reading this blog/website and offer you a link to a free copy of my latest ebook - 'One Way Ticket.' It has been warmly received so far and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did writing it. If you have a spare moment when you've finished reading it, please leave a brief review* and check out my other titles for more goodies.
FOR U.S. READERS
FOR REST OF WORLD READERS
One Way TicketFast Train To Hell . . .
From the belly of the swamp issues forth a visit in the middle of the night from a force as dark and unimaginable as hell itself. Poor pig-farmer Abel Laroux, must battle the demons of his past as well as the nightmarish reality of the present, as he confronts a devilish visitor who has come to collect on an outstanding debt, inherited by Abel from his forefathers.
Bonus Features: Includes an excerpt from the author's novel, 'Blood Related' + the long poem 'The Temper of The Tide', in its entirety.
Warning: contains adult content + themes of supernatural & psychological horror.
“This man is simply scary. There is both a clinical thoroughness and a heartfelt emotional thoroughness to his writing. He manages to shock as well as empathize, to scare as well as acclimatize, yet beneath it all is a well read intelligence that demands to be engaged. I loved Blood Related. Ordinarily I hate serial killer stories, but William Cook won me over. He is a unique and innovative talent.”
– Joe McKinney, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Flesh Eaters and Dog Days
*******************************************************************
* I am currently looking for book reviewers. If any of my titles appeal to you, please contact me via my About/Contact page and I'd be happy to provide you with a digital copy (format of your choice) of any/all of my titles. Thanks - I look forward to hearing from you.
This interview series should prove fascinating reading (for readers and authors alike), providing many details and information from an insider's perspective on the world of digital and POD (Print On Demand) publishing and the pros and cons from an author's perspective. The next author that I interview is uber-talented, best-selling Horror writer, Matt Shaw. Get ready, this interview will be a doozy!
Scheduled for the next month or two, will be a continuation of these interviews with other talented and successful self-published authors including Matt Drabble, April M Reign, Michaelbrent Collings, and Russell Blake. Make sure to subscribe to the newsletter to stay tuned for future interviews and freebies etc.
In the meantime, I'd like to thank you all for visiting and reading this blog/website and offer you a link to a free copy of my latest ebook - 'One Way Ticket.' It has been warmly received so far and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did writing it. If you have a spare moment when you've finished reading it, please leave a brief review* and check out my other titles for more goodies.
FOR U.S. READERS
FOR REST OF WORLD READERSOne Way TicketFast Train To Hell . . .
From the belly of the swamp issues forth a visit in the middle of the night from a force as dark and unimaginable as hell itself. Poor pig-farmer Abel Laroux, must battle the demons of his past as well as the nightmarish reality of the present, as he confronts a devilish visitor who has come to collect on an outstanding debt, inherited by Abel from his forefathers.
Bonus Features: Includes an excerpt from the author's novel, 'Blood Related' + the long poem 'The Temper of The Tide', in its entirety.
Warning: contains adult content + themes of supernatural & psychological horror.
“This man is simply scary. There is both a clinical thoroughness and a heartfelt emotional thoroughness to his writing. He manages to shock as well as empathize, to scare as well as acclimatize, yet beneath it all is a well read intelligence that demands to be engaged. I loved Blood Related. Ordinarily I hate serial killer stories, but William Cook won me over. He is a unique and innovative talent.”
– Joe McKinney, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of Flesh Eaters and Dog Days
*******************************************************************
* I am currently looking for book reviewers. If any of my titles appeal to you, please contact me via my About/Contact page and I'd be happy to provide you with a digital copy (format of your choice) of any/all of my titles. Thanks - I look forward to hearing from you.
February 21, 2015
Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors #1 - Mark Edward Hall
Hi everyone - hope you are all well and enjoying life as much as possible. For those of you readers who sometimes wonder what all the hullabaloo is about self-publishing vs traditional publishing, this is the first in a series of exclusive interviews with best-selling self-published authors. The interviews will pretty much reveal all you need to know (plus more!) about why some authors choose to publish their work independently (as opposed to traditionally). For authors (and prospective authors) thinking of self-publishing, or wondering similar questions, I hope that this series of interviews will offer you some valuable tips and advice from these best-selling self-published authors, that you can use to navigate and hone your own adventures in today's exciting digital publishing world. Without further ado, let's kick it all off with this fantastic interview with best-selling author Mark Edward Hall.
Where do you get your inspiration from for your writing and for the way you brand yourself as an author?
As a writer my inspiration comes from the world around me. I’m a news junkie and I like to use current events as inspiration. I’ve also done a lot of reading in my life and use historical events in the mix. My unique author branding comes from a mix of genres. For the most part my novels are hard to categorize. They’re a mix of crime, scifi, horror, fantasy and apocalyptic. Some say this is the kiss of death but it’s been very successful for me. There’s always a little romance (and sex) in there as well, because to me it can’t be real without the tensions of love, the single most important driving force in human history. You have to remember that love and sex were here long before money and greed. I do write some straight horror, and I love it, but the supernatural thriller is where I’m most at home.
Did you try to get publishing contracts for your books early on with traditional book publishers? If so, did you have any success there or if not what was it that made you decide to self-publish the majority of your work? My first novel, The Lost Village, was completed in the late nineties. At the time the Scott Meredith agency in New York had something called the Discovery Program. You send them four hundred bucks and they promised to put your book at the top of the slush pile and get back to you within a few months. They were a major agency with a great reputation, so I said, why the hell not and sent it along. They were true to their word. Within sixty days I heard from a kind editor who told me the book was amazing, that I had a promising future as a writer, but The Lost Village was too long and therefore unpublishable. He said there wasn’t a publisher on the planet who would publish a 258,000 word novel from an unknown. He said if I was King or Patterson, no problem. But I wasn’t King or Patterson. Please send something else along that’s at a more appropriate length, say 90 to 110 thousand words. This was in 2002 and I said screw it and published it myself. Back then, there weren’t any kindles or nooks so I went with one of those vanity presses. The book came out quite well. It was in hardcover and paperback and I was happy with it. I joined the New England Horror writers, did some group signings and actually sold quite a lot of books. To the chagrin of some of the other members who were all traditionally published authors.
I was the only outlier. I did a tremendous amount of self- promo and soon I was receiving fan mail, some from as far away as Australia and the UK. By 2004 I had written two more books, The Haunting of Sam Cabot and The Holocaust Opera, both horror stories. I self-published them both. In 2009 I got an email from a new small press publisher called Damnation Books who wanted to publish my work. They subsequently republished all three of my novels. I signed away my rights for five years. I wish I never had. The royalty rate was a little higher than most traditional publishers but still terrible. That was about the time kindle exploded on the scene. Damnation did very little for me other than put my books out there and let them go stagnant. I was sorry I’d given my rights away.
In the meantime, I wrote three more novels and several novellas. These I self-published. No way was I ever going to let another publisher have my books. Apocalypse Island came out in 2012 and has done amazingly well. Soul Thief, its sequel, came out the following year and is doing very well also. I’m publishing the third in the series (Song of Ariel) as a serial novel simply because my readers are demanding more now.
I know this is a long answer to your short question. The simple answer is, this is my publishing history. I never sent out queries to hundreds of publishers like so many other writers did. I’m independent and love going it alone. Damnation Books was my one fall down and I’ll never let that happen again. By the way, I received the rights back to The Haunting of Sam Cabot last September, and have sold more copies in five months than I did in five years with a publisher. I get the other two books back this year. That’s it, unless I am offered millions of dollars from a major publisher, I will never ever consider signing with one again. And I will never sign away my digital rights for any price. This is the future and any author who doesn’t retain his or her digital rights is a fool.
Once you have decided that self-publishing might be your route, what financial and artistic considerations should you keep in mind before you begin?
Keep in mind that it’s all on you. You hire an editor. You hire a book cover artist. You either learn how to do the formatting and uploading yourself or you hire someone to do it. If you’re willing to do the work the rewards can be tremendous, if you’re not willing to do the work, keep sending those queries out and hope someday some publisher will shine his light down on you. You’ll earn 17.5% of the retail price of the book. If you publish yourself you’ll earn 70%. To me it’s no contest. You can hire a lot of editor and cover artist for the difference.
What do you see as your most innovative promotional strategy?
Freedom. Freedom to play with the price point, freedom to change the cover art if the old one isn’t working, freedom to change the product description. Freedom to promote at will and reap all the benefits. There are many.
What kind of marketing did you do to establish your author brand and what do you think is the most successful type of marketing for self-published authors? It’s different for everybody. A mailing list is essential. You can set one up at Mailchimp. It’s easy. Put the link in the beginning and at the end of each book. If they like your work they’ll sign up. When you put something new out send them a notification. These are almost guaranteed sales. Play with price points. Use paid ads. Book Bub is a good one if you can get accepted. Trust me, it’s well worth the cost. Social networks don’t really work well for me. I rarely advertise my books on social. Getting around and being friendly without always trying to sell your work will get you more brownie points than hawking your wares like an insurance salesman. Try promoting your friend’s books, it’ll come back to you in spades. By the way, when you’re on social networks, don’t be a jerk and don’t get political. You want people of all political bents to buy your books.
Is there any one thing that you have determined has helped you sell more books – i.e. could you outline your path to establishing your brand and your most successful sales method/s as? I’ve given away more than a million books. That’s my secret. And in doing so I’ve sold tens of thousands. ‘Oh, but Mark, if you give them away you’re losing valuable sales.’ I don’t know how many times I’ve heard this, and it’s simply not true. Those are people who would never have bought your book to begin with. They never would have heard of you. What you’ve done is put your books in the hands of readers who might never heard of you, and if they like your book, will tell a friend or family member and they’ll buy your book. I know, it’s happened to me hundreds of times. Exposure is the name of the game, and you will get no exposure if you wait around for them to find your book on Amazon and then agonize over whether they should buy it or not. The first time I did a bookbub promo I gave away more than fifty thousand books. Getting to #1 Free on Amazon sets off all sorts of algorithms and gives you tons of exposure. Immediately following the promo, I sold six thousand books. The book was Apocalypse Island and at 3.99 a book, I make 2.70 each. You do the math. BookBub will only consider a book once every six months so the more books you have out the better chance you have of doing this on a regular basis.
How important are ‘series’ books to your success as a self-published author?
Extremely important. Essential. My Blue Light Series has made me an Amazon bestseller. I’m on the third book now with a fourth scheduled. After this series I have another one planned. Readers love series.
Do you design your own covers? How important do you think cover design is to a potential reader and how big a part do you think it has played in your success to date? I’ve designed about half my covers. I think covers are very important. If a cover works I leave it alone, if it doesn’t I play around with it until it starts to work. Like I said before, it’s one of the great things about being independent.
In your opinion, is traditional publishing on the way out? Do you think that traditional publishing can continue to keep up with the rise of self-publishing? I don’t think traditional publishing will ever go away. There are those who will hold out for a traditional deal forever, even if it means starving to death. Good luck to them. I think traditional publishers need to retool. Strangely enough, I don’t think they foresaw the rise of ebooks, and if they did, they ignored it, hoping it would go away. They need to start treating their authors better. I’m not talking about celebrity authors who have the power to negotiate huge book deals, I’m talking about the midlist authors who barely make a living. These are the majority and they’re getting screwed. There’s an exodus going on right now and if publishers aren’t careful the only authors they’ll have are the top one hundred you see at the airport book store.
Do you feel there’s a good sense of community within the self-publishing industry? I don’t know if I can adequately answer that question. Like I said, I don’t do much with social, I don’t do Kindle boards. I find it too hard to navigate and there are too many jerks over there. They can have it. I’m on goodreads although I don’t do much with it. I find that goodreads reviewers are much more brutal than Amazon reviewers. I read a lot of complaints from authors about it.
What would you say is the single biggest advantage of deciding to self-publish? Freedom!
Are there things you feel as though you missed out on by not going down the traditional publishing route (working alongside an editor, for example)? Not at all.
Would you recommend other aspiring self-publishing authors pay for particular services? Editing or cover design, for example? Absolutely. You want to be a writer? Take charge of your own career. The days of nurturing are over.
Are you in regular contact with other self-published authors and how important was any input you may have received early on in your career? Do you have a mentor in terms of your self-publishing success – someone who may have inspired you to ‘give it a go’? I gave it a go, all on my own, as I stated earlier in this interview, but yes there are several people who have inspired me and helped me along the way: Joe Konrath, Hugh Howey and David Gaughran. If you’re a self -published writer and you don’t know who these people are, you’d better look them up. There’s a wealth of information on their blogs.
Where to from here? Are you currently represented by an agent and are you working with any publishers on future projects? I don’t have an agent and I’m not working with any publishers at the moment. That could change. I would like to enter the foreign language market and you really do need an agent to handle the details. I’m working on it.
Can you offer any advice to fellow writers if you could go back in time and “do it all over?” What’s your top tip for other indie authors? If I could go back in time I don’t think I’d change a thing. Everyone has his or her own individual journey, and no two are alike. Mine has been bumpy but rewarding. My top tip for other indie authors is to hang in there. Don’t get discouraged. If you really want to be a writer, sit your ass in the seat and write the best book you can.
Finally, thanks for sharing your thoughts on self-publishing. Where is the best place for readers to find your books?
You’re very welcome, Will. I’ve enjoyed it. The best place to find my books is my Amazon author page here.
Mark Edward Hall Bio Mark Edward Hall writes fast-paced thrillers with strong, relatable characters. His books have gained a steady following with readers who enjoy his blend of scifi, paranormal, occult, and suspense. His first book, "The Lost Village," became popular enough for Mark to focus entirely on writing. Since that book, Mark's popularity has grown, with "Apocalypse Island", the first book in the "Blue Light Series" becoming his most-read book to date and an Amazon Bestseller. "Soul Thief", the second book in the "Blue Light Series" is quickly gaining ground. Mark takes on big subjects with his books, dealing with government conspiracies, matters of faith and the heart. With his most recent book, "The Haunting of Sam Cabot" Mark presents a story that focuses on a small family, a haunted house and the father's slow decent into madness. Mark draws compelling characters whom readers are sad to leave behind when the book is finished.
Visit his blog at: http://www.markedwardhall.blogspot.com where you can sign up for e-mail updates and be the first to hear about new releases.
Connect with Mark on Facebook. He loves to chat with readers.
Follow him on Twitter.
What others are saying about Mark's books:
"Apocalypse Island is a major achievement." ~Kiana Davenport, internationally bestselling author of SHARK DIALOGUES, and THE SPY LOVER
"...an ambitious thriller..." ~New York Times Bestselling Author, Allan Leverone
"...eerily seductive ..." ~Midwest Book reviewMark Edward Hall, Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors, Self-Publishing, #selfpub, Writing, Amazon Best-sellers, Selfpublishing vs traditional publishing, Mark Edward Hall, William Cook, Joe Konrath, Hugh Howey, David Gaughran
Where do you get your inspiration from for your writing and for the way you brand yourself as an author?
As a writer my inspiration comes from the world around me. I’m a news junkie and I like to use current events as inspiration. I’ve also done a lot of reading in my life and use historical events in the mix. My unique author branding comes from a mix of genres. For the most part my novels are hard to categorize. They’re a mix of crime, scifi, horror, fantasy and apocalyptic. Some say this is the kiss of death but it’s been very successful for me. There’s always a little romance (and sex) in there as well, because to me it can’t be real without the tensions of love, the single most important driving force in human history. You have to remember that love and sex were here long before money and greed. I do write some straight horror, and I love it, but the supernatural thriller is where I’m most at home.
Did you try to get publishing contracts for your books early on with traditional book publishers? If so, did you have any success there or if not what was it that made you decide to self-publish the majority of your work? My first novel, The Lost Village, was completed in the late nineties. At the time the Scott Meredith agency in New York had something called the Discovery Program. You send them four hundred bucks and they promised to put your book at the top of the slush pile and get back to you within a few months. They were a major agency with a great reputation, so I said, why the hell not and sent it along. They were true to their word. Within sixty days I heard from a kind editor who told me the book was amazing, that I had a promising future as a writer, but The Lost Village was too long and therefore unpublishable. He said there wasn’t a publisher on the planet who would publish a 258,000 word novel from an unknown. He said if I was King or Patterson, no problem. But I wasn’t King or Patterson. Please send something else along that’s at a more appropriate length, say 90 to 110 thousand words. This was in 2002 and I said screw it and published it myself. Back then, there weren’t any kindles or nooks so I went with one of those vanity presses. The book came out quite well. It was in hardcover and paperback and I was happy with it. I joined the New England Horror writers, did some group signings and actually sold quite a lot of books. To the chagrin of some of the other members who were all traditionally published authors.
I was the only outlier. I did a tremendous amount of self- promo and soon I was receiving fan mail, some from as far away as Australia and the UK. By 2004 I had written two more books, The Haunting of Sam Cabot and The Holocaust Opera, both horror stories. I self-published them both. In 2009 I got an email from a new small press publisher called Damnation Books who wanted to publish my work. They subsequently republished all three of my novels. I signed away my rights for five years. I wish I never had. The royalty rate was a little higher than most traditional publishers but still terrible. That was about the time kindle exploded on the scene. Damnation did very little for me other than put my books out there and let them go stagnant. I was sorry I’d given my rights away.
In the meantime, I wrote three more novels and several novellas. These I self-published. No way was I ever going to let another publisher have my books. Apocalypse Island came out in 2012 and has done amazingly well. Soul Thief, its sequel, came out the following year and is doing very well also. I’m publishing the third in the series (Song of Ariel) as a serial novel simply because my readers are demanding more now.
I know this is a long answer to your short question. The simple answer is, this is my publishing history. I never sent out queries to hundreds of publishers like so many other writers did. I’m independent and love going it alone. Damnation Books was my one fall down and I’ll never let that happen again. By the way, I received the rights back to The Haunting of Sam Cabot last September, and have sold more copies in five months than I did in five years with a publisher. I get the other two books back this year. That’s it, unless I am offered millions of dollars from a major publisher, I will never ever consider signing with one again. And I will never sign away my digital rights for any price. This is the future and any author who doesn’t retain his or her digital rights is a fool.
Once you have decided that self-publishing might be your route, what financial and artistic considerations should you keep in mind before you begin?
Keep in mind that it’s all on you. You hire an editor. You hire a book cover artist. You either learn how to do the formatting and uploading yourself or you hire someone to do it. If you’re willing to do the work the rewards can be tremendous, if you’re not willing to do the work, keep sending those queries out and hope someday some publisher will shine his light down on you. You’ll earn 17.5% of the retail price of the book. If you publish yourself you’ll earn 70%. To me it’s no contest. You can hire a lot of editor and cover artist for the difference.
What do you see as your most innovative promotional strategy?
Freedom. Freedom to play with the price point, freedom to change the cover art if the old one isn’t working, freedom to change the product description. Freedom to promote at will and reap all the benefits. There are many.
What kind of marketing did you do to establish your author brand and what do you think is the most successful type of marketing for self-published authors? It’s different for everybody. A mailing list is essential. You can set one up at Mailchimp. It’s easy. Put the link in the beginning and at the end of each book. If they like your work they’ll sign up. When you put something new out send them a notification. These are almost guaranteed sales. Play with price points. Use paid ads. Book Bub is a good one if you can get accepted. Trust me, it’s well worth the cost. Social networks don’t really work well for me. I rarely advertise my books on social. Getting around and being friendly without always trying to sell your work will get you more brownie points than hawking your wares like an insurance salesman. Try promoting your friend’s books, it’ll come back to you in spades. By the way, when you’re on social networks, don’t be a jerk and don’t get political. You want people of all political bents to buy your books.
Is there any one thing that you have determined has helped you sell more books – i.e. could you outline your path to establishing your brand and your most successful sales method/s as? I’ve given away more than a million books. That’s my secret. And in doing so I’ve sold tens of thousands. ‘Oh, but Mark, if you give them away you’re losing valuable sales.’ I don’t know how many times I’ve heard this, and it’s simply not true. Those are people who would never have bought your book to begin with. They never would have heard of you. What you’ve done is put your books in the hands of readers who might never heard of you, and if they like your book, will tell a friend or family member and they’ll buy your book. I know, it’s happened to me hundreds of times. Exposure is the name of the game, and you will get no exposure if you wait around for them to find your book on Amazon and then agonize over whether they should buy it or not. The first time I did a bookbub promo I gave away more than fifty thousand books. Getting to #1 Free on Amazon sets off all sorts of algorithms and gives you tons of exposure. Immediately following the promo, I sold six thousand books. The book was Apocalypse Island and at 3.99 a book, I make 2.70 each. You do the math. BookBub will only consider a book once every six months so the more books you have out the better chance you have of doing this on a regular basis.
How important are ‘series’ books to your success as a self-published author?
Extremely important. Essential. My Blue Light Series has made me an Amazon bestseller. I’m on the third book now with a fourth scheduled. After this series I have another one planned. Readers love series.
Do you design your own covers? How important do you think cover design is to a potential reader and how big a part do you think it has played in your success to date? I’ve designed about half my covers. I think covers are very important. If a cover works I leave it alone, if it doesn’t I play around with it until it starts to work. Like I said before, it’s one of the great things about being independent.
In your opinion, is traditional publishing on the way out? Do you think that traditional publishing can continue to keep up with the rise of self-publishing? I don’t think traditional publishing will ever go away. There are those who will hold out for a traditional deal forever, even if it means starving to death. Good luck to them. I think traditional publishers need to retool. Strangely enough, I don’t think they foresaw the rise of ebooks, and if they did, they ignored it, hoping it would go away. They need to start treating their authors better. I’m not talking about celebrity authors who have the power to negotiate huge book deals, I’m talking about the midlist authors who barely make a living. These are the majority and they’re getting screwed. There’s an exodus going on right now and if publishers aren’t careful the only authors they’ll have are the top one hundred you see at the airport book store.
Do you feel there’s a good sense of community within the self-publishing industry? I don’t know if I can adequately answer that question. Like I said, I don’t do much with social, I don’t do Kindle boards. I find it too hard to navigate and there are too many jerks over there. They can have it. I’m on goodreads although I don’t do much with it. I find that goodreads reviewers are much more brutal than Amazon reviewers. I read a lot of complaints from authors about it.
What would you say is the single biggest advantage of deciding to self-publish? Freedom!
Are there things you feel as though you missed out on by not going down the traditional publishing route (working alongside an editor, for example)? Not at all.
Would you recommend other aspiring self-publishing authors pay for particular services? Editing or cover design, for example? Absolutely. You want to be a writer? Take charge of your own career. The days of nurturing are over.
Are you in regular contact with other self-published authors and how important was any input you may have received early on in your career? Do you have a mentor in terms of your self-publishing success – someone who may have inspired you to ‘give it a go’? I gave it a go, all on my own, as I stated earlier in this interview, but yes there are several people who have inspired me and helped me along the way: Joe Konrath, Hugh Howey and David Gaughran. If you’re a self -published writer and you don’t know who these people are, you’d better look them up. There’s a wealth of information on their blogs.
Where to from here? Are you currently represented by an agent and are you working with any publishers on future projects? I don’t have an agent and I’m not working with any publishers at the moment. That could change. I would like to enter the foreign language market and you really do need an agent to handle the details. I’m working on it.
Can you offer any advice to fellow writers if you could go back in time and “do it all over?” What’s your top tip for other indie authors? If I could go back in time I don’t think I’d change a thing. Everyone has his or her own individual journey, and no two are alike. Mine has been bumpy but rewarding. My top tip for other indie authors is to hang in there. Don’t get discouraged. If you really want to be a writer, sit your ass in the seat and write the best book you can.
Finally, thanks for sharing your thoughts on self-publishing. Where is the best place for readers to find your books?
You’re very welcome, Will. I’ve enjoyed it. The best place to find my books is my Amazon author page here.
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Mark Edward Hall Bio Mark Edward Hall writes fast-paced thrillers with strong, relatable characters. His books have gained a steady following with readers who enjoy his blend of scifi, paranormal, occult, and suspense. His first book, "The Lost Village," became popular enough for Mark to focus entirely on writing. Since that book, Mark's popularity has grown, with "Apocalypse Island", the first book in the "Blue Light Series" becoming his most-read book to date and an Amazon Bestseller. "Soul Thief", the second book in the "Blue Light Series" is quickly gaining ground. Mark takes on big subjects with his books, dealing with government conspiracies, matters of faith and the heart. With his most recent book, "The Haunting of Sam Cabot" Mark presents a story that focuses on a small family, a haunted house and the father's slow decent into madness. Mark draws compelling characters whom readers are sad to leave behind when the book is finished.
Visit his blog at: http://www.markedwardhall.blogspot.com where you can sign up for e-mail updates and be the first to hear about new releases.
Connect with Mark on Facebook. He loves to chat with readers.
Follow him on Twitter.
What others are saying about Mark's books:
"Apocalypse Island is a major achievement." ~Kiana Davenport, internationally bestselling author of SHARK DIALOGUES, and THE SPY LOVER
"...an ambitious thriller..." ~New York Times Bestselling Author, Allan Leverone
"...eerily seductive ..." ~Midwest Book reviewMark Edward Hall, Secrets of Best-Selling Self-Published Authors, Self-Publishing, #selfpub, Writing, Amazon Best-sellers, Selfpublishing vs traditional publishing, Mark Edward Hall, William Cook, Joe Konrath, Hugh Howey, David Gaughran
