A.L. Butcher's Blog, page 143
November 15, 2016
KDP and Publishing – a Noob’s Guide Part 3
It never ceases to amaze me how people (often quite intelligent people) don’t bother to read things beyond what they want to see. Where I work (won’t mention the name) I’m forever yelling things like RTFM (read the f*cking manual) as no one has bothered to read past the first line of the email telling them what is needed, and more importantly how and when. And public wise – honestly – read the bloody info!
KDP-wise – check out the forums BEFORE you ask that question that has been asked a thousand times before. I’ve said it before READ THE FAQ. PLEASE. Years ago when I ventured on the Lulu forums as a noob I got totally roasted as I asked noobie questions and certain folks there really were NOT helpful. Anyway general the KDP folks are but it becomes very tedious with newbies asking the same questions as the person 30 seconds before.
Also if you want advice – then don’t fly off the handle if you’re given it and don’t like what you’re told. There are hundreds of threads asking about why books don’t sell, why the reports are ‘lying’, why the big bad Zon are diddling hardworking authors out of their money and mostly it’s bollocks. There are a number of active forum members who are happy to offer advice, point people towards the relevant FAQ area and try and help, but bitching to them as they’ve told you your book needs more work, or you haven’t registered your bank account etc, and getting snarky is likely to piss people off and remove said advice in the future.
So why isn’t your book selling? There are millions of books available on Kindle, and thousands more are uploaded every day. Why should anyone look at, or even find your book, or mine for that matter?
Reasons:
Promoting and marketing is not Amazon’s job – it’s yours. And it’s hard work, it takes time, patience and a certain degree of luck. There are tons of threads asking for advice on how to go about this. What works for one person might not work for another so there is a lot of trial and error. Here are some of the tactics I use, and have used but there are plenty of others:
Author interviews. Get yourself on blogs and spotlights. There are hundreds if not thousands of blogs that will offer interviews, features and spotlights either free or at low cost. (This one for a start). Obviously there is some effort in this – you have to search around to find suitable blogs – genre related is better but some people do offer to any genre. Ask the host what their following is – what you get – especially if you are expected to pay.
https://princessofthelight.wordpress.com/ – is a great promotional site. The hosters are friendly and although the author does have to pay, it’s worth the money. At roughly $11.50 a shot it’s within the budget of newbies.
Get your own blog/website. Currently we are working on a website to companion the blog and promote my books. Generally it’s useful to have a website – especially if you have more than one book. You can pay, or try and make your own for low cost Try WordPress.com, Wix.com or squarespace.com. I think a blog of some sort is a must. For a start it allows you to network – and this is really important. Generally indie authors are a supportive lot and will reciprocate. Also a blog is a space for readers and followers to get to know you (ditto author interviews). It’s not just about the books. Some people say it takes time away from writing – well yes and no. It does take time away from stories but you are still writing, and honing skills. It makes you think about what to write, who your audience is, what is interesting, what isn’t. Of course many bloggers use their space to share research, or topics that interest them. I’m big on research and I think this also gives the reader some confidence that the author knows what they are talking about.
Facebook: It’s worth getting an author/book page on Facebook.
Here’s mine https://www.facebook.com/LightBeyondtheStorm
Recently I took a foundation diploma in social media marketing and one of the modules dealt with Facebook and ads. I haven’t used a paid ad there yet (I may next year) but there are plenty of free groups that allow promotion. Some people say FB isn’t a good platform – I disagree. I’ve bought books directly from FB promotions and I’ve made good friends, and good contacts from FB.
Twitter: I wasn’t a fan of Twitter and held off getting an account for some while. Does it help? Yes, I think so. It’s a good platform to get the word out.
Why else might the book not be selling?
It’s crap. Of course ‘crap’ is a relative term but generally I mean it’s badly formatted, badly written and well, bad. We’ve probably all seen them: those books in which the English language and grammar are distinctly lacking and plot is absence, or scraped from the internet. Now every author thinks their book is great, but honestly it’s worth making sure it’s well written, formatted properly and (preferably) edited. Do you have a decent cover? A decent synopsis?
KDP don’t have a quality check – that’s your job as well, at least in part. Formatting guidelines can be found here: https://kdp.amazon.com/help?topicId=A12NQC9HQPI9CA
I find formatting for Kindle a lot easier than the other formats but with a decent knowledge of MSword it’s not that tricky. If you don’t have a good grasp of it you may be better to hire a formatter. (That might be a service on offer from us next year) or search the interweb for sites.
It’s worth remembering it takes time to build a following. Very few indie authors release a book and it’s a best seller in a week. It can take years.
There’s a particular poster on the KDP forum who tells newbies to write what sells. If you’re like me you can’t simply sit down and say ‘ah romance is hot this week – I’ll write a romance novel’. Well I can but no one would want to read it. Besides what is popular changes. Tastes change.
It annoys me – substandard ‘popular’ trash uploaded quickly with no care for the reader. There’s a reason indies have a bad rep. Grr.
What I’m rambling about is basically – it takes time, patience and work to sell books. The writing is easy (sort of). Do the best you can with the resources you can spare.
KDP Support Contact https://kdp.amazon.com/contact-us
Interview with Toasha Jiordano — shona kinsella
Apologies for the missing post yesterday – I had one of those days where everything went wrong and I had to accept that I am, unfortunately, not Wonder Woman and can’t of everything! I hope today’s interview makes up for it! Joining me today is Toasha Jiordano, a member of my online writing group, Scribophile. […]
via Interview with Toasha Jiordano — shona kinsella
November 13, 2016
Author Interview 119 – Steve Schatz
Where are you from and where do you live now?
I’ve lived lots of places. I grew up in New Mexico, spent some years in Texas, hitchhiked around the country and ended up in San Francisco. Now I live in a tiny town in rural Western Massachusetts.
Please tell us a little about your writing – for example genre, title, etc.
Over the past years, I’ve written children’s, tween, adult (fiction and nonfiction). The Adima Chronicles has been my main focus for the past several years. The first book, , came out in March of 2015 and the second book, Adima Returning, is in the hands of my publisher, Absolute Love Publishing. It is marketed as Young Adult, but I’ve heard from readers who have been touched by it who are as young as fifteen as well as people in their eighties. It’s speculative fiction – not high fantasy, but explores a world of energy and light that exists intertwined with the “normal” world.
Are your characters based on real people?
Not specifically. I use pieces from everywhere to grow the characters. I listen to a lot of comics (Louie C.K., Sarah Silverman, Eddie Izzard, Margaret Cho, and others). I remember particularly pithy remarks. I steal character traits from people I like and don’t like. That’s how I start. Then, as the characters takes form, they develop their own voice.
In the first novel of a series, that’s one of the most difficult, but wonderful process. It requires very close scrutiny during rewrites. What I found is that I often go into detailed subplots that grow the character. It’s crucial for my understanding. However, many of these subplots, while important for me to understand a character, do not move the story forward, so they have to go. It often really hurts. Faulkner said, “Kill your darlings.” Stephen King added to this in his book on writing, when he wrote, “Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.”
I keep the subplots for future reference, but don’t keep them in the book. As a reader, I like to create a vision of a character as I read. As an author, I need to respect the reader enough to offer a rich character which allows them to develop their own view of who that character is, without forcing them to share my view exactly.
Is there a message conveyed within your writing? Do you feel this is important in a book?
I have several specific messages in the Adima series. The most important is to take aware, creative action and take responsibility to making your decisions. If you action works, great. If it not, learn and share what you’ve learned. In Adima Rising, a major message is also the importance of creating one’s own connection to the sacred, not mindlessly turning such an important, personal decision over to someone else. In the new book, added to those is the idea that small groups connecting (versus we all must form one big group) is essential to face large challenges.
That being said, it is very hard to write a book with a message. If an author gives in to writing a message book, it is very difficult to be subtle. Folks don’t want/need to read Schatz’s rules for how to live. The book needs to be entertaining and stimulate both thinking and pleasure. It’s hard to write a message without getting stuck in a proclaiming what is right and wrong mode. When I start preaching, I can hear the sound of a thousand books slamming shut. Instead, I try to offer an optional view of the world. It’s part of the world building. Readers can ignore the message and still enjoy the adventure.
What three pieces of advice would you give to new writers?
Write. It’s amazing to me how difficult it is to turn what’s in my head into something on the page. There’s a big difference between thinking about writing and writing. I use Mr. Steve’s 15 minute rule. I promise myself that will write 15 minutes a day, no matter what. If I do that, I’m good. Many times, once I get going, I will write longer. However, I only commit to 15 minutes.
Let your characters grow. I write a lot of background info of my characters, knowing it will never make it into the final book. I do it so the characters come to life. At that magic moment, I get out of the way. The characters tell me what they would do and how they would say something.
Write what you want. The chances of becoming a million selling author are probably in the same neighbourhood of winning the lottery. Don’t do it for the money. Write what you want, so the book pleases you. I don’t mean to say don’t write. Even with the lottery, if you don’t play, you are certain not to win. I prefer writing, because even if I don’t “win”, I know I’ve put something into the world that is good. That is my motivation. I would hate to write garbage because I thought it would sell and go through so much effort and still not have the book sell.
Do you self-edit? If so why is that the case? Do you believe a book suffers without being professionally edited?
I edit, rewrite, edit, rewrite – rinse and repeat until I’m pleased with the result. Then I send it to my publisher. Their editor, Sarah Hackley and the publisher, Caroline Shearer, both work on the book. Their work brings out the best parts. There are some changes I fight, but overall, I know my books are better because of them. I think the problem for authors is that we get too close. We fall in love with sub plots that don’t drive the story. Then we don’t explain things that should be explained, because having lived with the story and the characters, it is obvious. However, to a casual reader, it isn’t. A friend of mine said you need a reader with some ironic distance. I agree.
Sort these into order of importance: Great characters; great world-building; technically perfect. Can you explain why you chose this order? (Yes I know they all are important…)
Great characters is the most essential. If I don’t care about the characters, I don’t care if they are threatened, face delights or upsets, or if they live or die. The richness of the characters and a deep understanding of them (detailed for me, but shown through actions to the reader) allow all else to follow. I often close my eyes and ask what a character would do in a situation and they tell me. I can see it. The voice of each character becomes more unique the more I write about them. I love McDonald’s Fletch. He’s a great character and I don’t really care what he’s doing. I enjoy how he handles situations. Christie knew this when she used different characters for different books. Sherlock Holmes is such a rich character that many people have written continuing cases. If we didn’t care about Frodo or Bilbo, no one would stagger through three books or would slog through seven books if we weren’t taken with Rowling’s characters.
Technical perfection. Here, I’m thinking about mistakes in spelling, grammar and fact. The importance of this is often overlooked. However, if the author and/or publisher allow mistakes to go into print, it shows to me that they don’t care. They don’t care about the product and they don’t care about the reader.
I’ve stopped reading books after a few mistakes because it got me looking for others and it became a job of editing, rather than the enjoyment of reading. Technical perfection should not be noticed, it is expected.
World Building. For me, this is one of the most enjoyable parts of writing. There are two challenges in world building. The first is similar to developing characters. I go into deep explanations of how the world works, how to see the web of light, how to travel, what is Adima, what is Sodrol. Then, I must go back and cut about 90% of it out. I keep that background work, so I can look things up. I need to remember that people start digging into a world only after they enjoy their experience with the world. If Quest for Glory sucked, this blog would be about another world.
In addition, I find that once I have a solid set of characters, they help create the world. I was lucky with the Adima Chronicles. I had the connection to a group of devas, so when I would get stuck with a “how do they…” question, I’d close my eyes, call in the team and ask them. The answer usually came right away. This also helped a great deal in keep track of how things worked in the world. There have been many times in edits and rewrites when I have a flash question – did what I wrote in chapter 35 match the rules I set down in chapter 15? Every time, I would find “I” had written it correctly. If I didn’t have that unknown guidance, I would have had to make several very detailed maps to keep track.
Do you think indie/self-published authors are viewed differently to traditionally published authors? Why do you think this might be?
Yes, they are. Sometimes this is deservedly so. There are a lot of awful books out there that are self-published; books that the author/publisher hasn’t taken the time to really revise and edit (grammar, spelling). That being said, there are a lot of awful books from publishers with the same problem and there are a lot of great books that are self-published.
Frankly, the three main reasons I took the time to find a publisher instead of self-publishing are: 1) editing (as I said above), 2) distribution and 3) help with promotion.
I love opportunities like this to talk about my work. I love to do readings and discussions of my work, both online and in person, but I spend a lot of time writing and if I have a choice between writing and distribution, I would rather be writing. I had envisioned Adima Rising to be a single book, but my publisher suggested a series, which has opened up a whole new realm. If I had self-published (as I have before), I’d probably have a box of books sitting in my office with a few sold.
Do you read work by self-published authors?
Certainly. I am more likely to read self-published or small press authors than large publishers. The big ones tend to go for mass. I have obscure tastes and rarely like trendy or formulaic books. I don’t find much else from mainstream publishers.
What are your opinions about authors commenting on reviews? How important are reviews?
Oh, how I’d love to, but I don’t, won’t and shouldn’t. Arguing over a review is a waste of time. I know that my books will touch some people, change some people and bore some people. I believe that if you need it, you will read it. The Adima Chronicles needed to be in the world to offer a different perspective on life. It isn’t my business to tell them what to think. If I have time to do that, I’m avoiding writing or promoting.
What are your views on authors offering free books?
I like giving books away at the beginning and end of my career. The beginning, to build an audience. There are so many books now, it is very difficult to find an audience. I don’t make much on each book sold, so I would rather give them away and build a readership. As that readership grows and the numbers of books sold grows, it is possible to earn a living writing. I plan to always give books away, but I will let them pay me to write more. Toward the end of my writing, I will give more books away. I live a pretty simple lifestyle and beyond a point, there is no need for me to collect more stacks of money. I got into writing because I like the challenge. While I enjoy reading my books, one of the reasons I work so hard at it is to share ideas with others. If I spent the time I spend on writing doing nearly anything, I’d make more. I have a decent reputation in my first field (I’ve got a PhD in instructional and human systems design with a minor in organizational communications) and use that to support my writing habit. For authors, dreams and aspirations of making big money is fine as a fantasy. However, no one who keeps at it does it for the money. They spend all those nights reading and rereading and studying their craft because they love/hate it, but don’t want to stop.
In what formats are your books available? (E-books, print, large print audio) Are you intending to expand these and if not, what is the reason?
Absolute Love Publishing has published the Adima Chronicles in both e and print versions. I have recorded an audio version and have it available when asked (on my site www.AdimaRising.com). At this point, there have been no requests for large print.
I prefer reading from a real page. I spend most of my day in front of the computer, so to relax and read, I don’t want to stare at a screen. However, I know many people prefer e-books, so it would be stupid not to offer those. Mostly I trust the guidance of my publisher.
Book links, website/blog and author links:
My Sites: www.AdimaRising.com and www.SteveWrites.com
My publisher: www.AbsoluteLovePublishing.com and www.absolutelovepublishing.com/adima-rising
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AdimaRising/
November 10, 2016
Wind from the Abyss – Sci Fi – Book Spotlight
This Author’s Cut Edition is revised and expanded by the author and presented in a format designed to enhance your reading experience with larger, easy-to-read print, more generous margins, and covers designed for these premium editions.
Wind from the Abyss is the third volume in Janet Morris’ classic Silistra Quartet, continuing one woman’s quest for self-realization in a distant tomorrow. Aristocrat. Outcast. Picara. Slave. Ruler …. She is descended from the masters of the universe. To hold her he challenges the gods themselves.
Praise for Janet Morris’ Silistra Quartet: “The amazing and erotic adventures of the most beautiful courtesan in tomorrow’s universe.” — Fred Pohl
“Engrossing characters in a marvelous adventure.” — Charles N. Brown, Locus Magazine.
“The best single example of prostitution used in fantasy is Janet Morris’ Silsitra series.” — Anne K. Kahler, The Picara: From Hera to Fantasy Heroine.
Wind from the Abyss starts with this . . . Author’s Note – Since, at the beginning of this tale, I did not recollect myself nor retain even the slightest glimmer of such understanding as would have led me to an awareness of the significance of the various occurrences that transpired at the Lake of Horns then, I am adding this preface, though it was no part of my initial conception, that the meaningfulness of the events described by “Khys’ Estri” (as I have come to think of the shadow-self I was while the dharen held my skills and memory in abeyance) not be witheld from you as they were from me. I knew myself not: I was Estri because the girl Carth supposedly found wandering in the forest stripped of comprehension and identity chose that name. There, perhaps, lies the greatest irony of all, that I named myself anew after Estri Hadrath diet Estrazi, who in reality I had once been. And perhaps it is not irony at all, but an expression of Khys’ humor, an implicit dissertation by him who structured my experiences, my very thoughts, for nearly two years, until his audacity drove him to bring together once more Sereth crill Tyris, past-Slayer, then the outlawed Ebvrasea, then arrar to the dharen himself; Chayin rendi Inekte, cahndor of Nemar, co-cahndor of the Taken Lands, chosen so of Tar-Kesa, and at that time Khys’ puppet-vassal; and myself, former Well-Keepress, tiask of Nemar, and lastly becoming the chaldless outlaw who had come to judgment and endured ongoing retribution at the dharen’s hands. To test his hesting, his power over owkahen, the time-coming-to-be, did Khys put us together, all three, in his Day-Keeper’s city — and from that moment onward, the Weathers of Life became fixed: siphoned into a singular future; sealed tight as a dead god in his mausoleum, whose every move brought him closer to the sum total, obliteration. So did the dharen Khys bespeak it, himself. . . .
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M5HSQX2
November 5, 2016
Boo! Authors – A.L. Butcher #Horror
Who are you? I’m A. L. Butcher (Alexandra) but most people call me Alex.
Tell us about your Boo! story: The Watcher is a rewrite of a short story set during the Autumn of Terror –1888’s London and the killer known to history as Jack the Ripper. He was, and still is, an enigma and has fascinated me for years. I read a lot of true crime and have read most of the theories about his (or her) identity. This is a work of fiction – a might have been. It’s dark, violent and disturbing. But then again it’s meant to be.
What else have your written? Lots. I have a series of dark adult fantasy fiction, which has been called ‘sex and sorcery’. The Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles is set in a world where magic is illegal and half the population is enslaved. Please check out my author profile or blog for further details.
I’ve also got several short stories, and short story collections of fantasy tales, a book of poetry and, most recently, a short tragic tale based around the Phantom of the Opera.
What frightens you the most? Clowns, enclosed spaces, cancer.
Have you ever seen a ghost? Probably. There was definitely something there. Our old house had some…. strange habits and I worked in a couple of places with ‘documented’ spooks.
What are you reading at the moment? A book about Woodes Rogers (a local privateer turned pirate hunter), a book about the ‘invention’ of murder by the Victorians, and a book about ancient Rome.
If you could meet any living famous person for dinner who would it be and what would you eat?
Sir David Attenborough. Cheese on toast or my late mother’s steak and kidney stewJ
If you could meet any dead famous person who would be and what would you have to eat?
Terry Pratchett, or Leonardo Da Vinci – same as above.
Which book do you see as the most influential in your life?
Many, many, many books. Phantom of the Opera; Count of Monte Christo; Wuthering Heights; Dracula; most of the Discworld series; Lord of the Rings: I, the Sun; Watership Down, and lots more.
In the zombie apocalypse what would be your weapon of choice with which to defend yourself?
Flamethrower with unlimited fuel, failing that a sword probably.
Social media links etc.
A.L. Butcher is the British author of the Light Beyond the Storm Chronicles fantasy series, and several short stories in the fantasy and fantasy romance genres. She is an avid reader and creator of worlds, a poet and a dreamer. When she is grounded in the real world she likes science, natural history, history and monkeys. Her work has been described as ‘dark and gritty’ and her poetry as evocative.
Blog: https://libraryoferana.wordpress.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6430414A_L_Butcher
Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alexandra-Butcher/e/B008BQFCC6/
Twitter: @libraryoferana
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LightBeyondtheStorm
Boo! Authors – Erin McGowan – #Horror
Who are you?
Sure, we can start with the most open-ended question of all time. My name is Erin, my nickname was Lark once upon a time, but you can call me anything, so long as you don’t call me late to dinner. I’m an accountant/administrative assistant/whatever-the-hell-my-boss-tells-me-I-am by day and a writer and very occasionally editor by night. I love to read, travel, read, drink coffee, read, take walks on the bead, and read.
Tell us about your Boo! story:
I have one story about friendship, life, love, and scary shit. My second story is about brotherhood, friendship, love, bikes, and more scary shit. Seriously, though, one of my stories is about two best friends who go on an impromptu Halloween road trip and find more than they bargained for. The other story is about a motorcycle club and the lengths they will go to in order to keep people safe. I just now realized that both of my stories deal with travel and unbreakable bonds, but that’s not too surprising, because those are both things I value immensely.
What else have your written?
I’ve written short stories in “Music Speaks” and the other three “Boo” books. I’ve also written two full-length novels. “Aftermath” is a contemporary fiction novel that I am still half-tempted to entitle “Everybody Dies” just so I don’t have to give a summary of the book. “The Mage: Awakening” is a young adult urban fantasy book about a young woman who learns how to control her magical powers and tries to fit in in a new school and the mage society. It’s the first in a series. I hope the second book will be out soon.
What frightens you the most?
Being alone, or letting the people I love down. And clowns.
Have you ever seen a ghost?
I have. It was in an apartment, and it was massively angry.
What are you reading at the moment?
I’m just about to start “Dead Zone” by Stephen King. I thought, given the election, it was fitting.
If you could meet any living famous person for dinner who would it be and what would you eat?
I would love to meet Jimmy Buffet. I don’t think I could bring myself to say anything, but I’d be in Heaven. We’d eat some sort of fish, I’m sure. I’d let him choose.
If you could meet any dead famous person who would be and what would you have to eat?
I have to pick one? Did you ever see the Gilmore Girls episode where they had all their friends come eat a fancy dinner at the Inn? I want to do that with dead people. Shakespeare and Byron and Amelia Earhart and Dorothy Parker and Sid Vicious and David Bowe and Rich Meyer and Cina Clark and Brian Wilson and so many more that I can’t even keep them straight. People I love, people I admire, and people I aspire to be like would all be there.
Which book do you see as the most influential in your life?
Too many to choose from. I would say Jim Butcher and all of his books changed my life in a major way, though.
In the zombie apocalypse what would be your weapon of choice with which to defend yourself?
I want Harley’s mallet and giant thews.
Social media links etc.
The Mage: Awakening: https://www.amazon.com/Mage-Awakening-Erin-McGowan-ebook/dp/B01BIR0AJO/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
Music Speaks: https://www.amazon.com/Music-Speaks-LB-Clark-ebook/dp/B008C88QTE/ref=la_B008CBE1H2_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1478144407&sr=1-6
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ErinMWrites/?ref=br_rs
Lonestar Book Works: http://www.lonestarbookworks.info/
November 3, 2016
Boo! Authors – Ann Cathey #Horror
Who are you?
I write under the name Ann Cathey, and have been doing so since my teens.
Tell us about your Boo! story:
Which one? I have two, this time around. One is a completely silly bit of fluff about a spooky jello mold that spawned out of nowhere. The other is a little ghost story that belongs to my Hidden Souls tales that is loosely based on personal experience.
What else have your written?
In the past few years I’ve been features in all the Boo! anthologies, Music Speaks, and have one short novel currently available, “Wolf in the Fold”, that’s part of the aforementioned Hidden Souls universe. All of those projects are from Lone Star Book Works. I’ve also got a few short stories coming out in anthologies from Fantom Press in the near future.
In the far past, I’ve had poetry and short stories published in a variety of small press publications, though there’s been very little fan-fic. I’ve scripted for comic books and cartoon scripts, written training and technical manuals, played at journalism, helped write a couple of RPGs, and have articles all over the internet through a couple of content websites.
What frightens you the most?
Nothing, really. Oh, I get startled in haunted houses, and I don’t care for contemplating death outside of a story, but I’ve worked long and hard to let go of fear in my life. It’s counterproductive in most circumstances in today’s society.
Have you ever seen a ghost?
Yes.
What are you reading at the moment?
The Vampirates series by Justin Somper. It’s not really my preferred flavor, but the approach to the subject matter has my attention. And as it’s title implies, the story arch is about vampires and pirates in a young adult setting.
If you could meet any living famous person for dinner who would it be and what would you eat?
I think I would pass that along to a friend, actually. I’ve been fortunate to meet a LOT of writers, actors, comedians, bands, and artists, and hang out with them, through various conventions and other gatherings. The places I have worked have also given me great opportunity to meet and interact with numerous people that are considered famous in their fields.
If you could meet any dead famous person who would be and what would you have to eat?
I honestly don’t know. There are many I admire, but i’m not sure I would want my vision of them shattered by the reality of them. Besides, who would believe me?
Which book do you see as the most influential in your life?
Cat’s Cradle by Vonnegut – It came to me at an early and easily influenced age, making me see the world around me with a very different view. It warped me and I’ve been a little off ever since.
In the zombie apocalypse what would be your weapon of choice with which to defend yourself?
My absence. If the zombies can’t find me, they can’t eat me. Seriously, though, being able to physically defend myself is not one of my current strengths. My accumulated knowledge and my ability to think outside the box would stand me in good stead, however, bringing protectors to me. My knowledge can keep them fed, clothed, armed, etc. and I’m not afraid to be cut loose if I’m determined to be dead weight. I’ve already been scouted by a couple of survivalist groups if the world goes to pot.
Social media links etc.
I’m only available on Facebook and Amazon.com at this time, both under Ann Cathey. I’m also part of a blog on travel and cooking (who isn’t these days?) that I share with a few other folks.
https://www.facebook.com/AnnCatheyAuthor
https://www.amazon.com/Ann-Cathey/e/B00KIZHSE8
I’m also part of a blog on travel and cooking (who isn’t these days?) that I share with a few other folks.
https://thewanderingtexans.wordpress.com/
My freelance online articles are available for pay-per-use currently via Constant Content.
https://www.constant-content.com/Author/718-Ann_Cathey-details-0.htm
November 2, 2016
Boo! Authors – Mark A Morris #Horror
Who are you? I’m Mark A Morris – I’m an English guy who works as an engineer in local government but wish I was writing instead. I’m counting down the years until I retire so I can devote more time to word-wranging but hope I can win the lottery so I can bring my time-table forward.
Tell us about your Boo! Story: It’s called Miss Clemency Fisher and it’s largely about a man who becomes intrigued by a woman. He sees her in trouble – or so he thinks – and then decides to try to rescue her. Of course, things aren’t as easy as he expects them to be and events begin to take a turn toward the odd. It’s a short fiction that I fully expect to use as the basis for a full-length novel soon, so watch this space!
What else have you written? I’ve written scores – or even hundreds – of pieces of flash fiction and have a number of works in progress which span genres as widely divergent as Young Adult dystopia, horror, paranormal romance, science fiction, erotica – yes, I said erotica – noir fiction and contemporary romance and thrillers. I also write poetry and song lyrics but consider those to be my weaker efforts compared to my prose and narrative work.
What frightens you the most? Nothing. Or the Void. I’d seriously freak out it I was confined in a sensory deprivation chamber and my biggest fear would be to trapped inside my own body with no ability to move and limited perception.
Have you ever seen a ghost? I believe I saw my mother when I was in my late teens. She died when I was fifteen and the next few years were difficult, to say the least. However, I was still able to motivate myself and when I won an award for the best student at a local college, I was convinced that I saw her in the audience when I looked out from the stage when I was receiving my prize.
What are you reading at the moment? I’ve always got several books on the go at the moment and I’m currently reading a murder mystery called A Siege of Bitterns by Steve Burrows, which is a police procedural with an ornithological twist, Zero Station by John Russell, which is an adventure set in Germany in the early 1930s, and a collection of short stories called Disintegration and Other Stories by Paula Acton. I’m enjoying all these, by the way!
If you could meet any living famous person for dinner who would it be and what would you eat? I’d love to meet Joss Whedon and it’d be cool to eat at a Dining in the Dark restaurant. I guess soup and anything requiring chopsticks might be out of the question but would love to eat either Indian or Italian food with him. I consider Whedon to be one of the best storytellers alive today and his skills in writing and direction probably make him the most influential man to ever create a narrative story.
If you could meet any dead famous person who would be and what would you have to eat? For a dead person, my choice would be Marilyn Monroe. She’s supremely iconic and people who met her and knew her well suggest that she was intelligent and wise as well as also being one of the most charismatic and glamorous people in modern times. As for what we ate – it’d have to be something messy that would result in her getting her clothes mussed up. A guy can only hope, right?
Which book do you see as the most influential in your life? It’s a hard decision and loving so many genres as I do makes the choice even more difficult. I’d hesitate between Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy but Gaiman would get it by a whisker. His narrative skills and wit are so consistent throughout all his writing but I believe that Neverwhere is faultless.
In the zombie apocalypse what would be your weapon of choice with which to defend yourself? I’d choose a Japanese katana. It’s long enough to clear a good-sized circle around you and sharp enough to slice through anything that tried to invade your personal space. It would also never need reloading and would still work well even when it lost its edge. I suspect my arms would grow tired long before it became too dull to be effective, so there’s very little to count against it.
Social media links etc.
I’m very much a newbie when it comes to promoting myself but I can usually be found behind the profile for Mark A Morris on Facebook. I’m also on Goodreads and I’m working on a blog page too, so I’ll be available on those and an increasing number of public media platforms soon.
November 1, 2016
Boo! Authors – Laurie Boris #Halloween #Horror
Who are you?
I’m a writer, copyeditor, baseball fan, wife, daughter, sister, aunt. Playing with words is just about the best job in the world, and I’m grateful that I get a chance to do it.
Tell us about your Boo! story:
I like the sweeter side of Halloween. The editors chose two of my flash fiction pieces: one about young love and the other about a father who’d do just about anything to recapture the good graces of his teenage daughter.
What else have your written?
So far I’ve published six novels, two novellas, and a collection of flash fiction. I don’t fit into a tidy category, but my work is basically contemporary, character-driven fiction: a little romance, a little family drama, a little redemption.
What frightens you the most?
Running out of food.
Have you ever seen a ghost?
Not specifically, but I’ve seen too much to deny the existence of spirits in our physical realm.
What are you reading at the moment?
Beta reading…shh, I can’t tell you!
If you could meet any living famous person for dinner who would it be and what would you eat?
I want to have dinner with my favorite writer, Joyce Carol Oates. But she’s so slim and she’s writing every waking moment, so I don’t know if she eats. Maybe we’d just have some wine and chat.
If you could meet any dead famous person who would it be and what would you have to eat?
I would love to sit down to a sumptuous feast with Oscar Wilde. I’m sure that would be brilliant!
Which book do you see as the most influential in your life?
There are so many it’s tough to choose just one, but right now I keep thinking about Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning. It keeps me grounded when so much seems to be going sideways about the world.
In the zombie apocalypse what would be your weapon of choice with which to defend yourself?
I don’t run very fast and I’m not too strong, so I’d have to rely on my quick wit. Basically, I’d be zombie appetizers.
Social media links etc.
You can stalk me here:
Website: http://laurieboris.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/laurie.boris.author
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/LaurieBoris
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Laurie-Boris/e/B005I551QA
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4824645.Laurie_Boris
October 31, 2016
Boo! Authors – JD Mader #Horror #Halloween
Who are you?
Who are YOU?!?! Sorry, direct questions make me defensive sometimes. Name’s JD Mader. Most people call me Dan. A few people call me Danny. And there are a few people who probably call me much less flattering things behind my back. I’ve been writing professionally for twenty-five years. I started in sportswriting when I was in high school. Since then, I’ve published a bunch of short stories, written a ton of songs, and I’ve written a handful of novels, novellas… Hell, let’s just throw sonnets in there, too. I’ve written a few. And a lot of articles about fishing.
Tell us about your Boo! story:
My story for ‘Boo!’ scares me more than most of the stuff I’ve written, and that’s saying a lot. It was a short, off the cuff piece. I believe I started with the idea of sensitive skin because it’s something I was labeled with as a child. I am not a psychotic, abusive murderer, though. I promise. When I write short pieces (and long ones sometimes), I don’t usually have a plan. I start with an idea and then the story comes. They usually turn dark very fast. This one turned very dark very fast. And I want to reiterate that I am not psychotic. This is not a memoir. It merely started with the idea of sensitive skin.
What else have your written?
I’ve published stories in magazines and literary journals. I write a lot on my blog. I used to just write short stories on there, but it has kind of turned into home base for “2 Minutes. Go!” – a writing hoe down we do every Friday. My first novel, ‘Joe Cafe,’ was something I worked on during lunch. I never thought I’d write a novel. Then I wrote one that was good, but weird. That one is still in the works. I wrote ‘Joe Cafe’ during my lunch breaks when I was teaching in San Francisco. I write fast, so I’d bust out a thousand words during lunch and email it to myself, and it just kind of turned into what it is. A lot of people label it noir, but that never occurred to me. Same with my other books. I don’t consider myself a writer of genre fiction. I like noir well enough, and I guess it comes out in the way I write, but it was an accident. After that, I wrote a bunch of stories before I decided to do NaNoWriMo. I wanted to challenge myself, so I started with no idea except that I wanted it to be like a Louis L’Amour novel with motorcycles. And I wanted to have it written and edited and finished in a month. I pretty much made it, and Matt Stark was born – there was some light editing left. Then, I decided to do a trilogy and wrote the second Matt Stark novel, ‘Hannigan’s Fight’ during a pretty dark, depressing period of my life. It is more evil and more complex. When I started working on the third in the trilogy (which will be out very soon), it occurred to me that a trilogy could be a coming of age story in several ways. The characters develop, but so does the voice, the themes and the length (it’s 90K words long, which is a LOT for me). ‘Boxed In’ – the third in the trilogy (which, I swear, is almost done) is much more literary. So, the first was kind of an homage to Louis L’Amour, the second was the fallout and regrouping, and the third novel finishes the journey, which was about redemption from word one. I also wrote a series of essays about my wife’s first pregnancy – ‘You hate me because I’m Pregnant!’ – one of the few funny things I’ve published. My short story collection, “Please, no eyes” – I love those stories. I wrote a simple fishing guide called ‘Teach your kid to fish…when you don’t know how!’ and a romantic novella called ‘Saving Drake’ which is an attempt at an honest romance story – it was also a dare. I wrote a novella called ‘The Note’ – it’s a fictional suicide note that like seven people have read, but I like it. Same with my “mix-tape” of flash fiction. I love ‘Boo!’ – I love collaboration in general. Writing can be lonely. I’ve been writing music with my best friend, Patrick Renker, since we were thirteen. We don’t play live anymore, but ‘The Flying Black Hats’ is the name we go by, and there are a bunch of songs for free online. I’m probably forgetting some stuff, but I’m sick and my brain is being a brat.
What frightens you the most?
I don’t get frightened easily. I have no stomach for gore, but it doesn’t frighten me. I’ve read all Ketchum’s stuff. Love his writing. Real life things frighten me. I worry about the people I love. I worry about people in general. And I have OCD, so public restrooms terrify me.
Have you ever seen a ghost?
Oh man. Alright. So, I don’t necessarily believe in ghosts, but I think I saw one. When I was young (three or four), my family lived in England. Very small, old town. The house we lived in had secret cupboards that I found. It was awesome. I also used to sleepwalk and wake up in weird parts of the house. One night, I woke up standing at the top of the stairs. When I turned there was a very pretty young woman in old-fashioned clothes, and she took me by the hand and led me back to bed. It was not scary. It was lovely. Was it a ghost? No one thought so at the time, but there is part of me that really wonders. It could very well have been a dream, but it didn’t feel that way. For one thing, I remember it, and I don’t remember much that far back. Hell, maybe the writer in me just wants it to be true.
What are you reading at the moment?
The New Yorker and Harpers. I read a bunch of long novels recently and I need a break.
If you could meet any living famous person for dinner who would it be and what would you eat?
I would love to meet Michael Chabon, but that’s too easy. I could give you a million names, but this one popped into my head: Bob Dylan. I’d love to meet Bob Dylan. We would talk about Woody Guthrie and play some songs. Then, he would stand up and leave and I’d sit and think. I’d go club sandwich because you can rarely go wrong with a club sandwich. And maybe Phil Ochs would drop by?
If you could meet any dead famous person who would be and what would you have to eat?
I would love to meet my Dad’s brother. He’s not famous, but that’s who I’d pick. And he did play in a band, so he was somewhat famous in rural Pennsylvania. He killed himself long before I was born. No one talks about him, and I know essentially nothing about him. I think we had some things in common from little snippets over the years. I know I’ll never know anything about him, but I’m so curious. My Dad has shown me a picture and told me a few things, but I don’t like making him talk about it. My grandparents are dead, so yeah, John Mader (that’s the first time I’ve ever written his full name, I think). That’s who I’d like to meet. And I’d eat a burrito. Because burritos are awesome.
Which book do you see as the most influential in your life?
Wow. That’s an impossible question to answer. There are so many books I love. As far as books that changed the way I thought about writing, I’d have to say ‘Ask the Dust’ by John Fante. I loved that book. I still love that book. ‘On the Road’ is up there. ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ is up there. There’s some Salinger in there. I’ll stop now.
In the zombie apocalypse what would be your weapon of choice with which to defend yourself?
Do they make zombie-killing spray? That seems like the most convenient option. I’m not big on weapons or violence. Maybe a guitar? I don’t know what good that would do, but I’ve never smashed a guitar, and that would be a good excuse.
Social media links etc.
Twitter: @jd_mader
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/JD-Mader/e/B005C22VJY
https://theflyingblackhats.bandcamp.com/
