Dan O'Brien - Sci-Fi and Fantasy Thriller Author

I'm thrilled to feature author Dan O'Brien today. Dan is a firm believer in self-publishing and says "I will continue to publish in that arena until it is no longer viable." I think this is great encouragement for Indie writers who are uncertain which way to go.
Dan, you write in a variety of genres, though you say you feel especially partial to science fiction and fantasy. Are you a pantser? Or are you a plotter?
A little bit of both honestly.
Is there a particular method you use?
I generally write a kind of living outline with major plot points and things I find interesting that I want to make sure make it into the chapters. However, if the story changes as I am writing it, I will certainly amend my previous instructions.
Writing in first person, present ("I walk to the door and open it"), as opposed to "He walks to the door and opens it," or "I walked to the door and opened it," has been controversial in the past, but now it seems to be the trend for best-selling authors. Do you think it is more powerful than other tenses?
I have a novel called The Path of the Fallen, which was originally in two parts. The first part was in first person and the second part was in third person. I omitted the first part for this exact reason. When I started out writing it was frowned upon by most publishers. I now releasing an unabridged edition that integrates this point of view back in once more. I found that beta readers really enjoyed the immersive first-person experience.
I agree. I think an author is able to portray a greater intensity of emotion that way. What do you think today's readers want and how does it differ from readers of the past?
I think brief is better for this generation of readers. I am working on a monthly serial for this exact reason.
I think you're right. Tell us about the book you want to feature in this post.
The Path of the Fallen
It is a science fiction fantasy novel that is free on Amazon starting tomorrow (Thursday). Set against the backdrop of the tundra and a world desperate for hope, the journey of a young man, E'Malkai, will come to define a realm that has been broken by an evil that does not sleep. A bitter betrayal, and the inception of a war that will consume the world, forces E'Malkai to confront the past and undertake a pilgrimage that is his by birthright. Follow him on his journey and be transformed.
Can you tell me about your ideal reader?
I would hope for someone who enjoys being challenged about the nature of good and evil, as well as having a robust appetite for epic novels. Honestly, I am just looking for a reader who enjoys a good story.
Does your book have a message?
It is a meditation on the nature of good and evil. I like the murky line that divides heroes from villains, especially the circumstances that  created the personality that comes to be loved or hated.
Choose one character from the book and tell us what he/she would say to you if he/she was to meet you.I would choose E’Malkai and he would most certainly wonder why I have thrust him into this bleak world where he never knew his father and was asked to lead a world in a way that he might not be capable of doing. There would probably be a certain amount of name calling and frustration on both sides.
Did you self-publish or query and hope a publisher would accept your work and how did that work out for you?

When I originally wrote this book in 2004, I queried with publishers and agents because at the time I had only worked within the traditional publishing framework. Now, I am a firm believer in the independent publishing framework.  
What do you do to promote your writing?
Everything. Haha. I try to focus my efforts where readers are looking for the types of stories I am writing, both digitally and in print. 
Why should we buy your book?
If you love epic science fiction and fantasy, you will enjoy the narrative. People have been pleased with it for the most part and identify with a character in the story on some level. I would invite readers to have a free look on my blog or pick up for free starting this Thursday and decide for themselves.
Do you have any advice for your fellow writers/authors?
Have a sense of humor. Write when you don’t want to. Stop whining. (My three rules)
Yes!  I really like that. It is excellent advice. Tell us about your next project.
I am publishing two regional anthologies (northern California and Wyoming), an unabridged version of The Path of the Fallen, a re-release of The Ocean and the Hourglass, a monthly zombie serial, and the sequel to Bitten.
Sounds like you are super busy. Please include a paragraph about you, your family, your interests… anything you’d like people to know about you.
I have written 12 novels (all before the age of 30) including the bestselling Bitten, which was featured on Conversations Book Club’s Top 100 novels of 2012. Before starting Amalgam, I was the senior editor and marketing director for a national magazine, in addition to spending over a decade in the publishing industry as a freelance editor. I completed my graduate work in psychology with an emphasis on statistical and behavioral analysis.
Where can we find out more about you and your work?
http://thedanobrienproject.blogspot.com/  http://www.amalgamconsulting.com/http://www.amalgampublishing.com/https://www.facebook.com/authordanobrienThe Path of the Fallen (US): http://www.amazon.com/The-Path-Fallen-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B009D2PNIUThe Path of the Fallen (UK): http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Path-Fallen-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B009D2PNIU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1354152700&sr=1-1Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/AuthorDanOBrien