Q&A starts next week - here are some topic ideas

[David]

I'd like to thank everyone who has signed up for my forthcoming Q&A starting next Monday. I've been travelling quite a bit and been unable to contribute much until now.
To get the ball rolling, what about -

1. Introduce yourself

2. What would you like to know about me?

3. Ebooks versus print books - what is the issue?

4. Writing in different genres. I write near-the-knuckle thrillers such as 'The Immortality Plot' and 'Bodyswitch' and YA fantasy, such as 'The Kingdoms Of Time And Space' trilogy. I have also written the first of a chapter book series for children, 'The Weather Kids' which is selling incredibly well.

5. Discussion about any of my books - latest 'The Immortality Plot', but you may wish to look at 'An Angel On My Shoulder' or 'Knife Edge'.

[C.J.]

Good Morning, David.

[David]

Good morning, CJ
I am on UK time so welcome to everyone whatever time zone you are on.

I have pleasure in opening this Q&A (despite having to visit the dentist in a couple of hours). So, let's go.

Tell me who you are, and if you have any questions I may hopefully be able to answer.

[George]

David,
I'm having a big wrestle with the e-book business. There are simply too many novels going up on Kindle, etc. I don't mean to be a churl. But do you think we are going to need some vetting/review process at some point in time, if for no other reason than to help readers? Question 2: are you still using Harpercollins and the like, or have you walked away from them all? 3) are you using an agent? Cheers!! George

[C.J.]

Hello George,
Nice to see you here.

[David]

George
I think the explosion of ebooks will have a number of effects, not least on the mainstream publishing business (which still dominates in terms of marketing spend and global reach).

1. Authors who would never get a chance to be published or have their work read now have enormous opportunities.

2, The downside: there will still be a smaller number of really good books produced as ebooks and this will result in a dross mountain. I don't mean to be unkind to writers with passion in their souls but the purpose of editors is to weed out the unpublishable and this will not happen if there is an ebook free-for-all. However, editors don't always get it right which means many fine authors go unrecognised and unrewarded. Authors desperate for an audience are often blinded by their desire at the expense of a realistic assessment of their work.

3. Ebooks may introduce a new audience of readers many of whom have grown up with digital technology, internet, smart phones etc and would not be seen dead inside a bookstore.

4. I have certainly not walked away from HarperCollins. Remarkably, I was travelling in Europe when I received an email from the top HC children's editor in the UK about 'The Kingdoms Of Time And Space' which is on this site and my website. She is very interested but in one single paragraph made be revisit the book as the adrenaline rush of real publication hit me. She just said that she thought I should 'simplify the proposition' and urged me to do this and resubmit. This one comment has made be revise the entire book.

5. My approach to e-publishing was to recognise I had all these books burning a hole in my hard drive so, in the absence of a real publisher and with the prospect of making more money if it went well I could see no reason not to join in the fray.

6.I think real books and ebooks will coexist for a long time. I enjoy reading both. I enjoy pursuing a real publishing deal as well as selling online and having control. But I try never to let my own critical faculty ebb away simply because I have the freedom to market books under my own steam.

[George]

David,

Thanks. Much appreciated, especially 'adrenaline rush' of real publication. It gets you every time.

C.J.,

Nice to be here. I'll be in and out.

George