Interview with Sophie Jupillat Posey, Author of The Four Suitors

Hello,

We have a second interview today. It is with Sophie Jupillat Posey, author of The Four Suitors.

Please see it below.

Best,

-Vincent Lowry

 

Interview:

1) What is your author name and in what state do you live (or country if not in the US)?

I am Sophie Jupillat Posey and I live in Florida.

2) What is the title of your newest book and what is the genre?

The Four Suitors. It’s a medieval mystery/romance fantasy for young adults.

3) What is the book about?

It’s about a spoiled brat of a princess who gets roped into being courted by 4 suitors chosen by her parents. She must do so, or she won’t get the crown. There’s an artist, astronomer, philosopher and necromancer. She balks against their teachings. But as she does so, she finds that her kingdom is falling apart. Has been falling apart for a while and it’s accelerating. The newest debacle is the increase of deaths in the peasantry. She needs all of her suitors’ help to uncover who is behind the rising deaths of her citizens.

4) Where did you come up with the idea?

I came up with the idea after talking with my husband about my adopted mother; who always bragged about how many boyfriends she had when she was younger. Four at a given time to be precise. Suddenly an image of a spoiled princess with 4 suitors came to my mind. From there, I knew I wanted to craft a mystery and a way for the character to redeem herself gradually. The rest filled itself in as I wrote.

5) How long did it take you to write it?

It took 2 years to write and 1 additional year to re-edit.

6) Did you learn anything from the project?

This story started as a novella. I was satisfied with it, but felt I could add more. Several months later I did add more and made it a full novel. I learned that writing novels is hard but thrilling; I’d only ever written novellas and short stories up to that point. And that editing is just as important as getting the story down.

7) Do you have an author website and/or blog? How about a book video?

My author website is: www.sophiejupillatposeywriter.wordpress.com The book video is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1WajrW4IEk

8) Do you have any success tips to pass on to fellow authors? How about any great editors/cover artists?

Success tips: my most important tip would to never give up; it’s cliché but it’s true. There will be plenty of inner and outer obstacles you face as a  writer. There are many excuses to give up writing. But it is much more fulfilling to plod on and finish that book. And also to let a project sit for as long as it needs. Too many people are so impatient to publish they skip crucial steps. Time is important, because you can better see errors whether they are grammar ones, or plot holes.

I was fortunate to have my work edited by David Curran, a friend of mine and former journalist. His eagle eyes spotted more than one error others and myself had missed. IndieDesignz made my cover art and I love it. She is my go-to designer.

9) What genres do you like to read? Are you open to reading new authors and reviewing their work?

I enjoy reading science fiction, fantasy, mystery, thriller, and paranormal works for young adults or adults.I also sometimes enjoy horror, if it’s more cerebral. Not a fan of gore. I enjoy poetry too but am very picky about which kind. I am open to reading new authors when I have time. I am currently a part-time student, a full-time teacher, a composer and a writer. It’s not something I can do on a regular basis but I’d be willing to do it every so often.

10) What is your favorite book of all time and why?

That’s a really hard question: I have so many. I would say my favorite is Ivanhoe. It made me fall in love with medieval era stories from a very young age. The romance, the adventure, the disenfranchised main character, the strength of the women in the novel, the style… It was all stuff I hoped to one day be able to write, in my own way.

11) Fun Question: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind?

Currently none. But growing up, my family had 5 cats, 1 dog, 2 turtles and 1 bird. Later on we had 2 ferrets, 2 rabbits and we even fostered 5 raccoons.

12) Fun Question 2: Do you own an electronic reading device? If so, what kind and how do you like it?

Nope. I borrow my husband’s if he gets a digital story. I’m more of a hardcopy girl. 

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Interview with Mansu Edwards, Co-Author of Plush Couches

Hello,

Today’s interview is with Mansu Edwards, Co-Author of Plush Couches.

Please see it below.

Best,

-Vincent Lowry

 

Interview:

1) What is your author name and in what state do you live (or country if not in the US)?     Mansu Edwards. I live in New York. 2) What is the title of your newest book and what is the genre?     The title is ‘Plush Couches’. It’s experimental fiction. 3) What is the book about? The book is about a man named Rio Akuba who has an unsettling case of gas on his way to a         a job interview. He lands the job and discovers a sexually illicit environment. 4) Where did you come up with the idea? I can’t recall. It was either inside the library or coffee shop. 5) How long did it take you to write it? It took six months to a year. 6) Did you learn anything from the project? I learned that a story idea and title can twist and Ou turn after it’s completed. It can enhance the reader’s experience and teaches the importance of trusting your gut/intuition. 7) Do you have an author website and/or blog? How about a book video? At the moment, I don’t have a website/blog or a book video. But, readers can find me on Instagram: mansuedwards, Facebook: www.facebook.com/mansu.edwards and Twitter: www.twitter.com/Ohassa. Right now, I’m undergoing changes so the best way to reach me is clevermouthpiece@gmail.com 8) Do you have any success tips to pass on to fellow authors? How about any great editors/cover artists? My success tips are: 1. Have fun 2. Eat healthy 3. Exercise 4. Read different genres 5. Always strive to be better 6. Get sufficient rest (if you can) 7. Eliminate unnecessary stresses from your life. 8. Write consistently 9. Study your craft 10. Maintain your confidence through your belief in God. 11. Experiment 12. Surround yourself with positive people.  I would recommend cover artists: Ogunlade Tobi Samuel and bdboss. I found them on Fiverr. I forget Mr. Samuels moniker. You can Google him. 9) What genres do you like to read? Are you open to reading new authors and reviewing their work? I like fiction, autobiographies and biographies. Yes, I’m open to reading new authors. I like a compelling and engaging story. I wouldn’t mind reviewing their work. It depends on my workload. Sometimes it can get crazy. Feel free to reach out. Everyone needs help. Again my email is clevermouthpiece@gmail.com. 10) What is your favorite book of all time and why?  I don’t have a favorite book of all time. I like Nathan McCall’s “Makes Me Wanna Holler”. It shows how a black man was able to persist through obstacles and hardships to become successful. 11) Fun Question: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind?  No pets. 12) Fun Question 2: Do you own an electronic reading device? If so, what kind and how do you like it? I use a Ipad. It’s cool. I can surf the net and read Ebooks.

*As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Interview with L.D. Wosar, Author of the Kit Weston Chronicles

Hello,

Today’s interview is with L.D. Wosar, author of the Kit Weston Chronicles.

Please see below.

Best,

-Vincent Lowry

 

Interview:

1) What is your author name and in what state do you live (or country if not in the US)?

     L. D. Wosar and I live in Nevada

2) What is the title of your newest book and what is the genre?

    I have a series out – the Kit Weston Chronicles.  Crooked Halo and the Badge: Volume I;  Wight Angel:  Volume II;  Frayed Wings: Volume III.  They are in the Western genre

3) What is the book about?

    The series is about a nearly condemned outlaw girl whose life changed after given the ultimatum of getting hanged or getting married.  Obviously, she chose the latter or there would not have been a series of three books.  However, there is a woman, Sophie Wilson,  who has a prophecy of getting rid of the Mueller family who brought her family down and Kit must stop Sophie before she makes her prophecy come true.

4) Where did you come up with the idea?

    I had come up with the idea years ago to write a Western, taking place in Tehachapi, California – a place that still lives in my heart.  I toyed with so many ideas and finally, this one just fell into place due to the inspiration of family members and my granddaughter gave me the inspiration for the villain, which thank goodness, the real Sophie is the polar opposite of the woman I wrote. 

5) How long did it take you to write it?

    It was a few years in the making, but in all honesty, it took me at least 2 months to write it once the story came to fruition.  I know authors spend years writing a single book, but this one just happened naturally and I was obsessed with getting the story written.  

6) Did you learn anything from the project?

    What I did learn was my brand, I write Western Action novels.   I learned I am terrible at writing romance, for I flourish at writing action and conflict.  I also learned I will never write hardcore sex novels because those are the worst written chapters in these books.  Most importantly, I learned to become a master at self-editing, although a few snafus had fallen through the cracks here and there. 

7) Do you have an author website and/or blog? How about a book video?

    I do have a site:  http://www.crookedwightwings.com   

    I have been toying with the idea of making a videocast, I just do not have the know-how to do it or the equipment.  There is a podcast that I post in the Facebook group called KitCast.  

    May, I also mention that Crooked Halo and the Badge is available on audiobook.  Wight Angel is close to going live and my superstar narrator, Justin Mills, is recording Frayed Wings at present moment.  

8) Do you have any success tips to pass on to fellow authors? How about any great editors/cover artists?

    Writing is the easy part of the process, but to be successful – make sure you have a perfectly formatted book and edit with a fine-tooth comb.  I don’t have a billion dollars to pay for editing and publishing, so it’s been done on my own.   Also, give the readers what they want and don’t leave them hanging.  I learned on ‘Wight Angel’ that a cliff-hanger ending wasn’t as successful as I thought it would be.  

    For editors, I have no idea; honestly, I have yet to work with one.  But cover artists, I did my own covers.  Make a cover that pops and that people will notice first thing.  A book cover is kind of like food – presentation is everything.  

9) What genres do you like to read? Are you open to reading new authors and reviewing their work?

    I typically love Mystery and Suspense – mostly James Patterson, who has always been an inspiration to me.   Of course, I am open to reading new authors and reviewing their work. 

10) What is your favorite book of all time and why?

    I would really have to say Cross Country by James Patterson.  This book had the intensity and the brutality, so well written – of course, it is by the master himself. 

11) Fun Question: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind?

    I have 1 pup – an amazingly calm, lazy, funny and super smart American Pit Bull Terrier named Kane after Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks.  

12) Fun Question 2: Do you own an electronic reading device? If so, what kind and how do you like it?

    I use my iPad as my electronic reading device – utilizing Kindle, of course. 

*As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Interview with Heather Hale, Author of How to Work the Film and TV Markets

Hello,

Today’s interview is with Heather Hale, author of How to Work the Film & TV Markets.

Please see the interview below.

Thanks,

-Vincent Lowry

Interview:

1) What is your author name Heather Hale and in what state do you live (or country if not in the US)? Currently Tucson, Arizona (Native Californian, 20+ years in LA, lived in Kobe, Japan; might be moving to Savannah, GA in the next month or so). 2) What is the title of your newest book and what is the genre? Newest: Story Telling: How to Develop, Market and Pitch Your Film & TV Projects https://heatherhale.com/storyselling Previous: How to Work the Film & TV Markets: A Guide for Content Creators https://heatherhale.com/how-to-work-the-film-and-tv-markets 3) What is the book about? Story Selling: How to Develop, Market, and Pitch Your Film & TV Projects Among the great challenges for modern media-makers is getting someone to ready your script, watch your film, or glance at your TV format. But how do you get them to close a deal? Veteran and aspiring creators will find answers in Story Selling. Whatever you’re pitching, the principles are universal. It’s the strategies and assets employed that vary widely. Story Selling details them all, their construction and applications, in ways that will improve your visibility and success. How to Work the Film and TV Markets: A Guide for Content Creators is a guidebook that provides a “Big Picture” orientation and overview of the converging industries of film, television and Internet video. Part compendium, it offers concise but detailed information on the most important media markets and key ancillary events. Part dossier, it surveys all the usual players found on all these market floors. Part “How To” Manual, it explains not only the traditional rules of the game but includes clever “Do It Yourself” strategies if you opt to avoid these scenes altogether (or better synchronize all your marketing and distribution efforts). 4) Where did you come up with the idea? How to Work the Markets: In 2013, I was coordinating all the speakers for the American Film Market as the Independent Film and Television Alliance’s Industry Liaison. The Acquisitions Editor for Focal Press/Routledge asked me to help her source prospective subject matter experts from our many panelists and presenters who I thought might make great authors on their respective topics. After helping ensure the publisher’s inventory would be as current, relevant and cutting-edge as possible from the resources we had to offer, Emily asked if I saw any remaining holes in their market-focused line-up. I answered without hesitation: “There’s never been a book on How to Work the Markets — and this book was born. As screenwriters, we’re often advised to “write the movie you want to see.” As an independent filmmaker and content creator, this was the book I needed to read. Last year. A decade ago. When I started my career. Now. Since it so perfectly aligned with the publisher’s mission “to make a significant difference in the careers of independent producers by educating and informing them about the business behind the film industry”: it was a “no brainer” win-win. I put on my journalist’s research cap and interviewed hundreds of entertainment industry professionals across the vast spectrum of our media business from all around the world. I relished the opportunity to ask the tough questions I really wanted to hear the truth on, from veterans who could put those answers into context. More importantly, I dared to ask the naïve questions most of us are too embarrassed to ask because they reveal the holes in our Swiss-cheese knowledge of this business that we all inevitably acquire haphazardly, in rushed bits and bytes, on the fly or on-set—often through the mistakes of others. Story Selling was basically everything I couldn’t cram into the first book! While the first book taught you how to work the actual selling circuit (the lay of the land, who the players are, clever approach strategies, etc. – the 10,000’ bird’s eye view), Story Selling honed in a project-specific deliverables – all the marketing materials you should have to sell – anywhere. 5) How long did it take you to write it? How to Work the Film & TV Markets took about a year to write – maybe two – then another year through the publishing process. The second book took about six months to write – and about six months through the publishing process. 6) Did you learn anything from the project? So much! The first book was more about interviewing experts and synthesizing their insights, integrated with my own first-hand experiences while the second book was far more about applying what I – and hundreds of my friends – struggle with in terms of developing, pitching and marketing Film & TV projects – and books. 7) Do you have an author website and/or blog? How about a book video? https://heatherhale.com/books https://heatherhale.com/bio 8) Do you have any success tips to pass on to fellow authors? How about any great editors/cover artists? I’m a great editor! 😉 I love Dog & Pony Creative for book covers and key art: https://www.dogandponycreative.com/portfolio/how-to-work-the-film-tv-markets They won the 22nd Annual Communicator Awards – Print & Design – Award of Distinction – with my/our book cover! 9) What genres do you like to read? Are you open to reading new authors and reviewing their work? I read everything! I love non-fiction (Michael Lewis, Malcolm Gladwell), biographies, autobiographies, memoirs – especially comedic (a la David Sedaris). I love novels, especially thrillers (Trevanian), Magical Realism, children’s storybooks, satires, books on watercolor painting, sketching, and, of course, screenwriting, filmmaking, storytelling, the creative process, etc. I read professionally for a living – as a consultant: https://heatherhale.com/consultant 10) What is your favorite book of all time and why? Oh wow… probably Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. I love her Russian expat zest for original American ideals, her strong powerful role models – and the themes of all her books. I also loved: The Fountainhead, Shibumi, The Sparrow, The Honey Badger – I could go on and on! 11) Fun Question: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind? Yes! I have 2.5 cats 😉 The cats were all wild, feral rescues and one isn’t officially ours yet, though he seems to have adopted us. That’s Oliver (“Please Sir, May I Have S’more?). We have The Other One (nicknamed TOO) and The little One (nicknamed Tri – pronounced “Tree”) I also have ten koi fish in a 2,500 gallon watergarden pond. I’m one of only about 200 certified koi keepers in the US! 😉 12) Fun Question 2: Do you own an electronic reading device? If so, what kind and how do you like it? Well, my MacBook Pro and Air and iPhone are all electronic reading devices! 😉

Interview with May J. Panayi Brighton, Author of Tales from the Library of a Twisted Mind

Hello,

Today’s interview is with May J. Panayi, author of Tales from the Library of a Twisted Mind.

Please find it below.

Best,

-Vincent Lowry

 

Interview:

1) What is your author name and in what state do you live (or country if not in the US)?

May J. Panayi Brighton UK

2) What is the title of your newest book and what is the genre?

My most recent book is a collection of dark/horror shorts- Tales from the Library of a Twisted Mind

3) What is the book about?

It is a collection of dark and twisted short stories

4) Where did you come up with the idea?

I have these stories running through my head near constantly. Considering I also write romance novels, my darker side is like an alter ego.

5) How long did it take you to write it?

About a year.

6) Did you learn anything from the project?

There is no idea that cannot be developed or distorted, and ideas come from everywhere. One day I was driving past an archeological site [called La Tenta] with an elderly Aunt, and she suddenly shrieked ‘don’t go to La Tenta.’ That birthed a horror story right there. Though I think her actual fear was being forced to look at old remains instead of shiny shops!

7) Do you have an author website and/or blog? How about a book video?

https://mayjpanayi.wixsite.com/books    https://youtu.be/opbT0vcLyzk   The blog links are on the website too.

8) Do you have any success tips to pass on to fellow authors? How about any great editors/cover artists?

Keep at it, never give up.

9) What genres do you like to read? Are you open to reading new authors and reviewing their work?

I love to read horror, any really. But I also love writers like Jodi Picoult and Joanne Harris. I read and review new authors on my kindle all the time.

10) What is your favorite book of all time and why?

The Stand- Stephen King. The world and characters he creates are so real. It has been my favourite since I first read it in 1982.

11) Fun Question: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind?

None since my cat Panpuss passed in 2011 and my heart broke. I have NSA [no strings attached] holiday cats now. I love lizards and squirrels too.

12) Fun Question 2: Do you own an electronic reading device? If so, what kind and how do you like it?

2nd iteration of kindle a paperwhite this time. I love it for travelling, but read paperbacks at home. I travel a lot so my kindle gets quite a bit of use. I usually keep about 50 to read titles on it.

*As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Interview with D Siva Rama Krishna, Author of Smiling Baiter

Link: https://bigfootpublications.com/preorder-book-details.php?book=53

Hello,

Today’s interview is with D Siva Rama Krishna, author of Smiling Baiter.

Please enjoy.

Best,

-Vincent Lowry

Interview:

1) What is your author name and in what state do you live (or country if not in the US)?

D Siva Rama Krishna

I m from Hyderabad, India.

2) What is the title of your newest book and what is the genre?

Name of my latest book is Smiling Baiter. 

This is a romantic mystery.

3) What is the book about?

Smiling Baiter is a story of a royal family and three friends. 

It also narrates frank sensual sex lessons for the prince, kidnappings, tiger hunting in the jungles and also murder of an innocent pregnant wife for Royal treasure buried under the fort.

It will perhaps appeal to readers of Harold Robbins and Earl Stanley Gardner (Perry Mason) and anyone who celebrates diverse books. 

4) Where did you come up with the idea?

On a holiday trip to a fort in India.

5) How long did it take you to write it?

Almost one year

6) Did you learn anything from the project?

Yes. a lot. It is easy to write a book but very difficult to get it published.

7) Do you have an author website and/or blog? How about a book video?

I have no website or blog. 

Yes, I am working with a professional company for both of them.

 

https://bigfootpublications.com/preorder-book-details.php?book=53

8) Do you have any success tips to pass on to fellow authors? How about any great editors/cover artists?

There is no short cut for success. If writing is your passion, just go on writing it and enjoy your work. One day your work will be recognized.

My favorite editor is Niyati Joshi and artist is Mishta both working with Lead star Publishing.(my previous book publisher)

9) What genres do you like to read? Are you open to reading new authors and reviewing their work?

I read all books. 

Yes, I am willing to read new authors and review them.

10) What is your favorite book of all time and why?

The Thorn Birds which I read in the late seventies during my college days.

The authors description of characters and places is so vivid and makes you feel that you are there and part of the story.

The book is not only an entertainment to but also inspires you to write like the author.

11) Fun Question: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind?

No. But I always wanted a parrot

12) Fun Question 2: Do you own an electronic reading device? If so, what kind and how do you like it?

No. None.

Interview with Christine Reynebeau, Author of Home

Hello,

Today’s interview is with Christine Reynebeau, author of Home.

Please enjoy.

Best,

-Vincent Lowry

Interview:

1) What is your author name and in what state do you live (or country if not in the US)?

Christine Reynebeau, Wisconsin

2) What is the title of your newest book and what is the genre?

Home, Children’s Books

3) What is the book about?

Change and how to handle transitions

4) Where did you come up with the idea?

I had a friend recommend writing a book about moving, and when I asked what the lesson in that would be, she said that change can be okay. And I’ve always been bad at change, so helping others to practice the skill early felt important.

5) How long did it take you to write it?

Probably about 6 hours over the course of two to three months.

6) Did you learn anything from the project?

Every time I work with a new illustrator I learn different ways to manage a project and work with different people to bring my story to life.

7) Do you have an author website and/or blog? How about a book video?

www.dreambuiltbooks.com

https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCw7VTfUWvra7ndvMdrybF6g

8) Do you have any success tips to pass on to fellow authors? How about any great editors/cover artists?

My biggest advice is to do your research, protect yourself and don’t let anyone pigeonhole you in a publishing journey that doesn’t fit you.

9) What genres do you like to read? Are you open to reading new authors and reviewing their work?

I love a good fiction novel, and always I am open to reading from new authors and reviewing work, it’s so important for authors to support each other.

10) What is your favorite book of all time and why?

That’s so tough, but They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky by Benjamin Ajak. Because it is a story of human will to survive and the best lesson of my life, I learned from that book. There’s a beautiful humanity those portrayed in the desire to simply survive. And while I have never been faced with the risk of not surviving, it is always humbling to remind ourselves how capable and determined our bodies are to survive.

11) Fun Question: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind?

Walter, he is a German Shepard/Terrier Mix and featured in two of my books!

12) Fun Question 2: Do you own an electronic reading device? If so, what kind and how do you like it?

Absolutely not, I have never been able to get on board with electronic reading devices. I do produce ebooks, but I personally like hard copy books. I’m an old soul.

*As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

 

Interview with Linda Gray, Author of Costa Rica: My View From The Saddle

Hello,

I’m pleased to bring you this interview with Linda Grey, author of Costa Rica: My View From The Saddle.

Please enjoy.

Best,

-Vincent Lowry

Interview:

1) What is your author name and in what state do you live (or country if not in the US)?  Linda Gray. I currently live in Costa Rica, but am planning to move back to the US when my house sells here.  I’ll be going to the Eastern Shore MD.  

2) What is the title of your newest book and what is the genre?  Costa Rica: My View from the Saddle.  It is an autobiographical nonfiction memoir. 

3) What is the book about? It tells the very funny and sometimes tragic stories of my life over 15 years in Costa Rica, from two perspectives: living in a small Tico mountain village and developing my 200-acre farm, and later, in thriving mostly-Gringo beach community.  

4) Where did you come up with the idea?  When I had a horseback tour business in the mountains, I used to amuse my guests with my stories about living here.  I decided I had better start writing them down before I got too old and forgot them!  

5) How long did it take you to write it? About 3 months.  I used to be a technical writer, so I can type as fast as I can talk.

6) Did you learn anything from the project?  I learned a lot about publishing, marketing, and the book business!  

7) Do you have an author website and/or blog? How about a book video?  I currently have a website/blog www.lindagrayauthor.com  but no book videos.  

8) Do you have any success tips to pass on to fellow authors? How about any great editors/cover artists? Write from your heart, you can’t go wrong.  I had a friend, Trish Spinelli, do my editing. She has published several books under the name Joan St. John.  I also found a great cover artist through Booklocker, Todd Engram. I published my first book, “The Story of Rancho Tranquilo,” through Booklocker, but when I rewrote the book I used Amazon Direct.  

9) What genres do you like to read? Are you open to reading new authors and reviewing their work?  I like mysteries and historical novels, but I’m open to reading just about anything. I go through a book a day sometimes, and I’m happy to write reviews.  

10) What is your favorite book of all time and why? The entire Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. I have been a super fan of her books since they first came out.  I have first editions of most of the hardcovers, some signed by the author, but unfortunately the weather in Costa Rica has done a number on them.  I even went on an Outlander-themed horseback trek through Scotland a few years back with my sisters, who are also fans. I was amazed to learn how much of the book is actually based on true stories or legends — not just the historical Jacobite stuff, but also the little stories that I assumed were fictitious based on the characters.   

11) Fun Question: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind?  Right now I have two dogs: a Weimeraner named Shadow, who is the star of the beach, and a hound dog named Hunter.  Both were rescue dogs here in Costa Rica.  I had up to ten horses while I lived on my farm and had a horseback tour business, but my bones are too brittle now and I got tired of living on crutches and in casts, so I no longer have horses.  But I miss them.  

12) Fun Question 2: Do you own an electronic reading device? If so, what kind and how do you like it?  I use my iPad and the Kindle reader to read books.  I subscribed to Kindle Unlimited, and I like that I can get a large assortment of books for free. In Costa Rica, getting books in English is nigh on impossible. Prior to ebooks, we were limited to “somebody’s” collection of paperbacks, which we passed around hungrily, eager to have anything to read. I got so tired of reading “boy books,” i.e. Tom Clancy and military genre, but would struggle through them anyway because there was nothing else LOL. When ebooks came out, it was a total revolution for me.  I bought a Kindle immediately and was amazed to find I could get any book I wanted, instantly. What a concept, especially in the jungle!   

Interview with Randy L Scott, Author of Awakening – Will the Circle be…

Hello,

I’m very please to bring readers and authors this interview with Randy L. Scott, author of Awakening – Will the Circle be…  Randy talks in great length about creating audio books in his interview. It’s very informative stuff so check it out!

Best,

-Vincent Lowry

Interview:

• What is your author name and in what state do you live (or country if not in the US)
  1. Randy L Scott, I live in northern California, in the rural foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Sometimes it’s the state of confusion, other times it’s a state of pure bliss!

 

• What is the title of your newest book and what is the genre?
  1. My newest book is Awakening – Will the Circle be… It is the closing book in my three novel series, The Dream Messiah. The genre is Adventure Fiction with Magical Realism – think Jack London meets Carlos Castaneda

 

• What is the book about?
  1. This conclusion finds my main character with a new identity, and still not sure if he’s falling into psychosis or a world where he’s the chosen one. He needs to find the truth and finds more than he bargained for when he chooses to live with the Punan Dyaks of Borneo
  2. In the previous novels, Jake Barnes was introduced to lucid dreaming and told of a tribe of nomads in remote Borneo who are preparing for the end of the world, manifesting a messiah to take them to the next life. Jake escaped a 20 year prison sentence for murder in Alaska. He was given the opportunity for a new life, but wasn’t sure if he was dealing with a guardian angel, or the devil. After committing a heinous act, Jake was free to go anywhere but home under his new name. But trouble and the police, were never far behind. Jake runs to Indonesia and the island of Borneo in his quest to find the Punan Dyaks, understand their prophecy and his place in the world.

 

• Where did you come up with the idea?
  1. The idea came fast. I was hiking across the Superstitious Mountains in Arizona in the 100+ degree heat and stopped to rest under the shade of a cactus. While watching the clouds blow by, I thought about a recent PBS Adventure Series I’d recently seen where the Blair brothers were documenting their travels through Indonesia and went in search or the Punan Dyaks. I tied that into some of my own experiences building a homestead site in remote Alaska.

 

• How long did it take you to write it?
  1. Over thirty years since I first put pen to paper and began to outline the story. It started as one novel that kept growing. Finally I was convince to break into a series of three. I did lot’s of re-writing on advice of my developmental editor and had to make sure each installment had it’s own arc in addition to the overall story arc.

 

• Did you learn anything from the project?
  1. Oh so much! I learned I need to get a developmental editor early on to guide the story and make sure I’m on track with the genre and structure. I learned that even after line editors and a professional proof-reader, there a still LOTS of spelling and grammar mistakes. Now I print a half-dozen author’s proof copies (cheap) and give to friends who are great about finding those little mistakes, marking them in the print book and sending it back to me – before publication!
  2. I wish I’d have gone in Kindle Unlimited for the first ninety days or more to get more reviews and page reads, before going wide.
  3. Everything takes longer than you think. At some point you need to let go and get it out. There is a happy medium between putting out flawed work and never getting it out because you can’t stop editing. Don’t skimp on spelling, grammar and formatting. You’ll never reach perfection with the storyline so don’t nitpick over and over and over again.

 

• Do you have an author website and/or blog? How about a book video?
  1. My website is https://randco.me I do have a blog on the website with information about the books, my life and writing, along with book reviews of novels I’ve read. I don’t have a book video yet. Once I’ve finished producing the audiobook version of this series, then I will have a trailer made.

 

• Do you have any success tips to pass on to fellow authors? How about any great editors/cover artists?
  1. The biggest tips are about editing. Check out The Story Grid method, by Shawn Coyne. Get your genre figured out first, what the tropes are and how to keep your readers turning the pages. Print lots of cheap copies of your (completed) work to give away to a team who will root out all those little errors that made it past your proofreader. Reading your book out loud, or having your computer read it to you, will also find awkward phrases.
  2. Although I enjoyed my last team of editors, I’ll be going with one of the Story Grid editors for my work in progress.
  3. Don’t go cheap on your cover or book blurb. No one will open your book if they don’t past these first to exposures to your work. I used Maria Sinclair for my book covers. I think she did a great job and love the way they are link thematically. I recommend her, but she is no longer taking on new clients.

 

• What genres do you like to read? Are you open to reading new authors and reviewing their work?
  1. My reading has always been all over the map. I love literature, adventure, thriller and humor and history. Lately I’ve been reading more thrillers because that’s the genre of my work in progress.
  2. I love finding new authors and discovering great stories with good writing. For the last two years I’ve been posting reviews of nearly every book I’ve read in that timeframe. The few I’ve read that were pure crap – I don’t leave a review.

 

• What is your favorite book of all time and why?
  1. My favorite book changes from day to day. One book that just came into my mind is Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal, by Christopher Moore. I like a book because the story is great, or the writing is fantastic and witty. I’ve given away half a dozen copies (careful who I give it to) and everyone has remarked that at some point(s) they have doubled over or fallen on the floor laughing.
  2. Nobody can turn a phrase like Tom Robbins or Douglas Adams.
  3. The best audiobook I’ve listened to is Middlesex, by Jeffrey Eugenides, read by Kristoffer Tabori. It is the pinnacle of voice acting and narration.

 

• I read you are narrating the audiobook version of your series. Please let our readers know more about that process– from the start to the finished product!
  1. I consider myself one of the exceptions to the rule: Authors shouldn’t narrate their own work.
     1. I have a background in professional, on-stage storytelling. I know how to read well and voice act. I’m still getting vocal/acting coaching and wouldn’t recommend anyone to narrate either fiction or non-fiction without a coach.
     2. I am also an audio engineer. I’ve had my own home studio for a decade with the proper equipment, recording room acoustic treatment and the software to edit and master to a final, polished product.

• My computer sits outside the vocal booth. Inside, along with the microphone, I have a remote monitor screen, Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. On one third of the monitor is the manuscript. I highlight (in different colors) the dialogue so I know who is speaking. It’s easy to silently scroll through as I read. The other two-thirds of the screen is my recording software (DAW or Digital Audio Workstation).

1. I record using the PNR (Punch and Roll) method. As soon as I make a mistake, I roll back the audio and re-record the last phrase.
2. Although my room is well treated acoustically to deaden echoes or reverberations and drastically cuts down the outside noise – there is no way to keep it dead silent. While recording, I have to turn off the refrigerator and stand-up freezer (located in the garage directly below my booth) and the pool pump. During summer hours an attic fan comes on automatically from early/mid morning till well into the evening, so I can’t record during those times. That makes it early morning or late evening to record. We live in very quiet area so traffic noise is not a concern. No one around here has a lawn, but leaf blowers and chainsaws always halt the recording process.
3. I can edit the recordings to quiet breathing, adjust space between words and phrases, etc. any time of the day. I also have the proper audio repair software so I can eliminate the outside noises that sneak through like inadvertent squeaks of a chair, rubbing clothes, knocks against the desk, a dark bark or my cat letting me know he needs attention.

• The biggest challenges are: keeping the pacing consistent, with a few exceptions where the action calls for ramping it up. Keeping the character voices consistent and being able to change when there is a scene with four characters all interacting.
• When I come across an awkward phrase or spelling/grammar mistake that still slipped through, I can change the manuscript right then. When I’ve finished with the first novel of the series, I can resubmit the manuscript to Amazon and Draft2digital. Anyone who gets the ebook or print version after that will have the new, improved, error-free edition and it will be Whispersynch ready!

1. The last bit of quality check is to send the chapters to an audio proofreader who will read the manuscript while listening. They will note any missed words, contractions, mispronunciations and pauses that are too long or short.
2. The standard formula is that one hour of ‘finished/mastered’ audio takes six to eight hours to produce, not included prepping the manuscript, eg color coding dialogue, marking places to speed up or slow down, etc. The actual narration is about two hours or more to record an hours worth, due to mistakes and taking breaks. Then that hour of narration will go through four to six hours of editing and mastering to get the audio to the specs required by any of the reputable audiobook distributors.
3. My first novel in the series, Freedom – Just Another Word… is approximately 110,000 words. It will be about twelve hours of narration. If I’m slow, using the 8:1 ratio, I will put in ninety-six hours into this project. I already have the equipment so my only out-of-pocket expense will be for ‘proofing’. My cost is low, but time commitment is high.

• I was planning to release the first audiobook in November 1029. There was a two-week interruption when the power company turned off the electricity here in northern California during the wildfire threat. Today is the 17^th of November and I can see that it will take me till the end of the year.

 

• Fun Question: Do you have any pets?
  1. Sam, the cat, may argue that he has us. We’ve been together for nine years and lived in three different houses.

 

• Fun Question 2:  Do you own an electronic reading device? If so, what kind and how do you like it?
  1. I have an older Kindle and an iPad. I enjoy both. The Kindle is easier to hold while reading in bed at night if I’m lying down. When sitting up, the iPad is a better experience. On the Kindle I’m not tempted to check email or social media while reading. Both of them suck in bright light outdoors.
  2. I still enjoy have a physical book in my hand too, and the look of our bookshelves full of books.

 

I’m happy to give a free e-copy of the first novel in the Dream Messiah series to your readers at: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/lawml1popp

 

Website: https://randco.me

Email: Randylscott@randco.me

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Redwoodvoices/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/randylscott2/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Randrifter

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1718157118

Draft2Digtal Universal link: https://books2read.com/u/47Zwlj

 

 

*As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Interview with J.M. Lanham, Author of The R.E.M. Precept

Hello,

Today’s interview is with J.M. Lanham, author of The R.E.M. Precept.

Please enjoy!

Best,

-Vincent Lowry

Interview:

1) What is your author name and in what state do you live (or country if not in the US)? My name is J.M. Lanham (friends call me John), and I’ve lived in north Florida for the last six years (originally from Georgia). 2) What is the title of your newest book and what is the genre? My latest book hit the shelves September 13th, 2019, and is the third and final installment of the REM series titled The R.E.M. Precept. I think the trilogy falls best under the techno-thriller genre, with readers likening it to the sci-fi works of Michael Crichton, Preston & Child, and Douglas E. Richards.   3) What is the book about? The series follows a ragtag group of clinical-trial volunteers who’ve recently participated in FDA trials for the first ever gene-altering sleeping pill called Ocula: a pill that’s designed to interact with the human genome to deliver the perfect eight-hour sleep cycle. But unlike the thousands of other participants who experienced little more than the best sleep of their lives, these so-called clinical trial outliers experience extraordinary side effects that don’t just threaten Asteria Pharmaceuticals’ bottom line, but also the safety and security of the free world. The series follows the outliers as they go up against Big Pharma and the CIA to expose what could be the greatest psychological weapon ever created.  4) Where did you come up with the idea? For as long as I can remember I’ve suffered from insomnia, but on the rare ocassion that I do get a solid night’s worth of sleep I’ll have these incredibly lucid dreams that seem to last for ages. At one point, these dreams became so convincing that I started to question the nature of reality itself. I was also investing in biotech startups at the time I decided to give the whole novelist gig a shot, so I outlined a story about participants in a sleep study having these nightmarish side effects that made them question the nature of their realities. Well, the outlined got shelved for almost five years until early 2016, when I decided to buckle down and write the damn thing. And once I started writing, everything else just kind of fell into place. 5) How long did it take you to write it? Once I made a serious go at it (forcing myself to write daily, no exceptions) it took about a year from start to finish. I also went through a series of rewrites during the first novel that held things up. The next two in the series went a lot faster, but it still took the better part of a year for each one. 6) Did you learn anything from the project? Absolutely! In fact, I’ve learned so much over the last three years that it’s tough to pick a starting point. My relatively short stint in the self-publishing world has tough me patience, humility, gratitude … did I mention patience? I’ve learned to temper expectations, find utility in each and every criticism, and to consistently put in the work every single day to (hopefully) become a better writer. 7) Do you have an author website and/or blog? How about a book video? I do. My author website is www.jmlanham.com. There you can find out where to get my books (currently exclusively on Amazon), check out a sample of The R.E.M. Effect audiobook, sign up for my email list, or read up on my blog covering current events in science that I happen to find interesting (I’ve slacked up on this part a bit, but I promise to make an effort to get back into blogging). You can also reach out directly via the website contact form. I try to respond to every email within 48 hours, and I love talking sci-fi, writing, self-publishing, and baseball.  8) Do you have any success tips to pass on to fellow authors? How about any great editors/cover artists? I think the thing that’s helped me the most in writing is actually something I heard about exercising. If you’ve ever tried to commit to going to the gym then you probably know that sinking feeling of dread in your chest the whole way there. And then once you’re there, that’s when the real work begins. It can really suck, but if you’re determined and you stick with it, then after a few weeks you’ll start to wonder how you ever went a day without being active, without running or walking or lifting weights or whatever your new workout routine happens to be. I think the same goes for writing. Some days I’d get up and stare at that blank page and essentially give up before I even got started. The worst days are the ones where every single sentence you write looks and sounds and feels like garbage, but those are precisely the days you’ve got to push through. Don’t worry about the quality so much; just get something, anything, on the page. Do the work, put in the time, and sooner or later your new writing exercise will become a full-blown routine you can’t live without. Oh, and read Stephen King’s On Writing. He does this thing where he writes a first draft, stuffs it in a drawer, and doesn’t look at it again for a while (month or two I think), so when he comes back to it, he’s looking at it with fresh eyes. I’ve done that, and I think it’s really helped me. There have even been times where I’d go back over something I wrote months back and wonder, “Who the heck wrote this?” On cover artists, I think it goes without saying that whether we like it or not, covers sell books. I hired 2FacedDesign (you can find them on Twitter @2FacedDesign) for my first project and I’ve used them ever since. They’ve helped countless authors create professional, eye-catching covers that truly clothe stories, and personally, I wouldn’t use anyone else. 9) What genres do you like to read? Are you open to reading new authors and reviewing their work? I’ve always been a fan of stories where near-future tech goes terribly wrong, which is what got me hooked on Michael Crichton’s work at an early age (I was in second or third grade the first time I read Jurassic Park and I’ve been a Crichton fan ever since). I’m a huge sucker for techno-thrillers, but I also love horror, mysteries, and suspense. There’s also nothing like a good crime novel (paging Elmore Leonard).  10) What is your favorite book of all time and why? Man, you’re gonna make me pick a favorite? Haha, this is a tough one, but if I had to pick just one I’d probably have to say Nevil Shute’s On The Beach. I’ve certainly been more entertained by others, but I read this one at a very early age and it made a lasting impression on me. Namely, try not to take life so damn seriously and live for the moment because we never know which day is going to be our last (or in this case, when the H-bombs are going to fall). 11) Fun Question: Do you have any pets? If so, what kind? I have a blue-heeler mix named Luna. My wife and I adopted her from a local shelter when she (Luna, not my wife) was about a year old. I say “mix” because she’s definitely a heeler; we’re just not sure what her other half happens to be (now I’m wondering if they have 23andMe for pets?). 12) Fun Question 2: Do you own an electronic reading device? If so, what kind and how do you like it? I have a Kindle Fire, and it’s a lot of fun to read on, but I find my self reading more paperbacks these days. It’s a whole process I’ve become accustomed to: I only buy books from my local bookstore (rarely hardcovers unless it’s a must-have and there’s no paperback available) and I usually only read fiction at night when I’m about to go to sleep. I’ve recently made a conscious effort to reduce screen time at night (eReaders, phone, t.v.) and have a pair of blue-light glasses that I feel have really helped me get some of my circadian rhythm back should I decide to read on the Kindle late at night. But, for the most part, I save the devices for daytime hours.