A.L. Butcher's Blog, page 166
October 30, 2015
Random Friday
Here’s last week’s interview with Marden and Hendrick, two men with a shared past, one is a hero and one is not. Two lives, one path, two very different men.
Originally posted on creative barbwire (or the many lives of a creator):
Hi guys,
I’m Samantha and I come from another world – the original, old Silvery Earth, where people are immortal and never grow up. When I’m not switching bodies at will, I travel to other universes, especially books or movies. That’s how I met Rajveer the vampire, for example!
So, I’m taking over the interviews on this blog! And here I am, meeting people from other books/universes/whatever! Hello there. Tell me a little about yourself.
Marden – just Marden now. I’m about 30 years of age and well, my past is a bit shameful. For years I was a Witch-Hunter, a killer of mages and adepts. I killed for my duty, because I thought I was correct in doing so, because it was the law. I asked too few questions and believed too many easy answers. Now that man is dead. Now I am Marden, captain of the Tremellic Militia.
View original 1,176 more words
Random Friday – Interview with Rufus Redblade – Heroika
Here’s a great interview with Rufus Redblade, hero and dragonslayer.
Originally posted on creative barbwire (or the many lives of a creator):
Hi guys,
I’m Samantha and I come from another world – the original, old Silvery Earth, where people are immortal and never grow up. When I’m not switching bodies at will, I travel to other universes, especially books or movies. That’s how I met Rajveer the vampire, for example!
So, I’m taking over the interviews on this blog! And here I am, meeting people from other books/universes/whatever!
Hello handsome. Tell me a little about yourself.
I am Rufus Redblade. I was once Captain of the Royal Guard, but times have changed. Now I am a blade for hire. I’m a Griffin Rider. We used to be the elite, for it takes a certain sort to tame and ride a Griffin. Many try, few succeed, and fewer still survive it long.
Age? No idea. I don’t keep track of such things.
That’s fine, I don’t do either. Describe your appearance in…
View original 700 more words
October 29, 2015
Welcome back into Hell – Hell Week 2015 – Jack William Finley
The Jack O’Lanterns are carved, and the marshmallows are toasting over the hellfires. Pull up a pitchfork and join me once more in the devilish domain of His Satanic Majestic.
Characters and authors aplenty for your infernal entertainment.
Welcome to Jack William Finley, one of the authors from the Heroes In Hell shared universe series.
Where are you from and where do you live now? From Logansport Indiana and now live in Indianapolis.
Please tell us a little about your writing – for example genre, title, etc. My writing has been compared to old Twilight Zone stories, that’s probably a pretty fair comparison.
Where do you find inspiration? I think one of the most important parts of becoming a decent writer is knowing that ideas and inspiration are everywhere. If you can write and write, not even well, just competently, there is nothing you can’t use.
Have you ever used a person you don’t/didn’t like as a character then killed them off? Nope. Sounds like it would be fun to do at some point.
Is there a message conveyed within your writing? Do you feel this is important in a book? Yeah, probably. I’m pretty opinionated and I can’t imagine that doesn’t bleed into the writing. No, I don’t think it’s all that important.
Sort these into order of importance: Great characters; great world-building; solid plot; technically perfect. Can you explain why you chose this order? (Yes I know they all are important…) OK, here’s the argument-You’ve gotta have interesting character because no one will care if you don’t. People will watch/read really interesting characters no matter what they are doing or where if you don’t think so, watch 5 minutes of something popular on TV. But, flash over substance works too, just watch a summer blockbuster or in too many cases read one. As often as not these things fall apart under close examination, but if they have enough spectacle they’ll entertain people for the length of a book or movie. Technical perfection doesn’t mean a thing if you have nothing to say. If you think you must have technical perfection you’ve never read Cormac McCarthy and I hear he’s done pretty well for himself. I think this is a terribly dangerous road for writers to get on. If you let yourself believe any part of the writing is more important that another you focus too much on that part. Good writing should be a cohesive whole. I think if anyone can point at some part of your story that stands out as being better than the rest you’ve made a terrible mistake and need to fix the stuff they didn’t like or tone down the thing they did like because the story is out of balance and a story can never be as good as it can and should be if it’s out of balance.
Do you self-edit? If so why is that the case? Do you believe a book suffers without being professionally edited? Exclusively self edit? Hell no. I think one of the worst things you can do is assume that you can catch all the things that are wrong with a story without anyone else’s eyes ever being on it. I think one of the most catastrophically bad things about the ease of self publishing is that some of these new writers think they can do it all and it’s a train wreck way more often than it isn’t. You have to self edit some what, that part of the job of writing but to rely on just that is asking for trouble.
Do you think indie/self-published authors are viewed differently to traditionally published authors? Why do you think this might be? I think publishing is in a transition state and because of that people are putting way to much time into thinking about the wrong stuff. What makes a good story hasn’t really changed since cave men telling stories around campfires-and someone somewhere is annoyed I said cave men and not cave people-we’ve putting way too much stock in where the writing comes from and what format it’s in. The only thing that should matter is whether or not it’s good story telling. Yeah, I do think they are seen differently. Some people champion self publishing because of a David vs. Goliath attitude and some people think if it wasn’t good enough to be picked up by a REAL publisher it probably sucks and I think it’s all very unfortunate because it’s distracting people from what’s important and that’s-is the story any good and is it well told. Everything else to me is just an annoying distraction.
Well, I don’t rule out self published stuff. I think the only thing that matters is if it’s good, no matter what the source is and even if it isn’t good, sometimes you can learn a lot about what not to do reading stuff and isn’t good.
What are your opinions about authors commenting on reviews? How important are reviews? Engaging with reviewers is, to me a waste of time, but I know people who do it very well and get a lot of attention doing it. I suspect they are preaching to the choir and very possible not getting good value for the investment of time, but that’s just me. I’m a writer. I think anything that isn’t making the next story better is an annoying waste of time. I’m told by smart people reviews are important. I try really hard to give a rat’s…it’s a work in progress
When buying a book do you read the reviews? No, not really. I have a lot of smart friends with good taste and I tend more toward recommendations from people I know rather than the random opinions of people I don’t.
What three pieces of advice would you give to new writers? You don’t read enough, read more. You don’t write enough, write more. Find people you trust to tell you when your stuff is good, because you probably won’t know.
Can you name your favourite traditionally published author? And your favourite indie/self-published author? I really suck at the whole favourites think so, no, not really.
Do you have a favourite movie? There’s a list. It’s longer than this questionnaire/Interview and it generally changes before I can get from the first on on it to the last one on it.
Can you name your worst job? Do you think you learned anything from the position that you now use in your writing? I did, I think, half a day as a telemarketer once. It was many years ago and I’m not entirely sure I’ve scrubbed myself clean from it. Did I learn anything useful? Maybe. Just about everything you ever do is useful in some way or another at some point or another, but I couldn’t pick it apart and tell you when or how and I’m not sure it would be useful if I did. That’s just the sort of thing you learn by doing. You write enough and at some point you think-how I remember when that thing happened to me and yeah, that would work really well with what I’m doing with this story write now, but it’s something that just happens. I don’t think it’s the sort of thing you can plan.
Can you give us a silly fact about yourself? Probably not. I suspect I suck at silly even more than I suck at favourites.
Book links, website/blog and author links:
Jack’s author page: http://www.amazon.com/Jack-William-Fi...
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Rogues in Hell http://www.amazon.com/Rogues-Hell-Her...
Dreamers in Hell http://www.amazon.com/Dreamers-Hell-H...
Poets in Hell http://www.amazon.com/Poets-Hell-Hero...
Doctors in Hell http://www.amazon.com/Dreamers-Hell-H...
Heroika: Dragon Eaters http://www.amazon.com/HEROIKA-DRAGON-...
Terror by Gaslight http://www.amazon.com/Terror-Gaslight...
October 28, 2015
Character Interview Number Thirty-Three – Nanette Louise Burton – Paranormal
Name (s) Nanette Louise Burton (Max Murdoch, my pesky ghost may show up, too)
Age 27
Please tell us a little about yourself.
Nan: I was born and raised in Irvine, California, and worked as an IT programmer until my job with a local bank ended in 2008. Fortunately, I inherited a cottage on the sand in Laguna Beach. Just in time, too, since I had nowhere else to live. Along with the house, I inherited a dog and an annoying, self-important, arrogant, demanding ghost.
Max: I resent your characterization. I am a well-known and established author of women’s literature.
Nan: Romance, you mean. And you wrote as Maxine DuBois. Very few people, and certainly no one under the age of a hundred, would have a clue as to who Max Murdoch is.
Max: Harrumph.
Describe your appearance in 10 words or less.
Nan: Dirty blonde, curly hair, tall, lean, ordinary.
Max: I would hardly say ordinary. After all, you resemble your great-great-aunt Nanette, and she could have passed for a movie star.
Nan: Max, the request was for ten words or less. Please let me do this on my own.
Max: How can one adequately express oneself with such restrictions?
Do you have a moral code? If so what is it?
Nan: Care for others, and no matter how dire the circumstance, there still is hope. I moved into my cottage at a time when I had no job and no prospects. Then I met Max, and he forced me to complete his old manuscript.
Max: Just a moment. Our collaboration resulted in a new career. Your association with me opened whole new vistas for you.
Nan: Exactly. Just when everything looked bleak, Max came into my life, and I discovered so much more than I ever dreamed possible.
Max: Thank you, my dear.
What would you say are your strengths and weaknesses?
Nan: Through the past year, I’ve discovered how resourceful I am. As an only child, I guess I depended on my parents as a safety net. When they weren’t around, I had to figure out some things for myself.
Max: Harrumph.
Nan: With Max’s help, of course.
Do you have any relationships you prize above others? Why
Nan: I love my parents. For many years, I was closer to them than to anyone else. While working on Max’s book, I met Helen, his former secretary. I grew to love her like the grandmother I never had. Oh, and then there’s Steve. His father and grandfather were Max’s publishers. Now Steve is mine. Well, he’s a lot more than my publisher. In the past, I made some poor choices of boyfriends. Steve taught me how a guy should treat a girl he likes. Yeah, now that Helen’s gone, Steve is definitely my best friend.
Do you like animals? Do you have any pets/animal companions?
Nan: Along with the cottage, I inherited Mitzi, my great-great-aunt Netta’s spoiled shih tsu. I certainly didn’t want a dog at first, but now I don’t know what I’d do without her.
Can you remember something from your childhood which influences your behaviour? How do you think it influences you?
Nan: Swimming in the ocean. I nearly died when I was a little kid. If it hadn’t been for a lifeguard, I’d have drowned. From my window, I can see the ocean. I jog on the beach, and I love to watch the surfers, but I’m not going out in it.
Tell Us About Your World
Please give us a little information about the world in which you live.
Nan: Laguna Beach is a small town on the coast of Southern California. Lots of artists live there because it’s so beautiful. In fact, I have a really nice painting on my wall.
Do you travel in the course of your adventures? If so where?
Nan: No. Without a car I was pretty well stuck in Laguna. Fortunately Steve came down and took me around the area.
What is the technology would you not be able to live without?
Nan: When I moved into my house, I discovered it had no TV or microwave. At least I had my laptop with me so I could work on Max’s novel, but I really needed the microwave. I ordered one online, and it took forever to arrive.
Max: When it did, you nearly burned the house down.
Nan: Max, stuff a sock in it and stay out of this. It’s my interview.
What made you choose computer programming as a profession, and how did you end up completing Max’s novel?
Nan: I took programming in college because we were told there would always be a need for programmers. What I hadn’t counted on was the collapse of the banking industry. There were few jobs, and none requiring my specific experience.
When I moved into the house, Max refused to let me sleep unless I typed up his stupid manuscript and finished it. I couldn’t even decipher his scribbling, much less make sense of the story.
Max: Now see here, young woman. My final effort would have been a masterpiece if you had not tinkered with it.
Nan: Max, it’s only a good story because I fixed it.
Max: It did not need fixing by you or anyone else.
Nan: The publisher thought it did.
What is the best piece of advice you ever received?
Nan: Write what you know, but don’t be afraid of what you don’t know. You are then forced to do research until you do know.
Max: I believe I said that to you.
Nan: Yeah, Max, you did. I learned a lot from you.
Author notes:
Book(s) in which this character appears plus links
Blurb for Ghost Writer:
When unemployed computer programmer Nan Burton inherits a California beach cottage from her great-aunt, she’s delighted. But she’s in for a huge surprise: The house is haunted by the ghost of famous romance writer Max Murdoch (pen name Maxine DuBois) who insists Nan complete his last novel, threatening to keep her from sleeping until she agrees. The ensuing clash pits youth against the long-dead but still egotistical author with humorous and moving results.
Author name: Lorna Collins
Website/Blog/Author pages etc.
You can find out more about me at our website: http://www.lornalarry.com
Follow my blog at: http://lornacollins-author.blogspot.com/
Social Media links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lorna.l.collins
Twitter: @LornaCollins
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lkcollins75/
LinkedIn: Lorna Collins http://tinyurl.com/nunt9no
October 26, 2015
Character Interview Number Thirty-Two – KL – Zombie/Horror
Tell Us About Yourself
Name (s): KL
Age: somewhere between 30 and 40, a lady never tells. *snort* but I’m not much of a lady.
Please tell us a little about yourself. Well, what’s there to tell? I have the best job ever. I get to dress up as a character and go to all the Con’s and sign comic books with my Wife. She does all the illustrations and her character is basically my sidekick.
We hang out with a Zombie Response Team and have lots of fun pretending to kill zombies. Zombies aren’t quite the same thing as Revenants, but pretty close, so the gig sells books.
Describe your appearance in 10 words or less. Black long coat, black hat, motorcycle boots, black leather belt, and bracers. Blonde Mohawk.
Do you have a moral code? If so what is it? Oh, yes. My moral code isn’t quite PC. Basically, if you aren’t worth saving, I’m not gonna be the one to sacrifice me or mine to get you out of the rut you put yourself in.
Would you kill for those you love? Definitely. Actually, I’d just say count on it.
Would you die for those you love? I only love one person, so yes. For that one person.
What would you say are your strengths and weaknesses? IDGAF. That’s it. I don’t get attached, and I’m pragmatic. That makes it easy to make tough decisions that others seem to bellyache about. On the other hand, people tend to think I’m cold…or indifferent. Meh. I can live with that.
Do you have any relationships you prize above others? Why? My wife. She’s my soulmate and the only one I care about.
Do you like animals? Do you have any pets/animal companions? Animals are great. They don’t ask silly questions and they are loyal. Back home we have cats and horses. I hope they are all okay.
Do you have a family? Tell us about them. My wife, Roxy is my family. I guess our team, what’s left of them, are what you would call extended family. Roxy is the military mind…she keeps everyone in line and I back her up.
The others? Well, there’s Paul and Lauren, a nice couple who can kick ass when needed. Lauren is tiny, but she’s hell with a 9mil. Bobby is a veteran, a little disturbed and he hardly ever talks. When he does, you better bet your ass you should listen to what he has to say.
Jason is a ginger freak…at over 6 feet tall and 240 lbs of muscle, he’s Mr. Clean with an attitude unless there’s a woman involved, then he turns twelve and tongue-tied.
We have a couple of newcomers. Ann wasn’t supposed to be one of us, but she’s good with the kid, and she keeps Jason in line. I wasn’t too impressed with her at the beginning, but somewhere along the way she found her place in our little group.
Last but not least, we’ve got Carol Ann. We found her at the Con and she’s a weird little thing. The verdict is still out on whether she’s right in the head…but we don’t argue about one thing, the little girl is creepy as hell. I’m not usually a kid sort of person, but she just makes you want to protect her, you know what I mean?
Can you remember something from your childhood which influences your behaviour? How do you think it influences you? You know, a Zombie Apocalypse kind of puts things in perspective. What was past is past, it’s irrelevant now that the world’s gone to hell.
Do you have any phobias? Oh, Jeez. You had to ask. I hate, hate, hate, hate….elevators. Little square boxes of death.
Please give us an interesting and unusual fact about yourself. I think this will surprise you. One of the biggest things that pisses me off about the zombie apocalypse is the fact that I may never get my latest tattoo finished. I mean, really? All the good artists are probably gone, and then there’s that pesky need to sterilize. Getting an infection now is so not a good idea. Sigh.
Tell Us About Your World
Please give us a little information about the world in which you live. Well, it’s 2019. Things have been going south for a while. We’ve got problems with the fringe groups who aren’t happy that the 2nd coming hasn’t happened and between them and global warming, there isn’t much good to say about the world. Surprisingly, or not…depending on how you see it…escapism is alive and well because people need it, desperately. The Con’s and other shows are popular as hell. I mean, when the world sucks, dressing up as a superhero and traipsing about is one way to make you feel good about your life. It’s not all bad, but it’s a weird mix of paranoia out there.
The zombie apocalypse removed a lot of things people were tired of, like bills, mortgages, bosses, etc. etc. Sure, you’re dirty and have to deal with the aftermath, but hell, you aren’t pulling 9 to 5 at a mind numbing desk job anymore.
No one expected that fantasy world to become reality. You know what they say, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck. It’s a duck. Well, live your life like a zombie…and one day, poof, there you are, one of the soulless ones looking for a free lunch and people are on the menu.
Does your world have religion or other spiritual beliefs? If so do you follow one of them? Please describe (briefly) how this affects your behaviour. Well, I tend to avoid organized religion. There are a few groups out there that think the “Good ole days” are the only way to ensure survival of the human species. Me and my wife? We don’t fit into that mold so we lay low and avoid those groups.
Do you travel in the course of your adventures? If so where? Right now, we’re just trying to get home. That’s proving to be more difficult than we expected.
Name and describe a food from your world. Mm. My favorite food used to be french-fries…I’m not sure I want to tell you why they aren’t anymore.
Does your world have magic? If so how is it viewed in your world? You know, I’m not sure anymore. Before yesterday, I’d say hell no. But today? After what I’ve seen…there’s some weird stuff going on. I think the rules have been changed.
Author notes:
Book(s) in which this character appears plus links
The Misadventures of Two Reluctant Zombie Hunters: Zombies at the Con
Author name: Rhavensfyre
Website/Blog/Author pages etc.
Characters of Rhavensfyre on Facebook
October 25, 2015
Author Interview Number Ninety-Seven – E.M. Nelson – Horror/Apocalyptic
Welcome to E. M. Nelson
Where are you from and where do you live now? I’m originally from the great state of Utah, but for now I call Bavaria, Germany home.
Please tell us a little about your writing – for example genre, title, etc. My debut piece is a short story in the apocalyptic horror genre titled Dark Assent. It is published in the anthology Nation of the Moon. I don’t generally stick to that genre though- preferring coming of age and dystopian themes more.
Where do you find inspiration? Google. Ha, only partly joking. I actually draw most of my inspiration from everyday life- how could I not living in the lands where the Grimm brothers got their stories from? My husband enjoys talking about how cool it’d be if… fill in the blank here with any number of out of the box ideas. His suggestions get the juices flowing and the next thing I know, I have a full story built up waiting to come out.
Are your characters based on real people? Some of my characters are based on real people- I have one character in each of the pieces I work on who is based completely off my best friend. We are close enough to be sisters and I feel it’s only fitting to include her in the stories since she is a huge part in my motivation to write. I also used my youngest daughter as part of the inspiration for Dark Assent.
Have you ever used a person you don’t/didn’t like as a character then killed them off? Ha ha, not yet, but don’t put it past me. That’s a warning to all of my enemies- if I had any… darn, guess I’ll have to stick to my imagination.
Research can be important in world-building, how much do you need to do for your books? Do you enjoy this aspect of creating a novel and what are your favourite resources? Research is my favourite part! There’s something so thrilling to me to figure out what a place would look like, how a certain scene will play out based on the natural way things happen in the world, or what to name that pesky character who insists on being in the story but doesn’t provide the name they wish to be called. Seriously, if you ever need to relax while you’re on the computer try searching for abandoned theme parks… probably one of the most amazing things you’ll ever see.
Is there a message conveyed within your writing? Do you feel this is important in a book? Dark Assent does have an underlying theme of preservation, determination, and love, but I also hope that the reader will take away from it the idea that no matter how dark and dismal our destiny proves to be, it is ours alone and we should embrace it and accept it as shuch.
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? Nation of the Moon is offered in both print and digital format.
Do you self-edit? If so why is that the case? Do you believe a book suffers without being professionally edited? I think all authors do to an extent. It helps us realize just what needs to be improved. I also think every book needs professional help because after so many hours of talking to yourself, you tend to become a little stiff and a good editor can take that and help you massage your work until it flows the way it should.
Do you read work by self-published authors? I love indy authors! There’s something great about someone who doesn’t just give up when others say no and instead choose to take their destiny into their own hands and run with it. Don’t get me wrong though, there is a ton of crap out there by those too lazy to put the effort in to polishing their piece, but overall I do believe the self-published author is a great asset to the industry.
What are your opinions about authors commenting on reviews? How important are reviews? Reviews are the lifeblood of the market- especially the indy market. I don’t think authors should respond to the reviews directly though. I’ve seen this go badly on one too many occasions. A general thank you to the readers for their reviews and for simply giving them the time of day is awesome, but when the author starts the trend of commenting on each review, it can lead to trouble when the inevitable bad review arises.
When buying a book do you read the reviews? I graze them. I enjoy seeing the good and bad, but I find that reading the full reviews before reading a book tends to spoil the experience of discovering the book on my own.
What experiences can a book provide that a movie or video game cannot? World building. Our brains are way more efficient at taking a sentence and turning it into a magical experience than any movie out there. Besides in a book you are forced to connect with the characters, feeling like you are almost living the story while in a movie you are merely along for a ride.
What three pieces of advice would you give to new writers? Don’t stop until you finish. I mean at all. Make it a daily challenge to make the words come out.
Editing is for the second draft, not while you’re writing the first- I struggle with this one daily.
Write for you because if you are writing for the money, the fame, or to appease the masses, you will only fail and hate yourself while doing it.
What are your views on authors offering free books? Is this even a question? If you are writing for the love of writing and you want to put all that work and dedication into something and hand it out freely, be my guest! I love many a free book that I have read- I’ve hated equally as many but we’ve already discussed the why behind that.
Do you have any pets? I have 5 children. There is no time for pets.
Can you give us a silly fact about yourself? I can lick my nose. It’s a talent really. Most people can’t even get close, but me? I can lick the top of that bad boy!
TEASER
As we begin pulling out of the parking lot, there is a flurry of movement in the building across the street. In an instant, a group of raggedly dressed people come rushing out, waving weapons and yelling loudly. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end. It isn’t words but howls, like those a wolf would make.
Book links, website/blog and author links:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0983906734/
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorE.M.Nelson
https://twitter.com/emnelsonauthor
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14431001.E_M_Nelson
October 23, 2015
A Hellish Collection of Heroes, Villains and Creatures – Halloween Approaches
As you know I’m a fan of fantasy, horror, historical fiction and any combination thereof and so to celebrate Halloween, the encroaching darkness of an evening and the hold the written word has over my soul I’m promoting one of my favourite authors and series.
Janet and Chris Morris have been writing fantasy for many years. Their stories are often dark, very intelligent, deliciously written and compelling. Perseid Press has an impressive catalogue, and not just the Morrises among the wordsmiths.
Yes, so I’m fangirling…
Hell Bound – A grand new novel set in the Heroes in Hell Universe. Daemon Grimm, not a nice chap but he is efficient….Hell just got more hellish.
Heroes in Hell video Intro trailer – Oct 23rd
http://www.theperseidpress.com/?page_id=1027
Interview with the Devil – A short story and interview with the Master of Hell himself. Auld Nick speaks out.
Perseid Press book pages: http://www.theperseidpress.com/?page_id=919
Lawyers in Hell – Some would argue that’s where they belong. They aren’t alone. Doctors, writers, inventors, cowboys, soldiers, deserving and undeserving they are go to the man downstairs in the snappy suit.
audio available –
Rogues in Hell – How do you define a rogue in Hell?
Soon enough you’ll meet some of the denizens…. soon enough….
Good cop/bad cop
Author/Character Interviews – do they work as a marketing tool?
As you know I’ve organised many author and character interviews over the last couple of years. I’ve also participated in a few. But do they work?
I suppose, like any marketing tool, they work for some and not others. Certainly for me I find the character interviews very interesting to write. It helps me think about the people I create in new ways. I helps me remember them, who they are, what they are and where they are going. I’m a roleplaying gamer (no I don’t mean bedroom fun), and so often part of the generation of characters was asking questions about who these people are, not simply a list of stats.
Now the question is do they attract readers? Honestly I don’t know. I’ve bought books based on character profiles, and decided against books on that basis but I doubt I’m a typical reader. The networking is good – blog visiting gets the book before a new audience – who may or may not pursue it but are unlikely to have ever heard of that book before for many indie authors. I don’t necessarily notice a sales spike after an interview but many people wishlist a book, or simply remember and buy it later.
Author interviews are far more common – and I’ve found more generic. Again it’s hard to tell whether they help sales – but I doubt they hurt – although of course that depends on an author’s answers. Of course it is a marketing tool and many readers do object to such blatant self promotion – that said they don’t actually have to read them….
As a blogger I’ve forged a useful network of author and blogger friends, which is good for cross promotion, and finding new readers, new contacts and new advice. For me it’s a good way of finding new books, but of course doesn’t work for all.
I’ve found variety is the key. Think about which questions to answer, keep it interesting. Would you want to read a boring interview? No, nor me. Try and vary the type of blog and type of interview, and don’t just talk about the book.
So here are the questions for my followers – do you read author or character interviews? Do they actually interest in you in the book. Do you just see them as annoying spam?
