Let's Talk Indie-Publishing with author Bryan Cohen

You’re part of the new breed of authors that doesn’t want to wait for publishers to anoint you to write. What made you decide that self-publishing was the route for you? 

The funny thing about my trip into self-publishing was that it was partially a lack of self-confidence initially. Obviously, you need a certain amount of self-confidence to write a book in the first place, but my thinking at the time was, "Ahhh! I don't have any money. Maybe I can use some of my blog posts as a book?" First, I just tried to sell them on my website as a PDF. Later, I learned about Amazon's Kindle Direct Publishing and off I went. It wasn't until Christmas 2010 that I really saw just how powerful self-publishing could be.

You’ve now written nine books that are available on Amazon. How has that worked out for you?

When I first started self-publishing, I was strictly using Amazon's site instructions and I didn't have a ton of help figuring it out. I stumbled through it and made some mistakes, but when you can't find someone to help you; I thoroughly recommend crashing through the front door and hoping for the best. Later on, I received some help from members of the Kindle Boards website and eventually from mega-indie superstars J.A. Konrath and John Locke.

What surprised or frustrated you most about the indie-publishing aspect?

I was surprised by how easy the process was after I'd been through it a few times. I'm happy to say I've had few frustrations with indie-publishing, other than the frustrations any author might have, like releasing a book without anybody buying it :).

Those nine books all have print dates from this year. Did you just write non-stop in 2010? Why such a rush to publish?  

A few of the books, like 1,000 Creative Writing Prompts and Sharpening the Pencil were created using material I already had lying around from my website. Covenant Coffee and Chekhov Kegstand were plays I'd written years ago. Once I realized that self-publishing could work, I threw a bunch of the wood I had on the fire. I figured the more I had out there, the better chances I had of scoring a hit! Out of the nine books I have up online, I wrote about four of them in 2011, which is still a decent haul for one year.

Your five books on writing seem to be intertwined and work into each other. Why five books? Why not only one or two? What makes your books unique on writing as compared to the thousands of others out there?  

My first book, my baby, 1,000 Creative Writing Prompts is pretty unique in that it's incredibly thoughtful. I'm very proud of all the work I put into that over the course of a couple of years through posts on my blog. The others were kind of an off-shoot to see what area of the industry might need another boost. Writer on the Side was meant to see if those with 9 to 5 jobs might need help getting their writing done and was half-based on a series I did on my site.

What about the other three books?

Sharpening the Pencil was a collection of essays for writers to bolster up various parts of their lives. 500 Writing Prompts for Kids was my attempt to be scholastic and see if elementary school teachers might want to test out some of my prompts. The Writing Sampler is a tiny sample of each of the other books. All of them have been successful in their own way, but the reason I released five of them was to experiment what the market was like.

I can see that your books are largely written from your personal experience of writing. Such as your play, Chekhov Kegstand, which was a final paper for a class. How many times have you re-written it and produced it in different adaptations.

Chekhov Kegstand was originally Mangum 310, based on my junior year experience in college. Magnum is a dorm on campus at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I first wrote the play at the end of that year and re-wrote it a couple of times before producing it during my senior year. I directed the play, which was a surreal experience indeed. How do you cast your life? I let the play sit on the shelf for a number of years before producing it early last year. I rewrote it, renamed it and sat on the sidelines while a friend of mine directed it. It was scary letting someone else take over, but then again, that's what most writers do.

Which do you feel more comfortable doing – writing, directing or acting? What gives you the most satisfaction?

I love all three: writing, directing and acting and I actually might be the most comfortable at directing, though I've done it the least. I find it the most satisfying because you have so much control over the final product. I've written a couple of other plays including a superhero spoof with my friend Kit FitzSimons called Kerpow! and an ensemble play called Something from Nothing, based on the improv comedy scene in Chicago in the 1980s.

When you see or hear something that seems a potential for a story idea do you immediately write it down? Or do you do a daily journal of sorts?

 This has changed a lot actually over the years. I used to get so many ideas that I could barely elaborate on any of them. My writer's block was more like a log jam! Eventually, I was able to focus long enough to write one out in full and it felt so good, I was fortunately able to settle down and write a few more. I keep a little red notebook and I'm constantly jotting down ideas in there. I've also been keeping a blog, Writing for 365 Days in a Row that notes a few of my ideas as well.



That's it for today's interview. Come back on Thursday for Part 2 of this interview. In the meantime if you would like to learn more about his writing you can by using the links here:

Website,  Blog,  Amazon,  Facebook,  Twitter

Interview with Suspense Writer, Larry Sheridan, author of A Work In Progress -- Part 2 0f 2

Today we're continuing with my interview with Larry Sheridan. If you haven't read part 1yet, click to the previous post. Now let's get back to the interview in progress...

When did you start writing this book?

I started writing this book in Feb. 2010 and then finished it, the 3^rd or 4^th version in August 2010.  I then worked with my editor (aka my sister, Kathleen Sheridan) for about 3 months on the editing.  Then I shelved the book and was done.  My goal was to write a book and finish it.  I had done that. 

With some encouragement from family and friends I decided to go ahead and publish the book.  This was in late April, 2011.  The book is doing okay but getting word of mouth about your work is by far the greatest challenge to me.

How did the story evolve? 

For me the process is one of a movie playing in my head.  I am either a detective or a voyeur trying to capture every last detail so you can see what I am seeing.  It seems that some people struggle with this type of writing style while others really like it.  In the end you have to be writing for yourself, for your own enjoyment because if no one likes it, you have to be able to find some peace in that. The only way I believe you can do that is to write for you alone and maybe some other people may decide they like it too.  

Are you an avid reader of thriller/espionage books?

I am a reader with very bohemian tastes.  I like all sorts of things.  The key for me is that the author has to find the melody to the words or the beat of the language.

Who are your favorite authors? 

I hate to say that certain authors are favorites of mine because I may not have even found my favorite author yet and there will inherently be some who I leave out.  I think Newt Gingrich does an incredible job with his historical fiction, like the recently released Valley Forge. A newer author, Gregory David Roberts, who wrote Shantaram is a brilliant writer.  He brings the characters to life in such a caring and real way. 

Then I also like the series Captain Underpants and Harry Potter.  I have a lot of different appetites I want whetted when I read and depending on what I am hungering for will depend on who my favorite author is at that particular time.  What I treasure the most is honesty in writing; I hope that is something I bring to my work.

In the Amazon excerpt, you have your protagonist listening to music by Davin McCoy, which is your son’s name.  How much of you and your family is in this book? 

It is actually Davin McCoy and The Coming Attractions which, yes, is my son’s name but is also the name of my son’s band.  As I mentioned, my writing is an attempt, hopefully a successful attempt, to describe the movie I am watching in my head.  Well, during this part of the movie there was actually music playing and it was Dav’s band and one of their songs.  It was also a way to give a shout out to him. 

There was also a sinister aspect to the shout out…I would know if he actually read the book or not because I knew if he saw it he would say something to me. Hahaha, I know, my life is a bit of a conspiracy theory isn’t it!  The band is really doing well though and their manager is a guy by the name of Artie Kornfeld who was the creator of Woodstock.  It is a very cool group, an incredibly well read group of guys – probably one of the most literate group of twenty-somethings not majoring in literature I have ever met – and they make beautiful music.  Check them out at www.davinmccoy.com – there I go again, giving another shout out and shamelessly promoting family members!!

Are other people in your life also interspersed in the book? 

I think any fiction author brings aspects of his or her life into their work.  Everything I write is a culmination of millions of tiny experiences, either witnessed or actually gone through, that becomes packaged for the story.  Every person I have ever met makes up a portion of the characters I write about. I may give a character a name in honor of a friend or something like that. 

The main character has a trait dedicated to the character Mark Harmon plays in NCIS.  In an earlier life of mine I was an actor and did a scene for a film with Mark.  After the scene was over he asked me if I wanted to have breakfast with him in his trailer.  Of course I said yes and it was the two of us talking about sports and regular stuff.  He is a true first class individual and though I am sure he doesn’t remember me from Adam we still shared a pretty cool event, at least it was for me so I put that in there as a way to say “Thanks!”  It would be cool if he came across it and remembered the scene. 

Your main character drives a Jeep which contrasts his polished work appearance. Does this resonate with your life?

I also drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee and love my ride.  It is old and a bit of a contradiction to “my job” but is real as it relates to me the individual.  I’m not into image and tend to march to the beat of my own drummer.  One of the characters in my book is named after an actor who is a friend of mine.  I just wanted to give him a shout out too.  The character isn’t like him but the name fits so there you go, hey it’s my world I am creating here so I get to do it the way I want to, right?  Those are some of the ways I have fun with the writing side of book.  Some people ask me who is who in the book and no one fits one person, so there are no “real” people replicated but sometimes there are situations or personalities that I try to capture.  I hope all that makes sense.

Is the scene in the high rise office building taken from your own work? 

No, absolutely not.  I do like watching it rain and I do work some crazy hours sometimes but absolutely nothing related to my work is in the book.  That would be a huge betrayal of a client’s trust as well as a betrayal to keeping the writing world and my financial advising world separate.  So, to answer you more directly: absolutely not.

Your protagonist, Jeremy, is all about the image as he dresses for his business meeting in designer suits and platinum cuff links, yet he drives an old jeep which is far from a power broker’s car. Why such a dichotomy? 

You caught that, huh?  Great!  I think you may be the first person to ask me that question.  I think life is a dichotomy.  How many individuals do you know, I mean really know, who try and keep a little part of themselves separate from their professional life.  It can be tough at times but it is something I think we all try to do.  I also think we are all dichotomies, contradictions between who we are, who we want to be, who we think we are and who everyone else thinks we are. 

I work hard to be extremely honest in all aspects of my life and at times this honesty can become self-effacing.  It is like the title of the book, A Work in Progress.  I believe we are all A Work in Progress as we go through the life, facing the challenges and hurdles life throws at us while either accepting or rejecting the blessings we come upon along the way.  I think we begin to die inside when we stop this growing process.

I would like to believe that there is more depth in the individual who is less concerned with image and more concerned with being the individual that they are. I also believe that the only difference between me and the homeless guy on the corner of the street is that I have not had that one event happen to me that would push me over that invisible line between us.  I don’t think it is a very thick line either. I don’t look down on the homeless person but I do wonder what the event was for them. 

What has surprised you the most in getting the first book published? 

How aggressive some people become who don’t like my writing style; that has been very surprising.  It’s not that I’m surprised people don’t like the way I write or how I tell a story, I expected that.  What has surprised me is that some people seem to take the fact they didn’t like the book very personally and use the review process as a format to attack me. 

It is always interesting when someone writes a negative review and talks about grammatical errors but their review contains them.  I think that is sort of humorous and it is all I can do to not respond and correct them; but based on the tone of the review I don’t think they would appreciate my dark sense of humor.

What has been the best way you’ve found to promote your book? 

I use the social media networks a lot and rely on word of mouth.  It is a tough process because as an independent author I am also chief janitor, chief marketer, chief everything and then I want to continue to write as well as do my real job and more importantly be a husband/father/grandfather and then a son to my parents.  Wow, I’m tired just saying that!! 

I have done several blog-talk radio interviews, a newspaper interview and then this blog-interview which is my first of this type.  So, thank you for your interest, I appreciate it!  I have also read John Locke’s book which describes his marketing plan and it is a very good one.  It has helped me in areas I am really weak in, not sure if it has helped me in the areas I am totally incompetent in but it couldn’t have hurt either!

What are some of the best writing tips you’ve learned that you would like to share with others? 

When you write you need to be honest with yourself as to the reasons you are writing.  I write because I enjoy it and it relieves stress (most of the time) for me.  So, I am writing for myself.  There will be people who don’t like my style and there will, I hope, be people who do. In the end, I need to always be clear that I am writing for myself.  Don’t believe all the good things people are saying about your work. Also don’t believe all the bad things people are saying about your work.

You have an interesting website as well that has some good graphics in it. It makes me think of the beginning graphics in Covert Affairs. 

Thanks, I appreciate that.  I like the show and see what you are talking about but I designed the website prior to my watching the show.  Glad you like the website though – it could still use some additional work…a lot of additional work actually but either way it is something I did on my own so I’m continuing along the learning curve with it in the best way that I can.

You’ve also written a book of short stories. How did that come into being? 

Short stories are challenging in that you have to create the scene, describe it then write the story and finish.  You don’t have the ability to add another chapter to help flesh out parts of the story that were lacking.  A short story is sort of a sprint while a novel is more of a marathon which would mean that the novella is like a mini-marathon.  I wanted to see if I could be a sprinter as well as a marathoner.  Some people like the short stories better than the novel.  I had hopes the short stories, at 99 cents for the digital copy, might be a way to increase my audience for the novel.

I will have a print copy available but the cost will have to be a bit more, so I will probably add another couple of stories to it.  In fact, I’ve already done them but am just waiting to get all the editing done.

What other works do you have in progress? 

I am working on a sequel to A Work in Progress but don’t want to give the title as it might give something away with the book.  The story is designed to become a series of stories so I am excited about getting that done.  I was about 1/3 of the way through but then I think the story changed on me, so I’m having to go back and regroup before I can bring the story forward.

That’s it for today’s interview. Here are some helpful links to learn more about Larry and his writing…  
For his webpage click here.  For his blog, click here.
Larry's Facebook click here To buy the book on Amazon click here.

Find him at Goodreads here,  Smashwords here and Twitter 

Interview with Suspense Writer, Larry Sheridan, author of A Work In Progress -- Part 1 0f 2

 

Reading your bio on Amazon it says that you “traveled the world tracking and helping capture diamond smugglers.” Is this for real? Or is it something to add to the mystique of the book?  

Actually, Chris, the bio is for real.  I only did a couple of jobs for this group though but there were definitely some interesting situations.  I would never let my kids do this but I was a lot younger then and didn’t think that way.  My job was to find them, figure out which room in which hotel they were in and then verify they actually had the diamonds with them or, at the very minimum, were keeping them in a safe place. 

Once that was done my job was to bring the people back to the states.  If they didn’t come back then I wouldn’t get paid so their coming back to the states was not something I felt to be negotiable.  But you’re right, it does make the book sound cooler, but actually, believe it or not, it is “for real.”

I love the design of the book cover where you reversed the blood splotch. It’s very eye catching. How many different cover designs did you go through before you decided on this one?  

Thanks, I’m glad you like the cover.  I have no idea how many different designs I tried but the cover was very important to me and had to fit the image I had in my head especially since the cover is the first introduction, generally, a reader has with the book.  I think it turned out pretty good as well but it is always nice to know that other people like it too. 

I knew what I wanted the cover to look like as I had an image in my mind though it wasn’t totally clear yet.  I first tried taking the pictures using various cut out shapes of white printer paper which I would arrange in a lot of different ways.  Then, once the picture was taken I would go and use a photo program to “fill” the white with the blood.  I couldn’t get it exactly the way I wanted it to look…basically, nothing was really working for me so I asked my youngest son to help me. 

We spent a while getting a lot of different shots and the cover shot was an angle he wanted to try.  When we looked at the pictures on the computer and I saw his foot was in the picture I knew it was the basis for the cover.  His foot being in the picture was purely accidental but it worked and fit with the theme of the book. 

I discussed what I was trying to do with my sister who is also my editor and she played around with it.  What ended up happening was she came up with the idea of flipping the cover from a floor with blood splotches on it to a lot of blood with some of the floor and other items visible – I liked that better and felt the cover worked for the story as well as for the initial connection with the reader.

Your bio says you work for a financial services company. How did you make the leap from that to writing a novel? 

The financial markets have been stressful these past few years and writing has been something of a stress release.  I feel lucky to have realized it.  My work is very demanding so if anything has to take a backseat due to my schedule it is the writing.  At times that can be frustrating but hey, you just have to find ways to work with the situation you are in, know what I mean? 

I do have some rules that I make myself abide by.  The main rule is that my work with my clients must be my priority and that I don’t allow myself to write during my working hours.  If I am on vacation or have taken a day off then that is different but outside of those circumstances I don’t allow my writing to interrupt the days. 

When I’m in the middle of a “writer’s storm” which is what I call it when my mind is racing and my fingers are dancing across the keyboard as fast as they can to keep up with the story I am watching unfold; it can be challenging to not get caught up in the story. I have to remember that my main focus is the work I do as a Financial Advisor.

Have you always been a writer or is this a mid-life career decision? 

Early on in life I was an actor trying to make my way in New York City.  I began working with a terrific playwright there, a guy by the name of Tony Sportiello.  In some ways I believe Tony helped shaped this creature in me, the writing creature that is, and the one which is trying to break through my skin right now.  Life is something I feel we go through trying to maintain some semblance of balance – the writing is one of my items to be balanced.

Prior to writing this book, what other types of publishing credits did you have?  

None really.  I did write a letter that TV Guide published when I was 13 or so.  Pretty funny when I look back on it.  Maybe somebody at TV Guide knew something that was going to take me another 35+ years to figure out!

What made you decide that self-publishing was the route for you? 

I found the process that is in place for authors to get representation and then to possibly get published did not work for me.  Although I probably seem very laid back and easy going I can also be extremely impatient and demanding.  I found the process to be lacking in structure, timeliness and efficiency.  I wasn’t even going to publish the book but then my son sent me an article and I discussed it with my wife.  Based on those discussions I decided to take the plunge.  So, if you don’t like my writing style and wish I had never been published you can blame them!

Prior to self publishing, did you contact any other publishers to produce your book? 

I tried a little bit but found I didn’t want to play the game of submission and waiting.  I felt that by doing that process I would be waiting for months, if not years, to get the first book published so I just tried to jump start the whole thing and do it myself.  Now, when I say do it myself that doesn’t mean I was alone in the process.  I had an excellent editor in Kathleen Sheridan and I tested the book out on a number of people as I tried to work through the kinks in it.  Hopefully you will think I was successful if you read any of my work.

What surprised or frustrated you most about the indie-publishing aspect? 

As stupid as this answer sounds it is probably the most honest and candid answer I can give this question.  Everything surprised and frustrated me AND nothing surprised and frustrated me.  I have tried to find an opportunity to learn and grow, improving my craft as a writer, with each stumble and obstacle laid out in front of me.  Also, starting at ground zero, or ground negative number, makes it very difficult to have a clear and rational perspective of what numbers constitute success in regards to the book and my work as the author.  I hope this answer makes sense but if it doesn’t then maybe it actually answers the question more accurately.  Uh oh, now I’ve confused myself too!

What do you wish you could do over from what you’ve learned in putting together this book? 

My life!  Haha, just kidding!  Would there be things I would do differently? Yes. Would I want to go back to do them differently for the first time?  I don’t know. Those mistakes are what have probably taught me the most with the process. I believe we learn more when pain is involved in the process than we learn when there is no pain experienced.  Trust me, I have had some painfully embarrassing moments due to some of the mistakes I have made in this process.  Probably better for me to do that now than later when there are 10,000 people watching my actions, right?

Your sister was your editor – any sibling rivalry come into play with your collaboration? 

Having my sister as my editor was awesome and yes, at times it was also awesomely painful.  My older sister has no problem asking me what in the heck I am trying to say or laughing at my terrible grammar.  The editing process as a whole was like birthing an elephant through a straw. 

Without question, the editing process was the most difficult for me.  I would recommend her to anyone and she is working with me on my current projects as well. Personally, if both people can be professional, then working with a family member can be pretty cool and something I can always look back on with appreciation. 

Was she a hard or easy editor? 

Did I mention that she is an excellent editor?  She was brutally honest when she needed to be and it usually coincided with my being stubbornly pig headed.  She was also very gentle when she could tell I was getting tired of being beaten up.  There are some things each of us just doesn’t do well…mine is working with consistent verb tenses.  As you can tell in my responses, she has not edited this!

That’s it for today’s interview. Come back on Thursday for the second part of the interview where we go into more detail about the book. In the meantime, here are some helpful links to learn more about Larry and his writing…For his webpage click here.  For his blog, click here.

Larry's Facebook click here To buy the book on Amazon click here.

Find him at Goodreads here,  Smashwords here and Twitter 

Each and Every Journey Begins as a Quest

This is my official post for this month's CW Blog Chain despite the fact that I introduced the topic at the beginning of the month with a post. Alas, I have been busy with a new job,resurrecting and rewriting a novel, and fighting a bad cold that my thoughts on a quest post have been pushed aside. So instead I will be posting famous quotes about quests. The first is my a writer who I am not familiar with but thought he had a unique concept about a quest. The others I've added for thought and perhaps laughter as you read them. 

Every writing career starts as a personal quest for sainthood, for self-betterment. Sooner or later, and as a rule quite soon, a man discovers that his pen accomplishes a lot more than his soul.

Joseph Brodsky (Nobel Prize for Literature in 1987)

Humans are imperfect. That's one of the reasons that classical and jazz are in trouble. We're on the quest for the perfect performance and every note has to be right. Man, every note is not right in life. Bradford Marsalis

I am not one who was born in the custody of wisdom; I am one who is fond of olden times and intense in quest of the sacred knowing of the ancients. Gustave Courbet

I need more friends. It's kind of like my quest right now just to have more true friends. Miley Cyrus

I'm undaunted in my quest to amuse myself by constantly changing my hair. Hillary Clinton

It’s all about finding the right note at the right place and knowing when to leave well enough alone. And that's a lifelong quest. David Sanborn

My quest these days is to find my long lost inner child, but I'm afraid if I do, I'll end up with food in my hair and way too in love with the cats.  Kenny Loggins

There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The longest journey is the journey inwards. Of him who has chosen his destiny, who has started upon his quest for the source of his being. Dag Hammarskjold

The quest for certainty blocks the search for meaning. Uncertainty is the very condition to impel man to unfold his powers. Erich Fromm

In the attitude of silence, the soul finds the path I a clearer light. What is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness. Our life is a long and arduous quest after the truth. Mahatma Gandhi

Be the reason I live. Be my quest, my constant vision. Be the water I drink, the treasure I seek more than gold...Jesus, Lord over all. Sonicflood

Tune in tomorrow for the beginning of a two-part interview with a suspense writer!

Interview with children's picture book author, Jenny Sulpizio

If you've recently had a child or know someone who has you will probably want to learn more about the books by this author, so take a moment to relax and review our interview.

You now have two children’s books in print –one for girls and the second book for boys. What motivated you to put your thoughts of having these children in book form? What do you hope that the reader will take away from reading your books?
As soon as my first child was born (my daughter), I took the time to sit down and express exactly how I was feeling. All of the emotions that well up as a parent, the hopes and the dreams you have for that tiny child of yours-I wanted to create a keepsake that my daughter (followed later by my two sons), could read. Later on as adults  they could reflect on it, and even share it with their own children, grandchildren and so forth. I also wanted these books to become keepsakes for other parents so that they too could relate to the message, cherish the reading time with their children, and eventually pass on to them once they have grown.

Have you always wanted to write? What is your writing background prior to these books?
I've always loved tapping into my imagination and creatively expressing my thoughts on paper. It's an outlet if you will and a process I thoroughly enjoy. Prior to these two books, I had no publishing credits to speak of.

How many different publishers did you contact before going with your publisher? What did you like about them? How much input did you have with the artwork design?
I literally wrote "Mommy Whispers" seven years before it was published. I had tried traditional means of publication and wasn't very successful in my attempts. It was at that point that I "shelved" my work and all ideas of publishing...that was until I sought out the advice of a good friend (and published author) who referred me to Ajoyin, a vanity publisher. I had full and total control over the artwork and the emotion I wanted to evoke through each illustration.

What has surprised you the most in getting the first book published? What has been the best way you’ve found to promote your book?
The amount of work involved as far as marketing these books has been the biggest surprise. I have found that the best way to promote is by reaching out to other authors, guest blogging, and word-of-mouth.

What are some of the best writing tips you’ve learned that you would like to share with others?
Don't. Ever. Give. Up! 

How do you find time to write with taking care of 3 children?
I do most of my writing when my kids are fast asleep.

In your bio it says you are currently represented by The Seymour Agency but not for your children’s writing. How did that come about?
I write for varying genres and am represented by The Seymour Agency for my Women's Christian Non-fiction works. I am currently querying and submitting for my children's picture book manuscripts in the hopes of securing and agent for those as well.

Which style of writing suits you more – children’s books or your inspirational writing?
I love them both. I try to incorporate faith-based principles into all of my works. They are the foundation.

Any other books in the works that we should know about?   
There's always something brewing in my brain...I've got lots of ideas just waiting to hit the paper!

If you would like to learn more about Jenny and her writing, here is a link to her website…
http://www.jennysulpizio.com  

Heath Samples and Princess Diana

The bio I read on this author caught my attention. It wasn't written in a formal way like you see on jacket flaps. It was an actual bio of who he was as a person with his hobbies and favorite activities. It got me interested in him as a person and a writer. So of course I had to learn more about his book as well. It's also fun to do an interview with someone "across the pond." 

Everyone remembers when Princess Diana died and I'm sure wondered what would her life have turned out like if it wasn't for that fatal crash. Well, today's author took it one step further; he wrote a book about it. 

What made you decide to write a book about Diana as a first book? Didn’t you think that perhaps more established writers would have a better hand at writing a book on a popular icon?

I have been a huge fan of the Royal Family ever since I joined the Royal Air Force at 17. Diana of course was a very big part of that family.  It struck all of us that she died too quickly without ever getting into her prime and I kept looking out for a book such as this that would tell us the “What IF” story. Each year came and went and no one ever did so I decided to write it.

How did the writing of the book evolve?

Evolved is a good word.  I had 11 years of evolving the story in my mind as I first set out the chapters in 2000.  The idea came to me on the New Years Eve of the Millennium but I had simply never gotten around to writing it.

How do you make the transition from a Sales & Marketing Director to a fictional writer? Is writing something that has always been an interest or is this something new?

In my role as Sales & Marketing Director, I am often writing product briefs, presentations and editorial for trade papers and magazines. Writing is something I have always enjoyed and my background in what I do undoubtedly helped me put the story together for this book. 

I also have the biggest imagination possible, which is a positive, and I believe that when any individual puts his or her mind to it, anything can be achieved.  My attitude is to shatter glass ceilings, be different, be confident, be you and above all, be happy.

Since this is a book about a real person, albeit a fictionalized account, what road blocks if any did you run into when you wrote the book? Did anyone from the royal family contact you with concerns or try to limit what was written? 

As a fictional book on how Princess Diana’s life may have been had she survived the car crash I didn’t encounter any roadblocks nor have had any contact from the Royal Household.  The book is written with huge respect to the characters; Diana, Dodi, Prince Charles and Prince William and Harry however, the book hasn’t hit the mainstream just yet so watch this space!

I see the book cover lists a possible trilogy. What feedback have you been getting on the book to continue the story? 

Book and film endings sometimes let you down in terms of the reader/ viewer feeling the story isn’t complete or it could have continued but simply hasn’t been. I wanted to give readers a choice.  If this book proves a huge success and the readers want to see another, I have left enough scope to write two more books, hence the trilogy. Feedback so far is fantastic with requests to do another book but once the book hits the mainstream, then I’ll let that number of readers decide.

Tell me about the collaboration as I see it was written “with Claire Hooper.” How did that come about? Who wrote or edited what? 

Clearly with a book of this magnitude, I didn’t take the challenge of writing it lightly. I had seen some terrible attempts at book writing which made me determined that this book, whilst having a fascinating storyline, would also be one of the best ever written. “Aim for the top and you will get somewhere close” is my modus operandi in life.  Indeed, there was huge potential to make a faux pas in both the writing style and delivery.  I had the story but I needed help writing it. 

Claire Hooper to the rescue! Claire has an MA in Creative Writing and from the three Ghost Writers I interviewed, Claire just got the story.  I supplied all the writing ideas and storyline with Claire helping me craft the writing.  We would write, read, edit and redraft together until I felt it was right.  Claire is a natural talent and if the readers do decide that they want to see the trilogy completed, I would want Claire involved in both of those books.

Is this your first book?

This is my first book and I do sometimes ask why I took on the goliath task of writing about the most famous person in the world!  However, I have had 11 years to put this story together.  Two years ago I found myself in life changing circumstances as I sat on the Yorkshire coast looking out to sea. It was a beautiful day and one of those where you just wonder why oh why. It was the lowest point in my life and as I sat there, the story came flooding back to me like a freight train and that was it, whatever else happened in my life, this book was going to be written.

I see that your book is indie-published. Did you contact any other publishers prior to that to produce your book?

I did write to several publishers in both the UK and USA.   I used the Writers & Artists Yearbook for addresses plus the web.  Some replied. Some didn’t.  Some seemed very interested but almost “constrained” from internal policies or didn’t feel the topic was just write for them etc, etc.  With the word on the street being that unless you get the CEO to sign the book deal you simply don’t get one, I decided to self publish.

What was your process in choosing Grosvenor House to publish your book? Who was the most influential or helpful in getting this book published? 

Initially I was going to choose CreateSpace or Lulu and in the end came down on CreateSpace because of the Amazon connection and speed of turnaround.  A chance meeting with a friend introduced me to Graham Taylor (GP Taylor, New York Times Best Selling Writer) and he then guided me to the path of Grosvenor House. Graham was undoubtedly the most influential person in helping me get the book published and I will always be grateful to him for pointing me towards GHP and for writing the book foreword.

What has been the most frustrating part about writing and publishing this book?

The frustration is when you have to take two steps backwards to go one forward in your writing.  You may have sat there for weeks going down a certain plot line that in the end just doesn’t cut it the way you imagined it.  Unfortunately, the only and best thing you can do is throw it all away and start again. Publishing was a breeze with GHP although the repeated proof reading nearly drove me insane! However, if a major publishing house does take the novel on, at least I won’t have to do it again!

What are some of the most productive ways you’ve had in promoting your book? 

Book promotion is key but I am only still on the tip of the iceberg in terms of coverage.  I am active on Facebook and Twitter which are great tools along with getting reviews.  A blog tour and book signings are due to follow in the next few weeks and then it will be onto local/ national papers & magazines to see if they want to run with the story.  I see the USA market as key to the success of this book as Princess Diana had many fans there so this is an area I am keen to explore next.  Any guidance is welcome.

With what you know now, if you could start all over again in writing and publishing this book, what might you have done differently?

The first thing I would do is concentrate on writing the book, not writing to Literary Agents, publishers or trying to forward plan your marketing campaign, just the book.  Period.

Second.  Don’t waste your time writing to publishers.  They may write you a lovely letter back (I have kept mine) or won’t respond at all but importantly to you, the answer will be no. In fact, don’t waste your money buying the Writers & Artists Yearbook either as there is enough info on the web if you search for it correctly. As I said earlier, the answer will be no.

Get your book published and noticed.  Then and only then will the publishers be interested.  Greet them however with open arms because their contact list and marketing budget will far out strip yours.

Give me an example or two of the best writing advice you have ever been given. 

The best writing advice I have ever been given is write it how you see it.  Do not be influenced with mainstream or what you think people want to hear, write YOUR story how YOU see it.

It is hard to do it this way and there were many times I felt I was doing it wrong but the outcome is something quite incredible when you stick to your story and style.

That ends today’s interview. I do hope you will be interested in learning more about Heath and his writing and here’s the links to do just that…http://www.amazon.com/Princess-Diana-Day-She-Didnt/dp/1908596783/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322477960&sr=8-1

The Facebook link  

http://www.facebook.com/PrincessDianaTheDaySheDidntDie

Goodreads

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12972715-princess-diana-the-day-she-didn-t-die

Twitter @authorheathsamp

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

When you’ve heard the Christmas carols of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” or “We Need a Little Christmas” you probably just thought of the Christmas celebration of December 25^th. But there is another Christmas holiday known as “Little Christmas.” It is also known as the Epiphany, Three Kings Day or The Adoration of the Magi. The day celebrates the time when the three magi/wise men found the Christ Child after following a star to Bethlehem. While the Western Christian Church celebrates December 25th, the Eastern Christian Church recognizes January 6 as the celebration of the nativity.

Now you’ve also probably heard the song The 12 days of Christmas which is usually sung before the 25^th talking about the twelve days leading up to that day. In actuality it should begin on Christmas Day (December 25) and end on January 5, the eve of the traditional date of the Epiphany or 12^th night.

In many Spanish-speaking countries, Christmas Day is strictly religious, and gifts are exchanged on the feast of the Epiphany, when the wise men (or Magi) brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus, thus the reason we exchange gifts. The names the magi are accepted as Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar.

The custom of blessing homes on Epiphany developed because the feast commemorates the time that the three kings visited the home of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. Traditionally after the blessing, the initials of the names of the wise men were written in chalk on the back of the door. They were enclosed by the year and connected by a cross. For this year it would read: 20+C+M+B+12. According to the Catholic Church the three letters really stand for the Latin words Christus mansionem benedicat which means, May Christ bless the house. 

January 6^th has its own traditions, rituals and symbols. The custom of the Star Singers, reminiscent of the travel of the Three Kings is celebrated in Bavaria and Austria. Beginning with New Years and through January 6, children dressed as the kings, and holding up a large star, go from door to door, caroling and singing a Three Kings' song to receive money or sweets. 

Parades celebrate the event in Spanish-speaking countries as well as in the United States (New York, Los Angeles, and Puerto Rico have had annual parades).Other traditions include children leaving an empty shoe outside for the Kings or put a box of grass, corn, or other camel food under their beds at  night on January 5^th in hopes of finding a gift the next day. 

You can also celebrate the holiday by enjoying a Rosca de Reyes. This is a festive round cake with a whole in the center that is topped with trinkets and candy. Baked into the cake is a small plastic baby Jesus. If you find him in your slice, tradition says you must throw a party on Feb. 2, Candlemas Day, and serve tamales to your guests. The sixth of January is also the traditional start of Mardi Gras in New Orleans every year. They also celebrate with a King cake and parades. 

Though I am not of Spanish decent on any part of my family tree, we have always celebrated January 6 as the end of Christmas. All the decorations stay up till that day. I still keep up that family tradition in my own home here in Texas. As I was driving home this evening, I noticed a few others keep that tradition as well – including the biggest Christmas light decorations in the neighborhood. 

Here’s my wish to you…Have a Merry Little Christmas!

Interview with Laynee Gilbert author of self-help books

If you're ready to start fresh with a new year and you want to improve your life, take some tips from today's author who will show you ways to de-stress and move forward in your life in a more positive way. And it has nothing to do with exercising or dieting! So let's get on to the interview...

You are a licensed marriage and family therapist and probably have a lot of experience with crisis management, yet you’ve chosen to write a light-hearted look at raising a child as a single parent. Why did you decide to write a book in this style?
I write from my own personal experience, after I've navigated through rough waters and surfaced with lessons that may be helpful to others. Writing this book was much like writing in a personal journal. Documenting my own process and revelations helped me to maintain my own sanity as well as a sense of humor, which I feel is an essential aspect for staying afloat... thus the "light-hearted" tone.

One of the tips in the back of the book is to write it all out, and I couldn't be more serious about the value in that. In fact, all of my previous books are essentially journals to write in; "So What" is my first book that deviates from this trend.

You say it’s for a single parent but what about for someone who is now a part of a blended family, wouldn’t it work for them as well?
Note the asterisk in the title: Not just for single parents! I also state in the introduction that it's a "single mom's" guide because it's written by a single mom, not because it's intended only for single moms. I've received positive feedback from moms and dads in all kinds of situations, as well as from grandparents and even from childless folks. Anyone who can relate to the stress of living in a demanding, fast-paced environment can benefit from my universal survival tips.

This is a departure from your previous books which deal with the serious subjects of dealing with grief whether it was for a human loved one or a beloved pet. How did you decide to write books to cover this topic?
Writing about grief was also inspired by personal experience. The first of my grief books, "I Remember You: A Grief Journal", was born about a year after my mom died of cancer. I had been processing my thoughts and dreams in a journal, when one morning I awoke with the words "I Remember You" in my head and the rest of the book unfolded in my mind in a flash.

I later created the pet loss journal to fill a void I felt existed in addressing the intense grief inherent in the loss of a beloved animal companion. And "Pass It On" was inspired and created in about a month, in conjunction with a dying friend of mine.

How are these books different from other self-help books in dealing with grief?
My grief books all follow the same format. They begin with a brief, personal introduction discussing the grief experience, with suggestions for how to use journal-writing as an avenue to healing. Following the introduction are pages adorned with photos, quotes and excerpts from various sources, designed to normalize the grief process and encourage the reader to fill the empty spaces with their own memories, dreams and reflections.

I feel that when an individual is grieving, that person is already the expert on the subject, and doesn't necessarily benefit from reading a whole lot about it. Thus, my grief books are designed as containers for readers to write their own story, as they sort out their own array of complex feelings.

What were the topics of your earlier works? How did you go about getting your first book published?

My first book was titled "The Complete Dream Journal", published in 1992 by Pomegranate Artbooks. Pomegranate printed a second edition in 2001, and continued to keep it in print until just last year.

The first edition of "I Remember You: A Grief Journal" was published by Harper San Francisco in 1995. Harper sold out of the initial print run of 12,000 copies, but opted not to reprint. In both cases, I contacted the publishing houses myself; I did not look for an agent.

A woman whose organization had been relying on my grief journal contacted me personally, distressed that it had been discontinued and asking if there were any way she could get hold of more copies. I told her I'd been considering self-publishing; she told me if I did, she'd buy the first 100 copies, and that's what motivated me to start my self-publishing business in 2000, L.O.A. Publications. I've self-published all the rest of my books since then.

Which book has been your best seller? What are some of the most productive things that you do to promote your book?
I've reprinted "I Remember You" in print runs of 2000 at least three times since I began self-publishing it. There are some hospices that order from me in bulk a couple times each year, and I continuously have monthly sales on Amazon. When I initially self-published it, I sent direct mail offers to hospices, offering to send a complimentary copy and letting them know I offer a significant discount to care-giving organizations such as theirs. I used a similar approach with my pet loss book, a direct mailing targeting veterinarian clinics, and similarly connected with some that continue to order from me in bulk.

I believe "So What" has potential for taking off, as its core message resonates with a wide range of individuals, many of whom have sent words of praise and thanks to me personally or via wonderful reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. But ironically, since it has such a broad audience, it's actually more difficult to promote than the more niche grief books.

Similar to the grief books, I look for opportunities to give "So What" away, as I feel that word-of-mouth from someone who's already read the book is the best promotion possible. And in today's era of social networking, word-of-mouth is more powerful than ever before.

What is some of the best advice you’ve been given in either writing or publishing that you would like to share with others?
Many years ago, hockey star Wayne Gretzky was asked the secret to his success regarding having achieved so many goals. His reply: "I miss 100% of the shots I don't take." I printed and framed those words, and although they're not specific to writing or publishing, they're the best words of advice I could share.

Do you have any other works in the process?
Yes, I have a sequel to "So What" in the works, parenting tips for surviving the Tweens and Teens... But first I have to successfully get through it myself!

That’s it for today’s interview. If you would like to learn more about Laynee and her writing, here are some helpful links…
L.O.A. Publications: http://www.loapublications.com (20% off and no shipping charges)
Amazon: http://amzn.com/0967896630 (also available as an eBook)
Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/FacebookSoWhat (“Like” it and tell your friends!)
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12979... (add to your shelf!)

This month's CW Blog Chain "The Quest"

It's the start of a new month which means a new blog chain theme. As it is also the start of a new year, what better start could there be than to have a quest. When I heard about the topic, I couldn't help but think about the song from The Man of La Mancha called "The Impossible Dream." This song has a special meaning to me as it is part of my history as a youth.

The tradition in the elementary school I attended (which went from 1st through 8th grade) was to have a graduation breakfast honoring those who would be completing their schooling that week. This event was hosted by the 7th grade and included a program of readings and songs. The year I was part of the host group we sang "The Impossible Dream" for the soon-to-be graduated 8th grade. Our teacher changed some of the words to make them more specific to the class but now I only remember the original words which I am including below that were written by Joe Darion.

To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go
To right the unrightable wrong
To love pure and chaste from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest, to follow that star
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far
To fight for the right, without question or pause
To be willing to march into Hell, for a Heavenly cause

And I know if I'll only be true, to this glorious quest,
That my heart will lie will lie peaceful and calm,
when I'm laid to my rest
And the world will be better for this
That one man, scorned and covered with scars,
Still strove, with his last ounce of courage,
To reach ... the unreachable star 

It wasn't until years later when I saw the musical that I got the full impact of what the song meant. It totally floored me that someone (the character) in that situation could hold onto that quest. I'm not going to spoil it for you and give you the answer. You need to see the play itself or find the movie to rent. I know it will give you plenty to think about as to what you hold important and having meaning in your life.

What is your quest for the year? Have you even stopped and considered it? If not, put a little extra meaning into your life this year and consider that weighty question as to why you are here inhabiting your spot in life. Is it time for some changes or new grow spurts? There is no time like the present to start.

Hope you will take some time to read about other quests by my fellow writers as part of the blog chain to the right.

What are Your Writing Resolutions for 2012?

Once again it's the start of a new year, a time for a fresh start. For me a new beginning started in October when I moved to Texas. The last 3 months have been a time for getting settled and finding my way around the surrounding cities. Now in January I will be starting a new career. Although I've had lots of experience doing this work in another state I am willing to be a sponge now and take in everything I can learn to be the best in my job and earn a progressive income.

I will also have a new start for my writing. I will be attending my first meetings this month of two writers critique groups in the area. I've missed not having the friendship and encouragement of my past writer's group where I lived. If you are a writer and aren't participating in a local group you are missing a great opportunity to learn and grow. Writers' critique groups are easy to find. You just do an internet search like "writers' group near city, state" filling in your locality. That's how I found 5 different writers' groups in my area and narrowed it down to two that should fit my writing style. They are both within a 30 minute drive of where I live so it will be easy to get there.

My writing goals for this year are to first revive my novel which I started over a decade ago. I had about 200 pages then, but can only seem to find maybe 100 now.  I dropped it  because I got frustrated that a humorous book I completed wasn't picked up by a publishing house after sending it out to 30+ targeted companies. Looking at the humor book now, I can see it needs some work - especially my "artwork." I will probably work on it some more but that is not my writing priority.

I also plan to work more on my children's writing and finding homes for my picture book stories. I will also work on my devotional/inspirational pieces which for now I am happy to send out and get published in anthologies, but would someday like to put my own book together. With all the interviews I've been doing with indie-published authors, I am also considering going that route myself once I can figure out if it would be cost effective to me.

What are your writing goals for this new year. Can you make a weekly or even daily commitment to write? What encouragement do you have for other writers to keep on writing?