Self-Published Authors Interview Series: Alex Apostol

Photo credit: Alex Stoddard
Today is the third installment of my self-published author series, with my guest being a prolific young writer who I found out and about on the interwebs.

But first!

I said that if I had TEN more newsletter subscribers by September 1st, when the first one goes out, that I would make a YouTube video detailing the horrendous experience that was my first kiss. It is one that my family has refused to let me forget, due to its comical nature. So of course, I feel like embarrassing myself all the more and publicly sharing it.

I've gotten seven sign-ups so far since the announcement, which means that if three more of you subscribe below, that YouTube video is being made. As well as a "ninja cat" video of some kind, per request by a Twitter friend. So big things, people! BIG THINGS.

Also, I have begun the second draft edits for my steampunk fantasy WIP. I plan to write a blog post about the process, as well as about the FUN little gem that was the Smashwords e-book formatting guide for my short story, Cruel. I'm convinced that it's secretly from the devil...but I think I mastered it, after four hours and three submissions. So stay tuned!

I've made you wait long enough, so here she is...Alex Apostol!
AC: Tell us about Alex Apostol as a child (all the strange details!). Or maybe just some personality traits. Did you show signs of a future as a writer, even when you were young?

AA: On my twelfth birthday my mom gave me a small diary and ever since then I have always kept a journal. It was a great way to get all my feelings out. I think this is really what got me started on my love of writing. I've always been an avid reader, too. It wasn't until I was twenty-one, when I switched my major for the sixth time and settled on English, that I thought I could actually be a writer for a living. As far as the somewhat eerie and scary subjects of my first two books, Earth Angel and Hunted Angel, a deep love of all things scary runs in my family. My dad and I enjoy watching horror movies together to this day and his mother was known to watch scary movies alone in the dark in her house with the doors unlocked, which is my plan for tonight...though maybe not the unlocked door part.

AC: That sounds legitimately terrifying. You are braver than I! So, what have been your best and worst experiences in writing so far, and how have you handled them?

AA: My best experience with writing so far has been working on my second book, Hunted Angel. I think I've really come along these past few years as a writer. I'm learning to let go of my self-consciousness and fear of judgement. It's been a real great learning experience to dig deep inside myself in order to drive my characters and plots. Hunted Angel touches on subjects that have been very dark and hard times in my own life.

My worst experience with writing was probably when I was trying to go the traditional route of publishing. I'm very sensitive and took all the rejection letters personally, feeling defeated with each one. Then, when I finally landed a contract with a small publishing agency in Tennessee, I hated being stripped of my creative freedom. I had no say over the editing of my book, over the cover design of my book, the layout, nothing. This is what eventually and mutually ended my contract with that publisher, but made me realize that self-publishing was exactly the right route for me. 


AC: What an appropriate segueway! I read on your blog about this very thing happening to you. Can you tell us some more about that?

AA: Yes, I do feel the publisher I signed with was a bit unprofessional, but then again she felt the same way about me. We were not on the same page at all. She showed interest in my book, but wanted to take over it completely, which I was not comfortable with. She told me what to change with the content of the book first, and I did all she said, so desperate to see my book in print. When it came to the cover design, she showed me what she was coming up with, but would not take in any of my personal opinions. This drove her to design a cover that clashed entirely with what my book, Earth Angel, is about. She designed a cover featuring a mural of two naked baby angels sitting on a cloud. I told her I thought this cover was going to mislead its readers about what they would find in the book. When she told me she was not there to represent my book, but rather to establish a reputation of beauty for her publishing agency, I knew this was not someone I wanted to be working with. I really like to connect with my readers, even before a book is released. This is officially what ended the contract with the publisher, though I was very happy it did. I posted the cover design drafts she had shared with me on my Facebook page, asking my fans and close friends which were their favorites. I couldn't find anything against it in the contract. She blew up at me over this, saying it was extremely offensive and unprofessional and that what my fans and friends thought of the cover, as well as what I thought, did not matter to her. This horrible experience turned me off from traditional publishing, maybe forever.

AC: That. Sounds. Awful. Thankfully it turned out for the best, because you already have a couple of books releasing in the near future! Can you tell us about them?

AA: Earth Angel is my first book, which will be released on October 31, 2014, though it can be found on Amazon and Smashwords now for pre-sale and sample downloads. The story is told from the view of the main character, Kamlyn Paige. She goes through so much heartache and loss, especially in the beginning. These losses, though, are what drive her onto a new path of paranormal hunting. She travels the country fighting evil and searching for revenge on the demon-goddess who murdered her son. Kamlyn comes across new and old friends who help her to learn new things about herself and point her toward vindication. Once aware of who she really is, she may have a chance at survival when she finally finds what she's been searching for. The book falls in that genre called New Adult. The main character is twenty-five, so I feel it is a bit mature to be considered a young adult novel, though it does still hold a lot of the magical qualities of a YA book. There are some eerie moments that creeped me out while I was writing them and other parts that are sweet and romantic. 

Hunted Angel is the second book in The Kamlyn Paige Novel series which will also be released on October 31, 2014, alongside Earth Angel. The story picks up right where Earth Angel left off. Kamlyn is on the hunt again, but this time to save someone new in her life who she believes she loves completely. Kamlyn experiences a little more darkness within herself than battling it out in the world. She teams up with her two best friends, Cara and Don, who I feel round the perspective of the novel out. The characters are greatly different from each other, so it's interesting to see them work together and connect. I don't want to give too much away about the end of the story, but there are plenty of twists and turns in the plot to keep readers interested and hopefully I'm able to drop a few jaws as well. This story I feel is more emotionally-based and character driven compared to Earth Angel, which I feel was mostly plot driven. 

Short Shorts is a chronological collection of short stories centering around two young women who are traveling the country and getting into all sorts of fun trouble. Some of the stories are embarrassingly based on events that have really happened in my own life, while others are loosely based or complete fiction. I'm still in the beginning stages of writing it, but I can say that I am laughing out loud frequently as I remember the things I've done, talk incidences over with my friends, and make up new dilemmas for these two girls to get into. I think it is this book that is going to break my fear of judgment from my readers, but mostly from my family. I can just imagine my mom reading these stories and gasping over the things she'll believe I did, even if they're the fiction stories. 

Marketing is still my least favorite part of writing and self publishing. I am still learning a lot, but from experience I can say connecting with people on a personal level is the best way to market. I interact daily with my fans and followers and friends on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook. I started early and have slowly built a following who all have the potential to be loyal readers. I am also planning on creating a sales sheet for each of my books and sending these out to bookstores nationwide. I'll also be sending out press releases to many different newspapers and magazines. I've had some trouble getting people to do reviews. So many reviewers are closed temporarily because they have an immense amount of submissions and they need to catch up. It's pure luck when I find someone who wants to read my book and put out a review for everyone to see, but I'm grateful for every single one of them. All I can do is keep asking.

AC: That is definitely something I am intimidated by; the marketing piece of it all. You are WAY ahead of me on that one. So, what does your writing process look like? How long does it take you to write each draft, do you re-write the entire second draft (as I’ve read some authors do) or just tweak it, etc.? Beta-readers, editors, cover design? You have AMAZING covers by the way.

AA: My writing process was a mess when I first started, which is probably why I've had to do a complete overhaul on Earth Angel. I've finally, just now, found what works best for me. I like to write out a detailed outline first, so that my stories always have a sense of direction. Of course, it's not set in concrete and I can change it as I start writing, but I love knowing what's going to happen right from the beginning. With my first draft, I just get it out. I try not to watch my word count or page numbers and just write what I feel. This usually ends with a book that's only 150 pages long. I print those out and then edit by hand with the second draft. This is where the chunk of my details, background stories, and character depth comes from. It's my favorite part of writing. With Earth Angel, I did have a professional editor, but have not decided yet if I will be doing the same with Hunted Angel. Just by sending Earth Angel out to the editor I got to see what she thought were good changes to my writing style. I learned a lot and applied it to the book and feel with Hunted Angel, I have kept those changes in mind. I really love my covers. I'm very artistic, so this is always a fun part for me. Earth Angel was designed by BeSpokeBookCovers.com. It was a little pricey for me, which is the only reason I took a different route with Hunted Angel, but it was still a great experience. The designer worked closely with me and redid it several times till it was exactly what I wanted. Hunted Angel's cover was a pre-made cover selected by me after days of researching covers online. This was a much cheaper route and I think the cover is equally as beautiful.

AC: How interesting to hear your process! And they truly are great covers; very eye-catching and with the "paranormal" vibe I think you want. Actually, they sort of remind me of Twilight's covers, in the sense of a single object and being something that is abstract to the story, but still holds symbolic meaning. Is there anything you wish you'd known when you first started pursuing self-publishing? Something we should be aware of to prevent making our own mistakes that way? 

AA: There are a few things I wish I had known with my first book, mostly dealing with money and expenses. When you're just starting with self-publishing, you are spending and getting nothing back for a long time, so saving where you can is important. Spending days searching through countless pre-made book covers was a great option for me to find a beautiful, unique cover without breaking my bank. Print-on-demand publishing has also been a great start for me, saving me the cost of having to order my book in bulk and shipping it off myself. The world of self-publishing is constantly changing and the great thing is that these changes are making it easier and cheaper for writers to build their book the way they envision it and get it out to readers.

AC: What is something readers don’t know about you? Hobby you enjoy, or a fun personal quirk? 

AA: I'm a pretty private person, so I'm sure there's a lot readers don't know about me. It's been really hard for me, actually, to put myself out there for marketing. It's easier for me to share through my fiction than personally. I've made many mistakes in my life and it took me longer than most to settle down, but it has also given me great experiences to write about. Many people judge me on the fact that I've been married twice before, lived in seven different states, tried out five different schools and majors before completing my degree, and anything else that I've done that doesn't fit into the traditional growing up into a stable adult experience. All I can say is that I took the long route, but I eventually got there.

AC: And finally, I like to ask each interviewee to recommend a charity that they feel personally drawn to, so that I can add it to the charity page on my website! What organization or charity do you feel we should raise awareness about?

AA: Hm, this is a tough one. Usually when I donate my money it is to various museums. I feel it's important to preserve history and art, and museums are great ways to display these priceless artifacts of human existence.

Thanks Alex, for sharing your insight with us! Until next time, keep writing and keep dreaming!
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Want to support me as a writer? Donate! Alex Apostol is originally from the Chicago area, but has moved around the country for the past nine years. She has a Bachelors in English through the American Military University, and she currently writes full-time. When not working on her books, Alex likes to go to the shooting range with her husband or horseback riding. Check out her website here, where you can pre-order Earth Angel!