I love middle-grade fiction because, as an author, I can really do anything (within reason for the age group, of course.) For instance, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory simply wouldn't work if the finders of the golden tickets were grown-ups. In my favorite book, The Phantom Tollbooth, the story's hero, Milo, is magically whisked away to an enchanted land of words and numbers. This story only works because Milo is a kid.
How did you come up with your lead charact, Pudge Amazon's name
When my kids were younger, and it was time for bed, I would say, "Time to get ready for bed. Get your pajamas on. Puh-jamaz-on. Pudge Amazon. Hey, that would be a great name for a character!" That name stayed in my head for years until I was ready to write the book. Pudge Amazon just happens to be an 11-year-old in fifth grade, which means his adventures had to be written for the middle-grade reader.
How do you get in the mindset for that age group?
My youngest child has given me story ideas and helped shape plot points. They were an early reader of my first Pudge novel, but have since grown out of the middle-grade reading level. I suppose I'll need to find a new 8 to 11-year-old coach.
When my kids were younger, and it was time for bed, I would say, "Time to get ready for bed. Get your pajamas on. Puh-jamaz-on. Pudge Amazon. Hey, that would be a great name for a character!" That name stayed in my head for years until I was ready to write the book. Pudge Amazon just happens to be an 11-year-old in fifth grade, which means his adventures had to be written for the middle-grade reader.
How do you get in the mindset for that age group?
My youngest child has given me story ideas and helped shape plot points. They were an early reader of my first Pudge novel, but have since grown out of the middle-grade reading level. I suppose I'll need to find a new 8 to 11-year-old coach.
Author David Farland says that middle-grade stories must have the following five elements: wonder, humor, horror, adventure, and mystery. The Goosebumps and Harry Potter books have been so successful because they perfectly blend these elements. I have not yet found that perfect formula, but keeping these elements in mind helps me include settings and characters that readers will enjoy and helps me weed out things that don't meet those five criteria.
Is Pudge your alter ego?
Yes, Pudge Amazon is my alter-ego. Pudge is spontaneous, adventurous, and loud. He dives in without first checking for rocks. I am introverted and cautious. The only thing we share is our sense of humor.
You are an indie author. Other than writing, what other parts of the process do you personally do? What do you hire others to do?
I've learned how to do interior formatting using Adobe InDesign. Although the software has a steep learning curve, I do love the flexibility that InDesign offers, and I'm satisfied with the final product. There are other book formatting softwares on the market, and I may try them in the future. However, for the Pudge Amazon books, since I want the interior formatting to be consistent across all the books in the series, I'll be sticking with InDesign.
Yes, Pudge Amazon is my alter-ego. Pudge is spontaneous, adventurous, and loud. He dives in without first checking for rocks. I am introverted and cautious. The only thing we share is our sense of humor.
I've learned how to do interior formatting using Adobe InDesign. Although the software has a steep learning curve, I do love the flexibility that InDesign offers, and I'm satisfied with the final product. There are other book formatting softwares on the market, and I may try them in the future. However, for the Pudge Amazon books, since I want the interior formatting to be consistent across all the books in the series, I'll be sticking with InDesign.
I've also designed my own "sell sheet" for each book - a one-page info sheet with the book's cover, blurb, ISBN, page count, etc. that I use to pitch to schools for author visits.
I do hire out the editing and cover design. I do a considerable amount of self-editing, and I am a member of two writing critique groups that help tremendously with story development. However, I wouldn't dream of releasing the Pudge stories out to the world without the guiding hand and critical eye of my professional editor.
I may be an artist with words, but I am by no means an artist with brush and pen. I was lucky to find cover artist and designer Nathalie Kranich to bring Pudge and his friends to life on the book covers.
What do you know now about publishing you wished you had known sooner?
I do wish I had created more pre-publication buzz before I hit the publish button. I did a few things to generate interest and excitement: a website, a newsletter, and a launch party. My first novel, Pudge Amazon and the Ugly Ostrich, didn't launch to crickets - I had a few buyers - but I could have done more to generate a larger following beforehand. Now that I have three books published - a series - my focus over the next few months will be marketing my books.
It's not writing advice, per se, but the best advice I have received is from author Seth Godin in his book Linchpin: "If you want to produce things on time and on budget,...work until you run out of time or run out of money. Then ship."
"Ship" for an author means "publish." My books will never be perfect. I can self-edit, proofread, and agonize whether or not the story is "good enough." Instead, I set a publication date, work as hard as I can on the book until that date, then publish it and move on to the next book.
Are there any other points about writing you would like to add?
Perhaps the second-best writing advice I've received is from author Jeff Gerke, who says that the number-one objective of a novelist is to get readers to keep turning pages. There are myriad writing craft "rules." Yes, I strive to continually improve my writing craft. But even if I follow all the "rules" of grammar, syntax, and plot structure, if I don't have a compelling story with interesting characters that keeps you reading for "just one more chapter," then all those rules are meaningless.
What is the next book coming out? Can you give me a short synopsis?
I have three more stories planned in the Pudge Amazon series. The next book is titled Pudge Amazon and the Caribbean Cruise Caper, which may still be a year away from publication.
Pudge's mother wins a Caribbean cruise in a contest. Pudge is enjoying the pool and buffet until his grandmother's priceless diamond necklace is stolen. With the help of two new friends he meets on the ship, Pudge embarks on wild misadventures in search of the necklace before the ship returns to port.
That's all for today's interview. Thank you for all your great insights on writing and publishing. Hope you will check out his website and Amazon page to discover all of his books.
Website: https://www.johnkrausebooks.com/
Amazon sales page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/John-Krause/author/B0CDLML7HH
And here's a bonus tip for my readers... Sign up for his newsletter on his website and get a FREE eBook story, Pudge Amazon and the Lost Lunch
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