Taking Humor from the Stage to the Page, Author Interview with John Bonk

Your bio say you are a musical comedy performer turned author. What changed you from a performer of words to a novelist?

Oh, tricky question right out of the gate. It was more of a gradual thing than a hasty decision. I had been doing a ton of tap dance shows (Singin' in the Rain, George M!, 42nd Street, etc.) and after a certain age it just gets a lot harder to survive through eight shows a week. Then there's the constant traveling that comes with show biz. I suppose it was all beginning to take its toll and I thought, "Geez, I wish there was some other creative career I could pursue that doesn't involve a lot of hopping around and living out of a suitcase."

One day I was at a temp office job transcribing a radio show featuring The Trumpet Club in which children's book authors were reading from their published works for classrooms. Some of it was fantastic! I remember thinking, "I wonder if I can do that." So, on the way home from work that day, I started composing my first poem that would eventually be published in a children's magazine. That was the beginning. I was hooked. Now I'm "performing on the page" as I like to call it.

The title of your current book, Madhattan Mystery, caught my attention with its bit of whimsy. What do you think readers should expect from your book based on that title? What drew you to writing this story? Is the storyline drawn from any part of your own life or friendships?

Craziness. Humor. A madcap adventure through New York City. What sparked the story idea for me was my fascination with the Whispering Gallery in Grand Central Terminal. It's the coolest thing. Just outside of the Oyster Bar & Restaurant, the arched ceilings create an acoustic effect where you can clearly hear a whisper from the opposite side of the hallway.

I thought, "Wow, what if there were some criminals standing here plotting out a crime and unknowingly broadcasting it to an innocent bystander?" That's what sparked Madhattan Mystery. The direct storyline isn't drawn directly from a personal experience but my stories are always chockfull of chunks from my own nutty life. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I wouldn't know how to write any other way.

This isn’t your first foray into writing novels. You’ve previously written two middle-grade novels with your protagonist, Dustin Grubbs. What made you decide to write for the middle grade market? The Dustin Grubbs character was are based on my younger self longing to be an actor. My earliest and most vibrant memory of this is when I spearheaded an effort to put on a play in elementary school, which at the time, never put on plays. (Shocking! I know.) Since this occurred in fifth grade, the books automatically fell into the middle-grade category, so voila, I became a middle-grade author.

Was the 2nd book easier or harder to write?

The second book was easier in the sense that most of the characters, back story, etc. had already been created; the hard part was not being repetitive and giving the story enough "oomph" so it could stand on its own.

Are there more Dustin Grubbs books in the pipeline?

Right now there aren't more Dustin books in the pipeline, but there may be another thigh-slappingly funny theatrical novel in the works with an equally lovable protagonist. Stay tuned!

Writing humor is supposedly one of the hardest forms of writing to do successfully. Since the book is considered “humorous fiction” how has that humor worked when others have read your book? Do they get your type of humor? Luckily, humor is in my DNA. It tends to pour out of me on a regular basis. I think most people "get it" as far as my brand of humor is concerned--but I'm sure that many people don't. You can't please everyone and you shouldn't try to please everyone.  But nothing tickles me more than getting feedback from a reader saying, "Your book made me laugh out loud!"

Do your readers find things humorous that you didn’t write with that expectation?

I don't know if anyone's ever laughed at something I've written that wasn't intended to be funny--but if they did, more power to them. That means their funny-bone is working overtime and there's nothing wrong with that.

How long did it take you to write each of your books? How many rewrites did you do prior to sending it out to publishers?

Another tricky question. I honestly don't know how long it took to write each novel because there's usually a lot of other stuff going on in the process and it's hard to keep track. With the help of my writing critique group, I went through several drafts of each book before sending them to my agent. Three or four drafts maybe, depending on the book.

My agent then submitted them to various publishers and I would continually be revising things as we received feedback from the houses who had turned them down. After the books were accepted for publication was when the real editing began, working one-on-one with my editor. I never hired anyone to help with the editing.

How did you go about looking for an agent?

To avoid the dreaded "slush pile" in publishing houses where unsolicited manuscripts supposedly wind up, I elected to send out query letters directly to agents and go that route. A woman in my critique group snagged an agent first and wound up recommending me to him. He liked what he saw of my first book, offered me a contract, and we never looked back. Of course it wasn't as easy as that sounds. Pepper in a lot of angst, endless waiting, head-banging, and hair-ripping-out and you've pretty much got the picture.

What has frustrated you the most in the publishing process?

Probably the aforementioned waiting game. Everything. Seems. To. Take. For –Ev -- Er.

What have you found the most rewarding – outside of seeing your book in print?

Well, there really is nothing like seeing your book sitting proudly on the shelf of a bookstore or a library--especially for the very first time. But other than that, I'd have to go with positive feedback from happy readers. One home-schooled boy, after reading Dustin Grubbs: One-Man Show, wrote, "John J. Bonk, please, please write another book!" So I did.

What surprised you the most about the publishing process?

How thrilling it can be. There are so many head-rushing moments along the way. When your agent calls to tell you "We have a deal!" When you sign the contract. When your agent takes you to lunch. When your editor takes you to lunch. When your assistant editor takes you to lunch. (Publishing people are a hungry lot!) When you see your cover illustration for the first time--not to mention the very first copy of your actual book. There are a lot of down moments along the way as well but the good stuff definitely outweighs the bad.

What has been the most productive promotion that you’ve had with marketing your books?

Oh, it's hard to measure. I wish I was a lot better at promotion, that's for sure. I'm guessing the most productive has been the giveaways I did for Madhattan Mystery on GoodReads. I did two so far: one where I gave away two ARCs or Advance Reading Copies, and  another where I gave away two hardcover copies of the book. Over 1,200 people signed up for the giveaways in total, and over 230 people added the book to their "to-read" list. That's a lot of exposure, even if folks don't follow-through with purchasing the book.

Writing seminars are always telling us about building a marketing platform. What have you learned from using social media sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and others?

Well, let's see…I've met some fascinating people via social media--virtually, if not in the flesh. I've picked up how incredibly hard people in the publishing profession work at it--including authors, editors, publishers, agents, librarians, teachers, etc.

I've learned that marketing to the middle-grade market via Twitter and Facebook isn't as direct as marketing to, say, the YA crowd since we're targeting the gatekeepers mostly, who purchase the books (meaning, parents, librarians, etc.) and not the actual middle-graders themselves. I've also learned that if I didn't physically pry myself away from social media sites, I'd be staring at my computer screen 24 hours a day.

What is the best advice you’ve received on writing? Or what is the best advice you could give other aspiring authors from your experience?

I'm always reading books on the craft and half the time the advice is exactly the opposite from one writer to the next. Some say, "Write what you know"; others say, "Write what you want to learn about--not what you already know." Some say, "Write a fast and dirty first draft"; others say, "Try to get it as polished as possible the first time around."

It's enough to drive you wacko.   I think my point here is that there are no hard and fast rules. Find out what works best FOR YOU, then lather, rinse, repeat. Most of all, have fun!

I hope you enjoyed today’s interview and feel led to learn more about John and his writing – maybe even buy his books! Here’s the way to make contact…

John’s website:    John’s blog:

Link to his books:     Book trailer:

From Legal Briefs to Storytelling, Author interview with Leigh Cunningham

Your background is in the legal and corporate fields, what made you decide to try your hand at writing fiction?

At school, English was always my best subject, and I’ve always been a bit of a storyteller. I can recall at school relaying the events of my weekend to friends, and these were always highly anticipated. On one occasion, I began the weekend recap with a small group of friends and this circle grew and grew, and as it did, my story grew also. However at the end, one girl asked rhetorically, “For real?” and I had to then admit it wasn’t all true. I can still hear the groans of disappointment as the crowd dispersed, and I learned from this that one should never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

How do you make the break from writing legal briefs or corporate notes to fiction? 

Good question. I very much enjoyed the writing elements of my professional career whether it was writing policies, briefings, procedures or content for a website. It was all about words and sentence construction and making it as clear as possible with the fewest words to ensure attention is maintained to the end. I guess, since that was my first discipline, there is an absence of adjectives and superlatives in my fiction, and I do have a ‘matter-of-fact’ writing style, or so I’m told.

What drew you to writing your three book children’s series?
I never had an intention to write children’s fiction. Dark, tragic, literary fiction tended to be my first love then chick-lit which is the complete opposite, perhaps for balance. However, my husband and I were on a sailing holiday and awake in the middle of the night looking up at the stars. He told me about a dream he had had about a glass table at the bottom of a river, and I thought it would make a great story, but a children’s story with fantasy elements. 

By the next morning I had written an outline, created a few characters and before I had even made a conscious decision to go down this path, a first draft was done. The story is left up-in-the air at the end of the first book, The Glass Table, but concludes in the sequel, Shards. At the end of Shards though, there is a suggestion that the children might not be completely free from the witch’s spell.

How many publishers did you send your novels to before choosing your current publisher?

I’m an independent author; I’ve published all four of my titles under my own imprint, Vivante Publishing.

The first book I wrote was Rain (literary fiction), which I started in 2005. In 2007, I started sending out numerous queries to agents in the USA and UK, mostly by mail as they generally did not receive email queries at that time. It was very time-consuming, and expensive, having to courier the first three chapters or manuscripts around the globe. 

A well-known agent in the UK requested a three-month exclusive with such enthusiasm that I stopped querying altogether. Several months later, she advised that due to the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), she didn’t think she would be able to sell it, but to revert to her in a year or so. I decided then that I would self-publish because I didn’t want to waste more time on the query process, and since children’s books were still doing well during the GFC, I released The Glass Table and Shards. These stories aren’t ‘personal’ to me like Rain is, so I figured it would be a great way to learn all about the self-publishing process.

Did you hire an editor before you sent out your manuscript or did you just self-edit?
I paid a considerable sum to an editor for Rain, and I thought she had done a pretty good job. In the meantime however, I continued to learn everything I could about the writing process, rules, techniques etc., and in doing so, came to realize her editing was lacking in many ways, for example, when I read the manuscript again having grasped Point-Of-View (POV) for myself, I discovered POV errors everywhere starting on the first page. I realized then that a writer cannot rely on someone else to pick up on their lack of knowledge or understanding of writing rules – you need to know it for yourself.

I had Rain edited by two more editors at other times in its life cycle, plus a manuscript evaluation. Through each of these stages, I learned more about the editing process and writing. I spent a lot of time looking at the changes the editor or evaluator made, checked the theory behind it and the validity of those changes, and made notes to ensure I would not make those mistakes again. 

I didn’t use an editor for my last title, Being Anti-Social.

Will you be writing other children’s stories or are you making a transition to adult novels with your latest book, Being Anti-Social?
I do tend to write whatever germinates and which story compels me. The three different genres I’ve written in so far: children’s, literary, and chic-lit/humor all reflect aspects of my personality. For example, there has been a lot of death in my family and I’ve learned a lot from it, so the dark, literary fiction will probably always be there albeit I find it very draining to write. This is why I followed Rain with Being Anti-Social, which was much easier and more enjoyable to write. I’m looking forward to getting back into The Glass Table series so I expect that will be next. I enjoy calling upon the child in me to write for children.

What has frustrated you the most in the publishing process? 
I found the querying process extremely frustrating, which is why I was happy to abandon it. As an independent author, there are few frustrations. The lack time to do everything I want to do to promote my books and write is probably paramount.

What have you found the most rewarding – outside of seeing your book in print? 
When lovely readers write to me, or post something on my Facebook wall, or post a review to say they enjoyed my books. These people, whether they realize it or not, make a difference. In life generally, people love to complain so when someone takes a moment to write with positive feedback, it is very much appreciated. 

Likewise, I look for opportunities to write to authors, businesses, bloggers, anyone, with something genuinely positive to say, and I never write reviews for books I didn’t enjoy – I have a minimum 3-star policy. I appreciate the time the author devoted to it in any event.

What surprised you the most about the publishing process? 

Independent publishing is incredibly easy and it can also be inexpensive, even free if you design your own cover (which I don’t recommend), and do your own interior design and eBook formatting. Whether you’re publishing an eBook or a print version, there are guides and templates available to help you. 

And as you upload your title through various sources whether it is CreateSpace, KDP, Pubit!, Smashwords, Lightning Source etc, you will see it appear in endless online stores around the globe. The distribution channels available to independent authors today are extraordinary and it’s all done for you. Just five years ago, this was a major negative for self-publishing – that’s no longer the case.

With your work, how do you find time to promote your books?

It’s very difficult. There’s so much you can do to promote your books, but it all takes time. I maintain an excel spreadsheet, “Marketing/PR”, with various strategies listed, and as I discover new services, I add these to the sheet. I then allocate each strategy into months, and within each month I prioritize. Then on a daily basis, I select three strategies to implement. My biggest problem is that I usually underestimate how much time each will take, so on weekends I try to play catch-up on what was not done during the week. I keep reminding myself though, that weekends are precious time with my husband, so if a task is carried over until the next week, so be it, but this is good advice I often don’t follow. J

I understand you are the Executive Director of the Association of Independent Authors (AiA). What have you learned from this organization in either helping you with your writing or marketing? 

A lot of the strategies in my Marketing/PR spreadsheet mentioned above come from articles posted in the forums at the AiA. There is always something new and exciting you can do to promote your books, and I enjoy reading about other people’s experiences and recommendations. 

The AiA also recently released a compilation eBook, which features 80+ articles from experts in marketing plus some lessons learned from authors. It has a diverse mixture of articles and professionals and I’ve picked up a few new tips from it. As an independent author, you’re also a small businessperson, so you need to be always thinking about the business side of writing. For me, that’s a side I naturally enjoy, but it’s not a natural fit for most writers.

Similarly, there is a great forum: Technical Aspects of Writing, Rules & Tips that has a lot of valuable information to help improve your writing.

I see you won a “Mom’s Choice Award,” are a winner in the Literary Fiction category, 2011 Indie Excellence Awards and a Silver medalist, 2011 Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY) for Regional Fiction. Tell me what winning these awards means to you?

It means a great deal, and I encourage all authors to enter award programs. An award is validation that you’re doing OK as a writer, and that’s important because most writers I know are filled with self-disbelief. We never think we’re good enough, and never will be, and there are plenty of people out there ready to tell you that as well. So whenever you are in doubt, you can look at your awards and believe you are doing something right.

PS... Being Anti-Social has just been named a Finalist at the 2012 Readers Favorite awards in two categories: Chick-lit and Humor (winners announced September 2012)

What is the best advice you could give other aspiring authors from your experience?
Firstly, to those still in pursuit of a traditional publishing contract, stop at some stage and really ask yourself why, and if all you come up with is an outdated notion of self-publishing, then re-evaluate. The process is subjective and it’s endless; you can devote years of your life to it, and end up nowhere. 

For independent authors, there is a natural tendency when you release a book to try and do everything possible to promote it. Don’t – you’ll drive yourself to distraction. It’s not a sprint; it’s a marathon, so pace yourself, and accept that it all takes time, effort and commitment. Build the momentum with a twelve-month plan.

Also, for independent authors, if you’ve joined KDP Select (Kindle exclusive program), you’ll have an opportunity to offer your book for free for five days every three months. I advise against this as many authors see a direct correlation between free days and 1-star reviews. People who download a book for free often do not take the time to read the product description or search inside, and as a result, they download books they are never going to enjoy, and reciprocate with a 1-star review. 

For all authors, understand, appreciate and expect that not everyone will love your work, and some people will even take great delight in trying to chop you down to smaller version of yourself. Don’t let them under your skin or into your thoughts. Absorb genuine criticism, improve your writing and get on with it for as long as you enjoy it.

Great insights! I hope you found some good nuggets for help in your own writing. 

If you'd like to learn more about Leigh and her writing, click on her website

For more on  theAssociation of Independent Authors  click here 

Being Anti-Social - link to a sample read   

Want to learn more on self-publishing?  Here's an AiA compilation eBook

Interview with Steven Lightfoot, author of The Mikveh Scrolls series

The title of your book, The Mikveh Scrolls caught my attention after I read the blurb about it. What drew you to writing this story?

I have always had an interest in archaeology and have vivid memories of digs for pottery in Central and South America and photos of myself sitting atop an obelisk at Stonehenge.

The original manuscript of The Mikveh Scrolls centered around the Geoffrey Proudman character. Proudman, for me, was a catharsis, and is the character I created as a vessel in which to pour my demons from the war. My return from the Gulf War brought with it a severe case of PTSD, and I needed a way to express certain experiences and yet remain detached from them. As a result, Proudman’s flashbacks to his days as a combat Marine are woven into the fabric of the story.

Is the storyline drawn from any part of your own life?

The storyline evolved as my own spiritual journey brought me to a place of healing and I recognized that my survival had a purpose. The Mikveh Scrolls series became an expression of my desire to know Christ and to make Him known. There is a compelling need in the world today for people of faith to step outside their comfort zones and to engage those who have not yet discovered God’s grace and mercy. I cannot help but feel that there is an urgency to reach as many souls as possible before Christ’s inevitable and imminent return.

While it is certainly true that no one knows the time of Christ’s return, it is prudent for us to be ready for that joyous event now… right now. It is in that spirit that I wrote The Mikveh Scrolls and The Yeshua Sanction. It is my deepest desire that those in the community of faith would use these simple books as tools to engage seekers, those who need a relationship with the Lord, but who, for one reason or another are not inclined to immediately go right to the source of God’s word: The Bible.

What do you hope readers will learn in reading your book?

 If my work inspires even one soul to delve deeper; to investigate the source material; to find the scriptures and truths contained within my work and trace them back to their origin; then, I will consider the time and effort well worth the investment.

How long did it take you to write this book? How many rewrites did you do prior to sending it out to publishers? The Mikveh Scrolls series is written as a trilogy. Book One, The Mikveh Scrolls, evolved over several years after I returned from the war. After numerous rewrites, it was finally ready for release in late 2010.

Book Two, The Yeshua Sanction, was written and released 12 months later. The characters seemed to develop a life of their own while I wrote Book One, so Book Two flowed naturally out of me the following year…as if the characters dictated their sequel. Book Three, God willing, will release later this year. I’m still in the brainstorming process for a title.

Did you self-edit or hire someone else?

After many rounds of self-editing, I engaged a professional editor to review and proof before submitting to any publishing houses. In my mind, it is always better to have a trained, unbiased eye review before submission.

Once you wrote the book how did you go about looking for a publisher and or agent?

I didn’t spend too much effort looking for an agent at first. My efforts were centered on publishing houses specializing in Christian fiction. After several months of rejection letters, I refocused on literary agencies and finally found representation. It was a long, arduous process and I can hold my head high and say that I have been turned down by some of the finest publishers in the country.  

Was the second book easier or harder to write?

Simon Cross, Geoffrey Proudman and the other characters have depth, in my opinion. As the characters developed in the original manuscript, I knew that there was no way that I would be satisfied after typing the last word of The Mikveh Scrolls. The momentum these characters built in Book One carried them into Book Two easily; however, Book Two is much darker than the first in content and imagery. The result is characters that are multi-dimensional and adaptive to the darker storyline.

What has frustrated you the most in the publishing process? 

I don’t know that I was ever frustrated during the publishing process. Publishing, like writing, is a journey. For The Mikveh Scrolls series the journey is about healing and ministry. All along the road, from conception, through writing, through publishing, through marketing and distribution, lives have been touched by the message contained within the pages. I simply can’t find frustration in that.

What surprised you the most about the publishing process? 

Not sure that “surprised” is the operative word. Nothing about the creative process, or the mechanics of producing and distributing the results of that process, surprises me. I did experience a realization, however. No matter how important my content and message was to me, no matter what my desired lofty outcome was… to the people involved in the project from a strictly business perspective, my books were simply opportunities to create revenue.

In short, even if your book contains the ultimate in life-changing content, there are some people essential to the processes that don’t have any emotional or spiritual connection to your work. So don’t lose your business sense and keep your wits about you when negotiating with editors, publishers and the like.

What has been the most productive promotion that you’ve had with marketing your book?

My personal marketing efforts for my books revolve around social media and radio and television interviews. I also find that giveaways on Goodreads and other venues generally boost awareness and, of course, sales. I think it is important to point out that, sales, from my perspective, is an indicator of lives touched and the potential for souls saved. The majority of proceeds from the sales of my books have gone to charity, most recently a non-profit clinic ministry providing healthcare to low-income, uninsured families in Texas.

Who are your favorite novelists?

My wife, Angela, and I just spent the most incredible week in New England. We visited the Custom House in Salem where Hawthorne conceived The Scarlet Letter. We walked through The House of Seven Gables, which inspired his book of the same name. We traveled to Concord and walked up Authors’ Ridge in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, paying respects to Hawthorne, Thoreau, Emerson and Alcott. And we stood on the shore of Thoreau's Walden Pond, watching the rain ripple the glassy surface. So much history and inspiration in New England… A writer's paradise, really.

Writing seminars are always telling us about building a marketing platform. What have you learned from using social media sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and others?

Never under-estimate the power of word of mouth to get your book noticed. The exposure my books get as a result of a small Facebook fan page following grows exponentially every time someone “likes” the page. There is real marketing value in that. Of course, you have to interact regularly with your site and your blog to keep people talking.

What is the best advice you’ve received on writing? Or what is the best advice you could give other aspiring authors from your experience?

My advice to writers is to pour yourself into your characters. Use your own trials and tribulations to bring your characters to life. Use your triumphs, your joyous victories to make your characters soar. Observe your world and capture it with words. You can’t write about life if you haven’t experienced it. So put down your pen, close your laptop every now and then and get out into the world and experience the gifts God has for you.

That's all for today's interview. I hope it has encouraged you to look into his writing. 

If you would like to buy his book click here. 

If you would like to go to his website, here's the link 

Or you can go to his page on facebook

Twitter: @MikvehScrolls

Help for Hypocrondriacs from the author of The Happy Hypocrondriac

Yes, you can be a hypochondriac and still be happy is what I learned from my interview with author, Kat Spitzer. Her blog headline tells what she is all about... The often humorous tales of a woman trying to lead a normal life while constantly worried about chronic illness.

We all have times when we're a bit frenetic or crazy and she tells us how she deals with it. Please read on to learn more about this author and her take on life and writing.

I love the title of your book, The Happy Hypochondriac. What drew you to writing this story? How much of it is autobiographical?
I've always been a hypochondriac. The book starts when I had my first memorable moment as a hypochondriac, during a dance recital at the age of nine! The stories in the book all come from my life.

What I wanted to do with the book is show that with a positive outlook and a sense of humor, it's possible to live a great life. So many of the situations I have encountered have been scary but so many of them have been ridiculous, weird and insane. It's impossible NOT to find humor in them! My husband actually suggested I write the book to "make lemonade out my lemon" of worry.

Once you wrote the book how did you go about looking for a publisher and or agent?
When you write a book and start looking for agents and publishers, you come across statistics such as 99% of writers won't find one! It's easy to get frustrated and you have to have a thick skin for rejection. But it just takes one hit! The key is to look for an agent and/or publisher who connects with the kind of work you write.

How did you become involved with Apprentice House?
Like I did with other agents and publishers, I sent them a query letter. They asked for the manuscript and said they would get back to me by January. January passed and I didn't hear from them. So, I got ready to check them off in my spreadsheet (have to be organized!).

My husband and I were home one evening, sitting on the couch. He was convalescing after a surgery and I was scrolling through messages on my phone. I saw one from Apprentice House that started with "We apologize for not getting back to you..." I almost deleted it, thinking it was a rejection. But hold on! They were recommending my book for publication. I made my husband read it 8 times to make sure I was reading it correctly. Very exciting! (My husband didn't appreciate that I was hitting him excitedly in the side as I read it, right on his bandage)

What has frustrated you the most in the publishing process?
It takes a lot of patience. Once you write the book, you have to spend the same amount of time, practically, editing it. Then it can take quite a while to find a publisher. Once I signed the contract with my publisher, more editing, and it was a year until I held it in my hand. I'm not great with patience all the time. But it was completely worth it.

What have you found the most rewarding – outside of seeing your book in print?
The response to the book has been the most rewarding. People tell me how much they've laughed and cried and also how it has made them feel better about their own worries. Everyone can relate to it on some level. 

What surprised you the most about the publishing process?
I've written for magazines and online sources for a while, but book publishing surprised me because I just didn't realize how much work went into it for both the writer and the publisher. Between, writing, designing, editing, marketing, etc, it's a complex creative process.

With your work, how do you find time to promote your books?
It's pretty time consuming, to be sure. I try to do as much social media promotion as possible any time I can squeeze it in. It's always on my mind, so any time I can find time to work it into the schedule I do it. It's important to me to help readers find my book.

What has been the most productive promotion that you’ve had with marketing your book?
I find it all productive at various levels. I enjoy being in front of people and speaking and have found this to be a wonderful opportunity to engage with readers. Community groups, writer groups, book clubs...these are all great! Social media is a powerful promotion tool and completely necessary. It is how so many people discover things.

How do you make the commitment to write daily?
I have a daily blog (see below) that I've been writing for almost 3 years now. I realize that writing every day makes me a better writer and keeps me sharp. It helps me with my voice and my tone. It's important to do, so I just do it!

Writing seminars are always telling us about building a marketing platform. What have you learned from using social media sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and others
I've learned that it takes a lot of time, but it's essential. You can reach people faster who might not have found you otherwise. That is key. 

What is the best advice you’ve received on writing? Or what is the best advice you could give other aspiring authors from your experience?
Enjoy writing, and be proud of yourself for all the writing you do. Enjoy the successes, but learn from the times when you feel you aren't getting anywhere. You will always get better and closer to success if you keep at it. 

I understand you are already working on your next book: The Happy Hypochondriac: Surviving World Travel. Where are you in the process? Any plans for other books?
Yes, I am currently writing the second book and having a blast doing it. It's coming along well. I don't have a date when it will come out, yet, as the publisher hasn't given me that information. I definitely have plans for more books. I love writing and hope to keep doing it forever! 

If you would like to know more about Kat Spitzer, here's some helpful links to do just that... 

to buy her book click here. 

To follow her blog.  

Follow her on twitter at: @katspitzer

A Time to Celebrate - Real Heroes

This is my one day delayed post for my monthly input for the Christian Writer's blog chain. Every month we start a new topic and each of our writer's do their take on the same topic. Our topic this month is "celebrate." Today being July 4th is an easy day to find something to celebrate - the founding of our nation. But in today's world of instant gratification, how often do people stop and think what real sacrifices were made by our early patriots? Unlike the protestors of today who are armed with smart phones, professionally produced signs and matching t-shirts who complain about not getting enough government freebies, our forefathers had real grievances. But they weren't acting up for the press; they were willing to stake their life on their beliefs.

I wonder today how many people are willing to die for their beliefs and what they hold dear? Our military certainly believe that there are beliefs worth dying for. Many people are rabid sports fans and won't miss a game and proudly display their team’s colors; but are their favorite athletes worthy of hero worship? 

Yet there are many people who are willing to put their life on the line daily - they are missionaries. These people are willing to leave their comfortable lives at home and go to help others around the world.  They are willing to go without the things we think we can't do without. Here are some notes from family members who are missionaries... 

Health here: Malaria, Measles...and now Cholera. The peds ward is overflowing with sick children. Pray for perseverance for the doctors and the local staff. Pray for the government payments to come through in a timely fashion. Pray for these vulnerable children to live. 

The Road: In the coming weeks, construction workers will dig up our water pipes and relocate them, even if they "find" the pipes damaged. The town has outgrown the current water system. The local government does not have a good plan in place. Pray for the water engineer as he works alongside the local leaders, for the community as it will be without good water (including us!), and for the local government to step up and provide what is needed for the community to receive water.

Here we complain when we have to wait on line for a latte or when a TV show is cancelled. We think it’s our right to have the latest technology and think it’s a hardship when we don’t. We complain when our internet speed isn’t fast enough. Yet others around the world would think we were living like kings.

So today I want to celebrate the real heroes in our world – those who serve selflessly in our military so that others may have freedom. And those who serve others so that they might have the freedom of a relationship with Christ that surpasses mere human understanding.

I invite you to follow along with the posts from the other bloggers on this chain as they post their thoughts on celebrating by clicking on the links to the right of this post.

Interview with C. Martin Stepp, author of Walking Backwards

The title of your book, Walking Backwards caught my attention. What do you think readers should expect from your book based on that title?
"Walking Backwards" is not just the title of the novel, it is a theme that repeats itself in various ways throughout the story.  Some of these are fairly obvious while others may require a little thought. 

What drew you to writing this story? 

I wanted to write a detective story that was different from any I have read or seen in movies.  In the end, the "mystery" that Hitchcock Brown is hired to solve is not the main storyline.  The book takes a clear focus on how he goes about getting there. 

Is the storyline drawn from any part of your own life or friendships?
As an author, I think it is hard to not draw upon personal experience, even though this book is purely fiction.  For example, the story takes place in and around the city of Cincinnati in Ohio where I grew up. 

What were your writing credits prior to writing this book?
At one time I wrote a column and music reviews for a local entertainment newspaper. 

Are there any other genres you would consider writing in?
Other genres I may tackle in the future might include science fiction and mystery/thriller.

Writing humor is supposedly one of the hardest forms of writing to do successfully. Since the book is considered “humorous fiction” how has that humor worked when others have read your book? Do they get your type of humor? Do they find things humorous that you didn’t write with that expectation?
I think of humor as being somewhat organic.  It is hard to force something to be funny, but I find humor in everyday, ordinary experiences.  Some readers might find that some of the humorous aspects of this story may not seem funny at first.  Some readers have told me they had to re-read sections to get the joke!

How long did it take you to write this book? How many rewrites did you do prior to sending it out to publishers? Did you self-edit or hire someone else?
I spent about two months writing the story.  I spent several months after that re- writing and editing.  I did my own editing.  "Walking Backwards" is not a particularly long book.

To wet your interest, here's a short blurb from the novel...

I listened intently, or at least tried to put an expression on my face that would make it appear to my client that I was listening intently. When he finished speaking I waited for a moment to see if he was going to elaborate on what “much worse” was. A few seconds passed and I realized he had finished and now expected a response. I complied: “I don’t have enough information to completely rule out a ‘fling’ as you called it, but I have worked on countless domestic cases that did involve infidelity. This case does not seem to exhibit the usual elements of an extra- marital affair.” Marx was sitting there looking at me like he was only half listening so I said: “I can keep working on your case if you like. It’s your money.”

That statement had the desired effect. Mr. Marx quickly rejoined me in the here and now. He obviously understood that he needed to make a decision. 

If you'd like to buy the book, here's a link to do just that, click here