Rebecca Besser
BLOG.REBECCABESSER.COM
Interview with Author Nikolas Robinson
Bec: Welcome to my blog, please start out by sharing a little bit about yourself –
I’m no good at talking about myself…I always hate this part of anything…filling out a profile on a social network site or anything else. I can’t help but wonder why anyone would care to hear about me…I find myself to be really quite boring. If I have direction, I can manage to talk about myself, so I think I’d prefer to just answer direct questions and see where those lead me…good lord, I hope that I don’t end up making a total ass of myself.
Bec: What first got you interested in writing?
I don’t know…I’ve been reading since I knew the alphabet…and I actually started writing little illustrated stories back in 1st or 2nd grade…I actually recently rediscovered some of those insipid stories not altogether that long ago in a box of photographs and newspaper clippings that my mother passed my way. If I’m being totally honest, I feel like it was always what I was meant to be doing…the only thing that ever really made me feel complete…and somewhere along the way, in my 20’s, I lost sight of that…and lost my drive…my motivation…my mojo…whatever the hell you want to call it.
Thankfully I extracted my cranium from my anus and started writing again…and with greater focus than I had before.
Bec: What are the worst struggles you think writers face, writing and marketing?
Honestly, I think the biggest hurdle would be in obtaining representation of a literary agent. I made half-assed attempts to query agents with my first novel as I was approaching what I (stupidly, mind you) considered to be the final draft…and though I even happened to receive some rejections that included small amounts of praise for the sample material that was submitted along with the query letter, I did only meet with rejection.
The problem is in saturation, I think…literary agents and publishers receive so many queries and manuscripts on a daily basis that they simply can’t take the time necessary to really fall in love with someone’s material. And some of us aren’t altogether too good when it actually comes to hooking someone or adequately promoting the work. It’s hopelessly naïve, and I’m aware of that fact, to believe that the work should speak for itself (in writing and in everything else)…but I can’t get past that childish perspective for myself. I’m not equipped to shamelessly promote myself…I can’t properly cobble together treatments and summaries of what I’ve written…I already wrote the whole damn novel.
It’s that whole process between completion and sale that I think, at least personally, has to be the worst struggle…well, that and the fact that literacy isn’t exactly a high priority these days.
Bec: Tell us about your book/s –
Well, since self-publishing was decided upon as my outlet for my first novel, I decided to cobble together a collection of various poetry and the like that I had accumulated over a handful of years and use that as a way to test out the process of formatting and assembling a work for digital publication through Amazon’s Kindle store. Thus we end up with A Wreck In Progress: Assorted Poetry.
A few months later I felt like I had adequately formatted and self-edited my first complete novel, Unspoken. Of course, it isn’t perfect, being without the benefit of having a real editor and whatnot. I do believe that it turned out fairly well, all things considered, especially for a first novel. As imperfect as it might be, the final product is still something that I am proud of.
At present those are my only two completed works, but I do have plenty of additional material that is working its way through the ridiculous, convoluted pipe that is my creative process.
Bec: Are you working on a sequel/s?
I actually have entertained the thought of revisiting the protagonist from Unspoken in short fiction at some point, seeing where he is and how his situation might have changed for the worse (since I sincerely can’t even conceive of how his situation might have improved).
Bec: Rain drops or snow flakes?
Rain drops are preferable…snow flakes are what I get.
Bec: What other projects are you working on or involved with?
I have a couple of short stories that I’m polishing up for submission to a couple of different anthologies.
There’s a particular short story that I’m in the process of expanding to somewhere between novella and novel-length because it feels too skeletal to me in the current state.
In addition to the smaller scale material, there are four novels that I have in progress (in varying states of completion), and I’d like to pretend that I know which will be finished first, but there is a lot of fluctuation involved and I literally have no idea.
Of those four novels in progress, two are horror (zombie-related, though totally unrelated and coming at the theme from totally different directions), one is a sort of postmodern urban fantasy, and the other is a sort of horror/science fiction oriented project.
I would more than likely be finished with one or more of these projects were it not for having my children to take care of as well as needing to continue working a full-time job in healthcare (though said job does provide me with adequate downtime with which I am frequently able to get more writing out of the way).
The kids are some of my biggest supporters though, and I couldn’t be luckier, I don’t think…and I’m just glad that I can provide them with at least a half-assed example of someone who refuses to quit and continues to pursue their dreams…even when failure is a real possibility.
On top of the actual writing, I occasionally entertain the thought of working on music again, though that rarely ever grows beyond an embryonic state, which is too bad, because I have matured as a musician a great deal since my previous project was dismantled. Maybe someday I will actually begin recording again, who knows?
I’m including a link to the artist profile for my old material on last.fm though, just in case anyone is interested in seeing just how much of a goth kid I was back in the day.
(http://www.last.fm/music/Alter%20Noctvm...Alter%20Idem?ac=Alter Noctvm)
Bec: If you could create a planet for the human race to live on, what would it be like?
I don’t know…but I would want to name it Bob, like in Titan A.E. I suppose, if I am being honest, I would make it a nightmare of an environment, something terribly inhospitable where human survival is concerned…I think that the best we’re capable of being tends to arise from that sort of thing…what was it that Hitler said about privation being our strength? Wait…paraphrasing Hitler probably isn’t the best thing…well, it’s said already, and even a total nutcase like that man could say things that make sense. I hope that I haven’t offended anyone.
Bec: What's your favorite color?
I don’t know…I like rich, deep shades of blue, green, red, and purple…how’s that for a specific answer? I guess that I have a problem committing.
Bec: What's your favorite animal? Why?
I want a lemur…I don’t know if that makes it my favorite animal, but I want one…almost desperately. I also want a wallaby. I think that I just want something that jumps and hops around absurdly…I have no idea.
Bec: Do you like to listen to music while you write or have complete silence?
There is no binary, yes/no answer to this question for me, and it seems like a larger issue than just music. There are a number of times when I need the television on or music playing simply for the purpose of providing background noise. Occasionally I can only seem to write if I happen to go so far as to remove myself to a location where ample background noise exists independent of my producing it.
With respect to music itself though, there is one particular thing that I have in progress for which I have put together a playlist on my iPod and within iTunes so as to listen to specific tracks that seem to set the right tone for what I’m working on…songs with a particular theme, sound, or more nebulous quality to them which suits the material in question…maybe sort of a soundtrack to the movie taking place in my mind.
Bec: What genres do you most like to read/write?
I have what qualifies as almost an obsession with hard-science fiction, which is probably what I read more than any other genre. Beyond that I happen to very much love horror, fantasy (urban and epic), postmodern literature, and (strange as it might seem) westerns.
Bec: If you could make up a game show for television, what would it be like?
I would like to see something incorporating masturbation...violence…and viscous fluids of an unknown nature…not separately, but used in conjunction with one another. There would be questions, obscure questions without any right/wrong answers…and the host would arbitrarily determine whether the provided answers were valid based upon whatever biases they happen to exhibit…maybe they happen to find the particular contestant attractive in some way or they dislike the sound of their voice? That seems like a fun game show to me…where there’s really no way of knowing whether you have won or lost until you are informed of the outcome. I’d like an atmosphere of tension that borders on terror…maybe go so far as to have the contestants pulled off the street after signing a waiver for something else entirely…but with small print that allows for them to be pulled into the game show without any warning…draw from that pool of people who are so desperate to experience their 15 minutes that they will sign anything if they think it might get them onto television somehow?
Bec: Do you find writing a lonely profession?
My initial impulse is to be a smartass and claim that any profession that I participate in would be a lonely one by default…but not really, not writing…I have plenty of company all the time (fictional or not). There are always my children and other loved ones in the picture as well, even when I desperately strive to find isolation.
Bec: If you could have any super power you wanted for a week, what would it be?
I don’t want a super power per se…but, if you’ve seen the movie Limitless, well...that is what I want…I want that drug more than I’ve probably ever wanted anything…what I wouldn’t give to have even a year of my life with that sort of preternatural clarity and focus.
Bec: What would you share with a beginning writer?
Being essentially a beginning writer myself, at least as far as making a career of it is concerned, I really don’t feel like I am in much of a position to offer advice or anything of the sort. I can say, without any hesitation, that they shouldn’t do what I did, which is to essentially cut off that aspect of my life and stop writing altogether for a number of years. I regret that more than damn near anything…and I have plenty to regret.
Bec: Giraffe or elephant?
Elephants never forget…but I am 6’ 4”, so maybe giraffe is more appropriate? Hell, I don’t know…you decide!
Bec: What do you wish someone would have told you when you first started your writing journey?
I wish that someone had told me that I was more than likely wasting my time and setting myself up for almost inevitable failure…not for any real reason, just because.
Bec: Reptile or fuzzy critter?
Since all I happen to have are fuzzy critters, I’ll have to go with that option.
Bec: Do you think having other writers as friends is a good thing for your growth as a writer?
I don’t know how much it aids in growth as a writer…but it is nice to be able to discuss the topic with other people who have been where I am (even if they were there a long time ago and have long since established something more of themselves)…to just talk with people with the same passion is actually quite nice, even if the nuts and bolts of writing isn’t part of the dialogue.
Bec: Pen or pencil?
Pen
Bec: What's your favorite book? Why?
Dune by Frank Herbert would have to be my favorite book for a number of reasons…the exploration of human potential to a totally fantastic degree…the assumption that humanity would still be around so far down the road, spread out through the galaxy and thriving while still suffering from the same ludicrous and petty power struggles that we presently experience…there’s a sort of optimism in Herbert’s work that I always loved.
Bec: Who's your favorite author? Why?
Alastair Reynolds, a physicist and hard-science fiction writer. The man has a skill when it comes to extrapolation and speculation that is unparalleled in my opinion, and the scope of his writing is almost awe inspiring to me.
Bec: Is there anything you would like to share that I haven't asked you about?
I could probably manage to get my hands(?) on a VD that I could share? I don’t imagine that you, or anyone else reading this, would be even remotely interested in something like that though.
Seriously though, I just want to thank you for the opportunity to be put on the spot and forced to think about these questions in such a way as to force me to put answers together…as incoherent and ridiculous as some of those answers might actually have been.
Bec: Thank you for stopping by and sharing! Best of luck with your book and future project!
Copyrights owned by Rebecca Besser and Nikolas Robinson, 2012. All rights reserved.
I’m no good at talking about myself…I always hate this part of anything…filling out a profile on a social network site or anything else. I can’t help but wonder why anyone would care to hear about me…I find myself to be really quite boring. If I have direction, I can manage to talk about myself, so I think I’d prefer to just answer direct questions and see where those lead me…good lord, I hope that I don’t end up making a total ass of myself.
Bec: What first got you interested in writing?
I don’t know…I’ve been reading since I knew the alphabet…and I actually started writing little illustrated stories back in 1st or 2nd grade…I actually recently rediscovered some of those insipid stories not altogether that long ago in a box of photographs and newspaper clippings that my mother passed my way. If I’m being totally honest, I feel like it was always what I was meant to be doing…the only thing that ever really made me feel complete…and somewhere along the way, in my 20’s, I lost sight of that…and lost my drive…my motivation…my mojo…whatever the hell you want to call it.
Thankfully I extracted my cranium from my anus and started writing again…and with greater focus than I had before.
Bec: What are the worst struggles you think writers face, writing and marketing?
Honestly, I think the biggest hurdle would be in obtaining representation of a literary agent. I made half-assed attempts to query agents with my first novel as I was approaching what I (stupidly, mind you) considered to be the final draft…and though I even happened to receive some rejections that included small amounts of praise for the sample material that was submitted along with the query letter, I did only meet with rejection.
The problem is in saturation, I think…literary agents and publishers receive so many queries and manuscripts on a daily basis that they simply can’t take the time necessary to really fall in love with someone’s material. And some of us aren’t altogether too good when it actually comes to hooking someone or adequately promoting the work. It’s hopelessly naïve, and I’m aware of that fact, to believe that the work should speak for itself (in writing and in everything else)…but I can’t get past that childish perspective for myself. I’m not equipped to shamelessly promote myself…I can’t properly cobble together treatments and summaries of what I’ve written…I already wrote the whole damn novel.
It’s that whole process between completion and sale that I think, at least personally, has to be the worst struggle…well, that and the fact that literacy isn’t exactly a high priority these days.
Bec: Tell us about your book/s –
Well, since self-publishing was decided upon as my outlet for my first novel, I decided to cobble together a collection of various poetry and the like that I had accumulated over a handful of years and use that as a way to test out the process of formatting and assembling a work for digital publication through Amazon’s Kindle store. Thus we end up with A Wreck In Progress: Assorted Poetry.
A few months later I felt like I had adequately formatted and self-edited my first complete novel, Unspoken. Of course, it isn’t perfect, being without the benefit of having a real editor and whatnot. I do believe that it turned out fairly well, all things considered, especially for a first novel. As imperfect as it might be, the final product is still something that I am proud of.
At present those are my only two completed works, but I do have plenty of additional material that is working its way through the ridiculous, convoluted pipe that is my creative process.
Bec: Are you working on a sequel/s?
I actually have entertained the thought of revisiting the protagonist from Unspoken in short fiction at some point, seeing where he is and how his situation might have changed for the worse (since I sincerely can’t even conceive of how his situation might have improved).
Bec: Rain drops or snow flakes?
Rain drops are preferable…snow flakes are what I get.
Bec: What other projects are you working on or involved with?
I have a couple of short stories that I’m polishing up for submission to a couple of different anthologies.
There’s a particular short story that I’m in the process of expanding to somewhere between novella and novel-length because it feels too skeletal to me in the current state.
In addition to the smaller scale material, there are four novels that I have in progress (in varying states of completion), and I’d like to pretend that I know which will be finished first, but there is a lot of fluctuation involved and I literally have no idea.
Of those four novels in progress, two are horror (zombie-related, though totally unrelated and coming at the theme from totally different directions), one is a sort of postmodern urban fantasy, and the other is a sort of horror/science fiction oriented project.
I would more than likely be finished with one or more of these projects were it not for having my children to take care of as well as needing to continue working a full-time job in healthcare (though said job does provide me with adequate downtime with which I am frequently able to get more writing out of the way).
The kids are some of my biggest supporters though, and I couldn’t be luckier, I don’t think…and I’m just glad that I can provide them with at least a half-assed example of someone who refuses to quit and continues to pursue their dreams…even when failure is a real possibility.
On top of the actual writing, I occasionally entertain the thought of working on music again, though that rarely ever grows beyond an embryonic state, which is too bad, because I have matured as a musician a great deal since my previous project was dismantled. Maybe someday I will actually begin recording again, who knows?
I’m including a link to the artist profile for my old material on last.fm though, just in case anyone is interested in seeing just how much of a goth kid I was back in the day.
(http://www.last.fm/music/Alter%20Noctvm...Alter%20Idem?ac=Alter Noctvm)
Bec: If you could create a planet for the human race to live on, what would it be like?
I don’t know…but I would want to name it Bob, like in Titan A.E. I suppose, if I am being honest, I would make it a nightmare of an environment, something terribly inhospitable where human survival is concerned…I think that the best we’re capable of being tends to arise from that sort of thing…what was it that Hitler said about privation being our strength? Wait…paraphrasing Hitler probably isn’t the best thing…well, it’s said already, and even a total nutcase like that man could say things that make sense. I hope that I haven’t offended anyone.
Bec: What's your favorite color?
I don’t know…I like rich, deep shades of blue, green, red, and purple…how’s that for a specific answer? I guess that I have a problem committing.
Bec: What's your favorite animal? Why?
I want a lemur…I don’t know if that makes it my favorite animal, but I want one…almost desperately. I also want a wallaby. I think that I just want something that jumps and hops around absurdly…I have no idea.
Bec: Do you like to listen to music while you write or have complete silence?
There is no binary, yes/no answer to this question for me, and it seems like a larger issue than just music. There are a number of times when I need the television on or music playing simply for the purpose of providing background noise. Occasionally I can only seem to write if I happen to go so far as to remove myself to a location where ample background noise exists independent of my producing it.
With respect to music itself though, there is one particular thing that I have in progress for which I have put together a playlist on my iPod and within iTunes so as to listen to specific tracks that seem to set the right tone for what I’m working on…songs with a particular theme, sound, or more nebulous quality to them which suits the material in question…maybe sort of a soundtrack to the movie taking place in my mind.
Bec: What genres do you most like to read/write?
I have what qualifies as almost an obsession with hard-science fiction, which is probably what I read more than any other genre. Beyond that I happen to very much love horror, fantasy (urban and epic), postmodern literature, and (strange as it might seem) westerns.
Bec: If you could make up a game show for television, what would it be like?
I would like to see something incorporating masturbation...violence…and viscous fluids of an unknown nature…not separately, but used in conjunction with one another. There would be questions, obscure questions without any right/wrong answers…and the host would arbitrarily determine whether the provided answers were valid based upon whatever biases they happen to exhibit…maybe they happen to find the particular contestant attractive in some way or they dislike the sound of their voice? That seems like a fun game show to me…where there’s really no way of knowing whether you have won or lost until you are informed of the outcome. I’d like an atmosphere of tension that borders on terror…maybe go so far as to have the contestants pulled off the street after signing a waiver for something else entirely…but with small print that allows for them to be pulled into the game show without any warning…draw from that pool of people who are so desperate to experience their 15 minutes that they will sign anything if they think it might get them onto television somehow?
Bec: Do you find writing a lonely profession?
My initial impulse is to be a smartass and claim that any profession that I participate in would be a lonely one by default…but not really, not writing…I have plenty of company all the time (fictional or not). There are always my children and other loved ones in the picture as well, even when I desperately strive to find isolation.
Bec: If you could have any super power you wanted for a week, what would it be?
I don’t want a super power per se…but, if you’ve seen the movie Limitless, well...that is what I want…I want that drug more than I’ve probably ever wanted anything…what I wouldn’t give to have even a year of my life with that sort of preternatural clarity and focus.
Bec: What would you share with a beginning writer?
Being essentially a beginning writer myself, at least as far as making a career of it is concerned, I really don’t feel like I am in much of a position to offer advice or anything of the sort. I can say, without any hesitation, that they shouldn’t do what I did, which is to essentially cut off that aspect of my life and stop writing altogether for a number of years. I regret that more than damn near anything…and I have plenty to regret.
Bec: Giraffe or elephant?
Elephants never forget…but I am 6’ 4”, so maybe giraffe is more appropriate? Hell, I don’t know…you decide!
Bec: What do you wish someone would have told you when you first started your writing journey?
I wish that someone had told me that I was more than likely wasting my time and setting myself up for almost inevitable failure…not for any real reason, just because.
Bec: Reptile or fuzzy critter?
Since all I happen to have are fuzzy critters, I’ll have to go with that option.
Bec: Do you think having other writers as friends is a good thing for your growth as a writer?
I don’t know how much it aids in growth as a writer…but it is nice to be able to discuss the topic with other people who have been where I am (even if they were there a long time ago and have long since established something more of themselves)…to just talk with people with the same passion is actually quite nice, even if the nuts and bolts of writing isn’t part of the dialogue.
Bec: Pen or pencil?
Pen
Bec: What's your favorite book? Why?
Dune by Frank Herbert would have to be my favorite book for a number of reasons…the exploration of human potential to a totally fantastic degree…the assumption that humanity would still be around so far down the road, spread out through the galaxy and thriving while still suffering from the same ludicrous and petty power struggles that we presently experience…there’s a sort of optimism in Herbert’s work that I always loved.
Bec: Who's your favorite author? Why?
Alastair Reynolds, a physicist and hard-science fiction writer. The man has a skill when it comes to extrapolation and speculation that is unparalleled in my opinion, and the scope of his writing is almost awe inspiring to me.
Bec: Is there anything you would like to share that I haven't asked you about?
I could probably manage to get my hands(?) on a VD that I could share? I don’t imagine that you, or anyone else reading this, would be even remotely interested in something like that though.
Seriously though, I just want to thank you for the opportunity to be put on the spot and forced to think about these questions in such a way as to force me to put answers together…as incoherent and ridiculous as some of those answers might actually have been.
Bec: Thank you for stopping by and sharing! Best of luck with your book and future project!
Copyrights owned by Rebecca Besser and Nikolas Robinson, 2012. All rights reserved.
Three For Free Weekend!
Click on cover art to visit title on Smashwords.
This weekend (Feb 17-19, 2012), you can get Three Tales of Middle Grade Horror by Rebecca Besser, for
FREE! Go to Smashwords and use coupon code: QX96Z at checkout!
The book contains three horror stories suitable for children 9-14:
Fairy Deception
Midnight Clearing
Which Witch?
Copyrights owned by Rebecca Besser, 2012. All rights reserved.
The book contains three horror stories suitable for children 9-14:
Fairy Deception
Midnight Clearing
Which Witch?
Copyrights owned by Rebecca Besser, 2012. All rights reserved.
Interview with Author/Editor Matt Nord
Author/Editor Matt Nord
Bec: Welcome to my blog, please start out by sharing a little bit about yourself –
Matt: Well, let me start off by saying thank you for having me. It’s always an honor to be interviewed. Makes me feel like I’m somebody, heh, heh.
Bec: What first got you interested in writing?
Matt: I started listening to the Library of the Living Dead podcast while I was working back when I used to own a cleaning business with my wife, Karen. There were a lot of times where I was working by myself and enjoyed listening to the stories and excerpts from novels. I ended up submitting a (very) short story for their Letters from the Dead anthology. That was my first official acceptance.
Bec: What are the worst struggles you think writers face, writing and marketing?
Matt: I think a lot of struggles a writer faces, in the beginning at least, are just trying to get their stuff read. I mean, it’s not as if any (I should say most) of us in the small press industry are getting picked up by big name publishers and getting massive distribution and tons of marketing. Most of us are either self-publishing or getting picked up by small presses that do their best to put out a quality product. But that’s also the great thing about the industry, now. We’re given the opportunity to carve our little niche in the writing world, which is really cool. If you’re lucky, someone will read what you put out and get some type of enjoyment out of it.
Bec: Tell us about your book/s –
Matt: Mostly I’ve done just short stories that have been featured in anthologies put out by a variety of small presses. I’ve also compiled and edited a few anthologies myself, including Strange Tales of Horror (published through NorGus Press, the company I co-founded with Jeff Angus) and most recently So Long, and Thanks for All the Brains, through my side project, Collaboration of the Dead. Collaboration is like my Sting to NorGus’s The Police, if you will.
Bec: Are you working on a sequel/s?
Matt: I’m not working on any sequels, but I ‘m working on expanding some stories I’ve written. There are some ideas that I’d like to take and transform into novellas or maybe even novels.
Bec: What other projects are you working on or involved with?
Matt: I’m currently finishing up edits on another zombie anthology, entitled Zombie: The Other Fright Meat, that will be put out through NorGus Press. I’m putting together a Sword & Sorcery anthology that will be titled Tough as Nails. And I’m working on a couple collaborative novels, too.
Bec: If Santa got new reindeer, and they were all zombies... What would their names be?
Matt: Gnasher, Cancer, Trancer, Rippin’, Vomit, Stupid, Goner and Bloatzen.
Bec: What's your favorite color?
Matt: Zombie green.
Bec: Would you rather hop on one foot for a mile or hold your breath for two minutes?
Matt: I’d rather hop on one hand for 10 miles than hold my breath for even one minute.
Bec: Do you like to listen to music while you write or have complete silence?
Matt: I like to listen to music or maybe have a zombie movie playing in the background. I find that hearing the screams inspires me. Also, I hate complete silence, anyway. Those stinking voices in my head just won’t shut up if I don’t have a distraction.
Bec: What genres do you most like to read/write?
Matt: I really am stuck in the horror genre. I grew up reading King and Barker and watching movies like Child’s Play, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Return of the Living Dead, so that’s what I know. It’s what I love. I used to sneak into a cigar store in my hometown on the way home from middle school so I could check out the new issues of Fangoria magazine. My go-to genre for both writing and reading is zombie. Again, it’s what I love. I’ve felt a connection to the genre, even since I heard those special words, “More brains!”
Bec: If people's natural hair colors were those found on a rainbow, what color would your hair be?
Matt: Brunette, Blonde, Red, Grey and White.
Bec: Do you find writing a lonely profession?
Matt: I find life in general to be pretty lonely… Ha! But, for reals, I don’t. I find that, at least from my experience, the writing community seems to be fairly close. I do a lot of collaborative stuff, anthologies and whatnot. I’m working on two collaborative novels right now, too. One with one other author, the other with over 20 other authors… it makes for one interesting story!
Bec: Would you rather lick the bottom of someone's foot or the handle on a public restroom door?
Matt: Do I have to do either? Gross!
Bec: What would you share with a beginning writer?
Matt: Don’t stop writing. Get something on the virtual paper. Do as I say, not as I do.
Bec: If you could paint one room of your house to imitate blood splatter, which would it be? Why?
Matt: The kitchen, because that’s where the freezer is. It would only make sense that that’s where I’d hide the “body.”
Bec: What do you wish someone would have told you when you first started your writing journey?
Matt: That it would be a frustrating and arduous… but ultimately fulfilling process.
Bec: Snowmen or scarecrows?
Matt: Scarecrows. They’re year round.
Bec: Do you think having other writers as friend is a good thing for your growth as a writer?
Matt:
Absolutely. It’s almost essential. It’s great to have others to
bounce ideas off, to test read some of your stuff and to encourage
you when you’re frustrated. I count myself lucky to have a ton of
what I consider to be good friends, present company included. 
Bec: Lemon or orange?
Matt: Lemon soda and candy. Orange if it’s the real thing.
Bec: What's your favorite book? Why?
Matt: That is a really tough one. I’ve got so many books that I could say are potential favorites, but if I really had to bite the bullet and give one I’d have to say The Stand by Stephen King. It was insane the amount of characters that he was able to keep track of and really pull together in that book. And it’s amazing that he was able to keep my attention for that long and… wait, what were we talking about?
Bec: Hot or cold?
Matt: Hot. I hate the cold. It would only make sense I live in New York… yuck!
Bec: Who's your favorite author? Why?
Matt: My favorite author would probably have to be King, again. I was trying to dig more and come up with something like Poe or Lovecraft or some “outsider” author, but I can’t say that there is any other author that has had a more profound effect on me than Stephen King. I know that wasn’t the question, but it would have to be part of the reason for the answer. Between The Stand, The Shining, The Dark Tower series, Pet Semetary… I could go on and on. He’s just been consistently great throughout the years. Other authors that I really enjoy are Clive Barker, R. A. Salvatore, and Anne Rice. I’d say they are my 2, 3, and 4.
Bec: Is there anything you would like to share that I haven't asked you about?
Matt: Why yes, I would like some pancakes. Thank you.
Bec: Thank you for stopping by and sharing! Best of luck with your book and future project!
Matt: I really appreciate you having me. It’s been more than a pleasure. And good luck to you, as well, in your future endeavors!
Click on the above book covers to visit the titles on Amazon.
Copyrights owned by Rebecca Besser and Matt Nord, 2012. All rights reserved.
Small Presses - Warning Signs
I've been disgusted lately with how some small presses are conducting themselves -- basically tricking people who they've pissed off in the past into submitting to them under a different imprint. So, I've decided to talk about some things you should watch for when you're considering submitting to a small press you aren't familiar with or that seems suspicious.
Things to check and/or watch for:
1) If a press doesn't have a website or forum, or somewhere else that's established for you to learn what they're about and openly provides a way to contact them, then they're probably not real. A real business should want to be recognized as one. (Presses that are LLCs, etc, are good presses because they're a registered business. Nothing is a 100% guarantee, though, so don't go by that alone.)
2) The press has multiple imprints that are publishing the same types of books.
NOTE: Having various imprints is okay, especially if they're for different types of books or genres, but if they're all exactly the same, that means someone is having trouble somewhere and trying to salvage themselves by pretending to be someone/something else.
3) You hear bad things from other writers you know.
NOTE: If you hear something minor from one or two people, you shouldn't worry. Not everyone is going to have a good experience with every press they sub to. But, if you hear there have been issues from a lot of people, or there are any websites dedicated to hating the press or the owner, beware!
4) Check the Preditors & Editors site, and others like it to see if there have been reported problems.
5) Check online retailers to see if the books the press has put out have any reviews. If there are low numbers (or no) reviews for books that have been out for a long time, they aren't marketing them, and they won't market you. Also, the quality of the reviews should be taken into account. If you have five people giving bad reviews for poor editing, etc, then you'll probably want to steer clear of them.
6) If their are a lot of canceled projects, or if there is a big, fast turnover in projects.
If they're cancelling projects all the time, then you don't want to waste your time with them because you never know when something might be dropped.
Also, if there is a big turn over in projects, then they're not giving each one the time it deserves. It takes time to edit and format, and make sure that everything is the best quality it can be.
NOTE: Project delays are to be expected once in a while. Editors and press owners are human beings and have families and lives too, so sometimes things might get delayed for a couple weeks to a month if there are minor issues. This is not something to panic over, especially if the press has a good track record.
7) Editors being snotty or not responding to submission with acceptances or rejections. Unless it's stated in the press' submission guidelines that no response within a certain time period is a 'no', then they should get back to you. If they haven't, it's okay to query and see if they've received your submission (Email submissions sometimes don't make it through, and even paper ones can get lost.). This is usually best done when they've announced that they've made a TOC or accepted all stories they will be using, or before. Don't bug an editor -- I can even get snippy with people that do that. I don't mind an occasional email asking about the project though, if it has been a while since I've contacted everyone.
These are just a few things to look for before you submit. Keep in mind you might have success with presses others didn't, and that you're eventually going to have a bad experience with a press; it's inevitable. How you choose to deal with that when it happens is up to you.
When I get disappointed or have a break with a press that I've previously worked well with, I move on and warn people I know privately if I know they're thinking of submitting there. It looks very unprofessional when you're on Facebook or Twitter ranting about things. Mostly, I think it makes the people reading the comments think: "If they acted like that with the publisher, that explains why they had issues." In essence, you're often times drawing more negative attention to yourself than you are to the press that you're pissed at.
Personally, I choose not to give things more importance than they have. It's like with writing... You don't drag someone's attention to something unless it's important and will play a part in the later parts of the tale. Otherwise it's worthless info that makes you look bad.
Besides, they say all publicity is good publicity. Don't give them your time when you can spend it wisely elsewhere, and don't be their angry billboard!
Find out some things for yourself before you submit your work anywhere. Ultimately it's up to you what you do with your writing and where you want it to be published. Just watch for warning signs and go in with your eyes open so you have less of a chance of getting burned in the long run.
Copyrights owned by Rebecca Besser, 2012. All rights reserved.
Things to check and/or watch for:
1) If a press doesn't have a website or forum, or somewhere else that's established for you to learn what they're about and openly provides a way to contact them, then they're probably not real. A real business should want to be recognized as one. (Presses that are LLCs, etc, are good presses because they're a registered business. Nothing is a 100% guarantee, though, so don't go by that alone.)
2) The press has multiple imprints that are publishing the same types of books.
NOTE: Having various imprints is okay, especially if they're for different types of books or genres, but if they're all exactly the same, that means someone is having trouble somewhere and trying to salvage themselves by pretending to be someone/something else.
3) You hear bad things from other writers you know.
NOTE: If you hear something minor from one or two people, you shouldn't worry. Not everyone is going to have a good experience with every press they sub to. But, if you hear there have been issues from a lot of people, or there are any websites dedicated to hating the press or the owner, beware!
4) Check the Preditors & Editors site, and others like it to see if there have been reported problems.
5) Check online retailers to see if the books the press has put out have any reviews. If there are low numbers (or no) reviews for books that have been out for a long time, they aren't marketing them, and they won't market you. Also, the quality of the reviews should be taken into account. If you have five people giving bad reviews for poor editing, etc, then you'll probably want to steer clear of them.
6) If their are a lot of canceled projects, or if there is a big, fast turnover in projects.
If they're cancelling projects all the time, then you don't want to waste your time with them because you never know when something might be dropped.
Also, if there is a big turn over in projects, then they're not giving each one the time it deserves. It takes time to edit and format, and make sure that everything is the best quality it can be.
NOTE: Project delays are to be expected once in a while. Editors and press owners are human beings and have families and lives too, so sometimes things might get delayed for a couple weeks to a month if there are minor issues. This is not something to panic over, especially if the press has a good track record.
7) Editors being snotty or not responding to submission with acceptances or rejections. Unless it's stated in the press' submission guidelines that no response within a certain time period is a 'no', then they should get back to you. If they haven't, it's okay to query and see if they've received your submission (Email submissions sometimes don't make it through, and even paper ones can get lost.). This is usually best done when they've announced that they've made a TOC or accepted all stories they will be using, or before. Don't bug an editor -- I can even get snippy with people that do that. I don't mind an occasional email asking about the project though, if it has been a while since I've contacted everyone.
These are just a few things to look for before you submit. Keep in mind you might have success with presses others didn't, and that you're eventually going to have a bad experience with a press; it's inevitable. How you choose to deal with that when it happens is up to you.
When I get disappointed or have a break with a press that I've previously worked well with, I move on and warn people I know privately if I know they're thinking of submitting there. It looks very unprofessional when you're on Facebook or Twitter ranting about things. Mostly, I think it makes the people reading the comments think: "If they acted like that with the publisher, that explains why they had issues." In essence, you're often times drawing more negative attention to yourself than you are to the press that you're pissed at.
Personally, I choose not to give things more importance than they have. It's like with writing... You don't drag someone's attention to something unless it's important and will play a part in the later parts of the tale. Otherwise it's worthless info that makes you look bad.
Besides, they say all publicity is good publicity. Don't give them your time when you can spend it wisely elsewhere, and don't be their angry billboard!
Find out some things for yourself before you submit your work anywhere. Ultimately it's up to you what you do with your writing and where you want it to be published. Just watch for warning signs and go in with your eyes open so you have less of a chance of getting burned in the long run.
Copyrights owned by Rebecca Besser, 2012. All rights reserved.
Interview with Author Rhiannon Mills
Author Rhiannon Mills
Bec: Welcome to my blog, please start out by sharing a little bit about yourself -
Hi! There's really not much to me. I'm a stay at home mom and I write creepy romantical things...That sums it up in a shell.
Bec: What first got you interested in writing?
There are a number of things, actually. I got started when I was just a kid. I made my own story books out of cereal boxes for covers and strings to bind the books together. When I saw Interview With A Vampire (I was 9) and then read the book (about a year later), I knew that writing about the undead and all things macabre was what I wanted to do.
Bec: What are the worst struggles you think writers face, writing and marketing?
Writer's block is horrible, but it can be overcome. Otherwise, getting your book to stand out is difficult. There are so many good books out there by talented authors! Also, one thing that I struggle with is editing. I can look over something I've written and it takes me an hour to find a mistake, when in fact it could be FULL of mistakes!
Bec: Tell us about your book/s -
My Immortal books (Immortal Ties and Immortal Embrace) are vampire books. They're both vampire romances, but I didn't really write them the way most romance novels are written. They have a dark element to them that most romances do not. The Demon King is another dark romance that I poured quite a bit of the darkest corners of my mind into. It's a love story, but a creepy one.
Bec: Are you working on a sequel/s?
I am working on the second book in the Demon King series right now. After that, I'll be working on the third.
Bec: What other projects are you working on or involved with?
I'm writing a novel about Elizabeth Bathory. I've done some of the writing for the book, but am still in the research phase for the most part. I'm also co-editing an anthology with Shawn M. Riddle called "Vampyres: A History Written In Blood."
Bec: Dougnuts or cookies?
Cookies. Doughnuts have holes in them. Who wants a holey confection when you can have the whole thing?
Bec: What's your favorite color?
All of the colors of the ocean in winter. Blues, greens, and grays.
Bec: Have you ever gutted, butchered, and ate anything?
I come from a family full of hunters, but I leave the butchering and gutting to them. I'll cook it after they hack it up!
Bec: Do you like to listen to music while you write or have complete silence?
If I didn't have music, there would be no books by Rhiannon Mills. Complete silence drives me mad.
Bec: Flowers or tombstones?
Tombstones.
Bec: What genres do you most like to read/write?
Romance, horror, and anything paranormal. I also have a soft spot for some historical romances.
Bec: Fishnet or silk?
Silk is stronger than fishnet. Definitely silk!
Bec: Do you find writing a lonely profession?
Sometimes. I sometimes feel a bit isolated when I'm around normal people. They find out that I'm a writer and they are intrigued, but when they find out the nature of my books and what they're all about and suddenly you'd think I'd sprouted horns and hooves.
Bec: Dancing or singing?
Singing. Oh, I'm a horrible dancer. I'm not the greatest singer, either, but at least I can sing better than some American Idol contestants.
Bec: What would you share with a beginning writer?
I'd tell them that they'd better grow a thicker skin and join some writing groups online, maybe. That way they can see for themselves what they're getting into.
Bec: Have you ever done anything to intentionally freak out a family member for laughs? Who and what?
No, but my step dad was very good at it. Every time my step sisters and I would sit down to watch a movie, he would scare the bejeebus out of us. Every. Single. Time. There was once when I had a friend sleep over and we watched Children of the Corn that I'll never forget. We lived in rural Indiana and our house was surrounded, literally, by nothing but corn fields. After the movie, my friend and I went outside for a bit, but we didn't make it out the front door before my step dad jumped off the roof. After that, and to this day, I always check roofs!
Bec: What do you wish someone would have told you when you first started your writing journey?
I wish someone would have told me that it wasn't so easy because it's really not. You just have to remember to be determined and to keep your head straight.
Bec: If you could travel for one month and go anywhere in the world, where would you go and what would you do?
I would go to Elizabeth Bathory's castle. It still stands, but it's in ruins. Oh, if those walls could talk! She was an absolutely fascinating person. I think I could learn a bit from her castle.
Bec: Do you think having other writers as friend is a good thing for your growth as a writer?
I think it's great to have other writers as friends because, for the most part, they support you and they understand the absolute sanity that we all go through. Sometimes there are other writers out there that you just know are looking for you to fall flat on your face, but for the most part, I ignore them and continue to succeed. I absolutely adore my writer friends, though. I don't think I could make it one day without them to tell me that it's okay to talk to the voices in my head. Not only is it okay, but it's pretty much standard writer stuff.
Bec: Slice and dice or dismember?
Dismemberment is too quick. I say slice and dice.
Bec: What's your favorite book? Why?
There are so many good ones. I would have to say that the first book that pops into my head is Annette Curtis Klaus's book, "The Silver Kiss." It was my first paranormal romance and it was a real eye opener for me.
Bec: Pizza or tacos?
Depends on the day. Right now I say tacos.
Bec: Who's your favorite author? Why?
Again, this one depends on the day. Today it's Anne Rice. Most days, actually, it's Anne Rice. Her vampire novels inspired me in ways that I can't even describe.
Bec: Is there anything you would like to share that I haven't asked you about?
Of course there is! For those of you who don't already know this, "The Demon King" was just recently released and is available in print and as a Kindle ebook on Amazon.com. Go get some!
Bec: Thank you for stopping by and sharing! Best of luck with your book and future project!
Thanks for having me!
Hi! There's really not much to me. I'm a stay at home mom and I write creepy romantical things...That sums it up in a shell.
Bec: What first got you interested in writing?
There are a number of things, actually. I got started when I was just a kid. I made my own story books out of cereal boxes for covers and strings to bind the books together. When I saw Interview With A Vampire (I was 9) and then read the book (about a year later), I knew that writing about the undead and all things macabre was what I wanted to do.
Bec: What are the worst struggles you think writers face, writing and marketing?
Writer's block is horrible, but it can be overcome. Otherwise, getting your book to stand out is difficult. There are so many good books out there by talented authors! Also, one thing that I struggle with is editing. I can look over something I've written and it takes me an hour to find a mistake, when in fact it could be FULL of mistakes!
Bec: Tell us about your book/s -
My Immortal books (Immortal Ties and Immortal Embrace) are vampire books. They're both vampire romances, but I didn't really write them the way most romance novels are written. They have a dark element to them that most romances do not. The Demon King is another dark romance that I poured quite a bit of the darkest corners of my mind into. It's a love story, but a creepy one.
Bec: Are you working on a sequel/s?
I am working on the second book in the Demon King series right now. After that, I'll be working on the third.
Bec: What other projects are you working on or involved with?
I'm writing a novel about Elizabeth Bathory. I've done some of the writing for the book, but am still in the research phase for the most part. I'm also co-editing an anthology with Shawn M. Riddle called "Vampyres: A History Written In Blood."
Bec: Dougnuts or cookies?
Cookies. Doughnuts have holes in them. Who wants a holey confection when you can have the whole thing?
Bec: What's your favorite color?
All of the colors of the ocean in winter. Blues, greens, and grays.
Bec: Have you ever gutted, butchered, and ate anything?
I come from a family full of hunters, but I leave the butchering and gutting to them. I'll cook it after they hack it up!
Bec: Do you like to listen to music while you write or have complete silence?
If I didn't have music, there would be no books by Rhiannon Mills. Complete silence drives me mad.
Bec: Flowers or tombstones?
Tombstones.
Bec: What genres do you most like to read/write?
Romance, horror, and anything paranormal. I also have a soft spot for some historical romances.
Bec: Fishnet or silk?
Silk is stronger than fishnet. Definitely silk!
Bec: Do you find writing a lonely profession?
Sometimes. I sometimes feel a bit isolated when I'm around normal people. They find out that I'm a writer and they are intrigued, but when they find out the nature of my books and what they're all about and suddenly you'd think I'd sprouted horns and hooves.
Bec: Dancing or singing?
Singing. Oh, I'm a horrible dancer. I'm not the greatest singer, either, but at least I can sing better than some American Idol contestants.
Bec: What would you share with a beginning writer?
I'd tell them that they'd better grow a thicker skin and join some writing groups online, maybe. That way they can see for themselves what they're getting into.
Bec: Have you ever done anything to intentionally freak out a family member for laughs? Who and what?
No, but my step dad was very good at it. Every time my step sisters and I would sit down to watch a movie, he would scare the bejeebus out of us. Every. Single. Time. There was once when I had a friend sleep over and we watched Children of the Corn that I'll never forget. We lived in rural Indiana and our house was surrounded, literally, by nothing but corn fields. After the movie, my friend and I went outside for a bit, but we didn't make it out the front door before my step dad jumped off the roof. After that, and to this day, I always check roofs!
Bec: What do you wish someone would have told you when you first started your writing journey?
I wish someone would have told me that it wasn't so easy because it's really not. You just have to remember to be determined and to keep your head straight.
Bec: If you could travel for one month and go anywhere in the world, where would you go and what would you do?
I would go to Elizabeth Bathory's castle. It still stands, but it's in ruins. Oh, if those walls could talk! She was an absolutely fascinating person. I think I could learn a bit from her castle.
Bec: Do you think having other writers as friend is a good thing for your growth as a writer?
I think it's great to have other writers as friends because, for the most part, they support you and they understand the absolute sanity that we all go through. Sometimes there are other writers out there that you just know are looking for you to fall flat on your face, but for the most part, I ignore them and continue to succeed. I absolutely adore my writer friends, though. I don't think I could make it one day without them to tell me that it's okay to talk to the voices in my head. Not only is it okay, but it's pretty much standard writer stuff.
Bec: Slice and dice or dismember?
Dismemberment is too quick. I say slice and dice.
Bec: What's your favorite book? Why?
There are so many good ones. I would have to say that the first book that pops into my head is Annette Curtis Klaus's book, "The Silver Kiss." It was my first paranormal romance and it was a real eye opener for me.
Bec: Pizza or tacos?
Depends on the day. Right now I say tacos.
Bec: Who's your favorite author? Why?
Again, this one depends on the day. Today it's Anne Rice. Most days, actually, it's Anne Rice. Her vampire novels inspired me in ways that I can't even describe.
Bec: Is there anything you would like to share that I haven't asked you about?
Of course there is! For those of you who don't already know this, "The Demon King" was just recently released and is available in print and as a Kindle ebook on Amazon.com. Go get some!
Bec: Thank you for stopping by and sharing! Best of luck with your book and future project!
Thanks for having me!
Click on cover pic to visit title on Amazon!
Copyrights owned by Rebecca Besser and Rhiannon Mills, 2012. All rights reserved.
Something New -- A Story For You!
I hope you had a chance to enjoy the free story over the past weekend. My laptop SHOULD be here today. 
Copyrights owned by Rebecca Besser, 2012. All rights reserved.
Copyrights owned by Rebecca Besser, 2012. All rights reserved.
Interview with Author Jeffrey Kosh
Author Jeffrey Kosh
Bec: Welcome to my blog, please start out by sharing a little bit about yourself -
Jeff: Hi, Rebecca, first thing first let me say it’s a great honor being interviewed by one of my favorite authors, and a pretty lady, too.
Me? I’m nobody; I’m the guy you notice seating alone in a corner at the great party. He’s sharp dressed, reserved, and alone. Come closer and you find a different guy. He never shuts up, is full of weird stories to tell, likes to share everything he knows, and has a good sense of humor.
Have you figured that guy? Come on there’s one at every event.
Bec: What first got you interested in writing?
Jeff: I was blessed and cursed with a bright imagination from birth. I’m a creative person; my studies were in the Arts, and I practiced drawing, painting, and writing. I wrote many stories, but was too afraid to publish them. Some were good, some … well, they were just awful, but the ugly truth is that I grew up in a family which didn’t believe in me. I was never encouraged in anything which I cared for. So, ended doing an odd job or the other, before finding my own way, and finally find some peace. However, five years ago there was a steer of direction in my life and I decided to believe in myself, by applying for everything I loved. Writing was one of those things.
Bec: What are the worst struggles you think writers face, writing and marketing?
Jeff: First: lack of patience. Hurrying up, creating stories on the fads of the moment because that will surely bring attainment in the earnest, leads to nothing. Success, if it ever shows up, is something you achieve only with dedication and love for what you are writing.
Write a story because you want to read it; do not write it because it will be the next Harry Potter or Twilight, but you don’t like either.
Second: Marketing. Today’s writers need good marketing skills or someone else who can do that for them. Self-promotion sells more than potential best-sellers, sadly.
And editing, editing, editing. Never underestimate editing.
Bec: Tell us about your book/s -
Jeff: ‘Feeding the Urge’ is a complex story. The main character, Axel J. Hyde, is a weird individual, a big boy with the soul of a ten-year-old kid. Pacific in appearance, Axel hides a second personality; that of an impulsive serial murderer. Yet, it’s easy to sympathize with him once you discover he slices and dices only pedophiles, rapists, and stalkers. Apparently, he has an obsession for wiping out those he feels responsible for his traumatized infancy. Nonetheless he’s not Batman, he kills people because he feels an urge to do it. In fact, he believes that a spirit of murder and revenge rides him as Voodoo’s Loas do with their hosts, feeding from the ‘Essence’ of their pain. To better understand this concept I should reveal many parts of my novel, so better leave the rest for the reader to discover.
Bec: Are you working on a sequel/s?
Jeff: Not now. It took seven months to pen down ‘Feeding’, with a lot of revision and changes in the middle.
A 90,000 words novel can be tiresome. From start I decided that it would be a self-contained story with no possibility for a sequel, but the thing had its own plans in the final draft, so with this new ending I devised there’s clearly space for eventual sequels. The fate of Axel hangs in the hands of the readers; if there will be enough enthusiasm over this character I’ll surely extend his life.
Bec: What other projects are you working on or involved with?
Jeff: I just finished and submitted to a publisher a short story set in the Golden Age of Piracy. It is a zombie story in an alternate timeline, yet I can’t disclose more. Can just say it is based on the legend of the Black Freighter. One year ago I novelized a graphic novel to test my writing skills. Obviously, to avoid any copyright infringement I offered it for free to my Facebook fans and friends. I called it a serial chiller, because I released it one chapter a week as a parting gift before leaving for Thailand. It was very successful, but it even resulted in one of my followers to delete friendship as she judged my writing too graphic and ‘ghoulish’.
I’m also working on an anthology of tales set in my fictional town of Prosperity Glades and another one based on Urban Legends from Thailand.
Bec: Shower or bath?
Jeff: Bath, absolutely! Pleasure is something which is best achieved slowly.
Bec: What's your favorite color?
Jeff: Black. I love dark nights, bats, panthers, and black clothes. Besides, in my teen years I was a headbanging Heavy Metal fan, and later went into Goth culture.
Bec: Dance or sing?
Jeff: None of the above. Yet, would you believe I was selected at 8 to sing in a kid’s chorus. I hated it and did all my best to be thrown out. As for dancing … I have two concrete shoes at my feet.
Bec: Do you like to listen to music while you write or have complete silence?
Jeff: I’d love to have complete silence, but here in Ao Nang it’s almost impossible. There’s no privacy, and Thai are active 24/24. Add to that the hundred of tourists who come here to enjoy a good time, and you get the picture. Excuse me a minute … I have to get out and chainsaw that darn German who keeps talking loudly at his cell phone under my porch.
Bec: What's your favorite food?
Jeff: You should ask the contrary. There’s only one thing I can’t stand and that’s melon. The rest goes into my stomach.
Bec: What genres do you most like to read/write?
Jeff: Horror for writing. As for reading, anything I find interesting, paying special attention to science fiction.
Bec: What time of day do you like to write?
Jeff: Night. My wife sleeps, that German guy SHOULD sleep, and those pesky Thai are out jumping from bar to bar.
Bec: Do you find writing a lonely profession?
Jeff: No. It depends by your character. I know writers who are quite extroverted, and others who are shy. In itself, the act of writing is, and must be, an inner working; however once you close your laptop you can share your experience with other people for suggestions and criticism.
Bec: Clowns or mimes?
Jeff: Do not even mention them. Clowns are scary to me and mimes … I do not want to offend anyone, so let’s just say I do not have sympathy for both, as you can see in the first chapter of my novel. Kamp Koko is a clown-themed summer camp.
Bec: What would you share with a beginning writer?
Jeff: Anything. I have no secrets. I strongly believe in sharing, that’s one of the things which make our life worth living. My best suggestion is to believe in what you do. Perseverance and faith.
Bec: Loud or quiet?
Jeff: Usually quiet. Yet surrounded by LOUD people.
Bec: What do you wish someone would have told you when you first started your writing journey?
Jeff: Four words: I believe in you.
Bec: Chocolate or strawberry?
Jeff: What about strawberries covered by hot chocolate while having a hot bath?
Bec: Do you think having other writers as friend is a good thing for your growth as a writer?
Jeff: Absolutely. I like to get criticism from fellow writers, and their praises, too.
Bec: What's your favorite book? Why?
Jeff: ‘Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus’. I’ve felt like Frankenstein’s monster for much of my life. Lately, during the creation of ‘Feeding the Urge’ I’ve felt some sympathy for Victor, too.
Bec: Who's your favorite author? Why?
Jeff: Mary Shelly. She wrote that unreachable book and was a courageous woman. Next come Michael Slade, even if that is just a collective pen name of various Canadian writers. I was heavily influenced by their writing style: lot of details, passion for history and some morbid stuff.
Also, loved Michael Crichton and Stephen King.
Bec: Is there anything you would like to share that I haven't asked you about?
Jeff: Yes. I host a blog where I try to post interesting issues on Horror and writing by me, other authors, editors, and readers. I even interviewed an Esperanto aficionado once, nothing to do with horror, but I felt it was a fascinating topic. I like offering space to people who want to share something.
Here goes the link, if you care: http://jeffreykosh.blogspot.com/
You can also follow my tweets at: twitter.com/#!/JeffreyKosh or add me to your circles on Google + and visit my novel’s fan page at: http://www.facebook.com/feeding.the.urge
If you want to know more about Prosperity Glades, Dr. Axel Hyde will be your host at: http://www.facebook.com/axel.j.hyde
Bec: Thank you for stopping by and sharing! Best of luck with your book and future project!
Jeff: Thanks Rebecca, and keep on writing. We need to know what’s going on in California.
Click on cover pic to visit this title on Amazon!
Copyrights owned by Rebecca Besser and Jeffrey Kosh, 2012. All rights reserved.
Jeff: Hi, Rebecca, first thing first let me say it’s a great honor being interviewed by one of my favorite authors, and a pretty lady, too.
Me? I’m nobody; I’m the guy you notice seating alone in a corner at the great party. He’s sharp dressed, reserved, and alone. Come closer and you find a different guy. He never shuts up, is full of weird stories to tell, likes to share everything he knows, and has a good sense of humor.
Have you figured that guy? Come on there’s one at every event.
Bec: What first got you interested in writing?
Jeff: I was blessed and cursed with a bright imagination from birth. I’m a creative person; my studies were in the Arts, and I practiced drawing, painting, and writing. I wrote many stories, but was too afraid to publish them. Some were good, some … well, they were just awful, but the ugly truth is that I grew up in a family which didn’t believe in me. I was never encouraged in anything which I cared for. So, ended doing an odd job or the other, before finding my own way, and finally find some peace. However, five years ago there was a steer of direction in my life and I decided to believe in myself, by applying for everything I loved. Writing was one of those things.
Bec: What are the worst struggles you think writers face, writing and marketing?
Jeff: First: lack of patience. Hurrying up, creating stories on the fads of the moment because that will surely bring attainment in the earnest, leads to nothing. Success, if it ever shows up, is something you achieve only with dedication and love for what you are writing.
Write a story because you want to read it; do not write it because it will be the next Harry Potter or Twilight, but you don’t like either.
Second: Marketing. Today’s writers need good marketing skills or someone else who can do that for them. Self-promotion sells more than potential best-sellers, sadly.
And editing, editing, editing. Never underestimate editing.
Bec: Tell us about your book/s -
Jeff: ‘Feeding the Urge’ is a complex story. The main character, Axel J. Hyde, is a weird individual, a big boy with the soul of a ten-year-old kid. Pacific in appearance, Axel hides a second personality; that of an impulsive serial murderer. Yet, it’s easy to sympathize with him once you discover he slices and dices only pedophiles, rapists, and stalkers. Apparently, he has an obsession for wiping out those he feels responsible for his traumatized infancy. Nonetheless he’s not Batman, he kills people because he feels an urge to do it. In fact, he believes that a spirit of murder and revenge rides him as Voodoo’s Loas do with their hosts, feeding from the ‘Essence’ of their pain. To better understand this concept I should reveal many parts of my novel, so better leave the rest for the reader to discover.
Bec: Are you working on a sequel/s?
Jeff: Not now. It took seven months to pen down ‘Feeding’, with a lot of revision and changes in the middle.
A 90,000 words novel can be tiresome. From start I decided that it would be a self-contained story with no possibility for a sequel, but the thing had its own plans in the final draft, so with this new ending I devised there’s clearly space for eventual sequels. The fate of Axel hangs in the hands of the readers; if there will be enough enthusiasm over this character I’ll surely extend his life.
Bec: What other projects are you working on or involved with?
Jeff: I just finished and submitted to a publisher a short story set in the Golden Age of Piracy. It is a zombie story in an alternate timeline, yet I can’t disclose more. Can just say it is based on the legend of the Black Freighter. One year ago I novelized a graphic novel to test my writing skills. Obviously, to avoid any copyright infringement I offered it for free to my Facebook fans and friends. I called it a serial chiller, because I released it one chapter a week as a parting gift before leaving for Thailand. It was very successful, but it even resulted in one of my followers to delete friendship as she judged my writing too graphic and ‘ghoulish’.
I’m also working on an anthology of tales set in my fictional town of Prosperity Glades and another one based on Urban Legends from Thailand.
Bec: Shower or bath?
Jeff: Bath, absolutely! Pleasure is something which is best achieved slowly.
Bec: What's your favorite color?
Jeff: Black. I love dark nights, bats, panthers, and black clothes. Besides, in my teen years I was a headbanging Heavy Metal fan, and later went into Goth culture.
Bec: Dance or sing?
Jeff: None of the above. Yet, would you believe I was selected at 8 to sing in a kid’s chorus. I hated it and did all my best to be thrown out. As for dancing … I have two concrete shoes at my feet.
Bec: Do you like to listen to music while you write or have complete silence?
Jeff: I’d love to have complete silence, but here in Ao Nang it’s almost impossible. There’s no privacy, and Thai are active 24/24. Add to that the hundred of tourists who come here to enjoy a good time, and you get the picture. Excuse me a minute … I have to get out and chainsaw that darn German who keeps talking loudly at his cell phone under my porch.
Bec: What's your favorite food?
Jeff: You should ask the contrary. There’s only one thing I can’t stand and that’s melon. The rest goes into my stomach.
Bec: What genres do you most like to read/write?
Jeff: Horror for writing. As for reading, anything I find interesting, paying special attention to science fiction.
Bec: What time of day do you like to write?
Jeff: Night. My wife sleeps, that German guy SHOULD sleep, and those pesky Thai are out jumping from bar to bar.
Bec: Do you find writing a lonely profession?
Jeff: No. It depends by your character. I know writers who are quite extroverted, and others who are shy. In itself, the act of writing is, and must be, an inner working; however once you close your laptop you can share your experience with other people for suggestions and criticism.
Bec: Clowns or mimes?
Jeff: Do not even mention them. Clowns are scary to me and mimes … I do not want to offend anyone, so let’s just say I do not have sympathy for both, as you can see in the first chapter of my novel. Kamp Koko is a clown-themed summer camp.
Bec: What would you share with a beginning writer?
Jeff: Anything. I have no secrets. I strongly believe in sharing, that’s one of the things which make our life worth living. My best suggestion is to believe in what you do. Perseverance and faith.
Bec: Loud or quiet?
Jeff: Usually quiet. Yet surrounded by LOUD people.
Bec: What do you wish someone would have told you when you first started your writing journey?
Jeff: Four words: I believe in you.
Bec: Chocolate or strawberry?
Jeff: What about strawberries covered by hot chocolate while having a hot bath?
Bec: Do you think having other writers as friend is a good thing for your growth as a writer?
Jeff: Absolutely. I like to get criticism from fellow writers, and their praises, too.
Bec: What's your favorite book? Why?
Jeff: ‘Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus’. I’ve felt like Frankenstein’s monster for much of my life. Lately, during the creation of ‘Feeding the Urge’ I’ve felt some sympathy for Victor, too.
Bec: Who's your favorite author? Why?
Jeff: Mary Shelly. She wrote that unreachable book and was a courageous woman. Next come Michael Slade, even if that is just a collective pen name of various Canadian writers. I was heavily influenced by their writing style: lot of details, passion for history and some morbid stuff.
Also, loved Michael Crichton and Stephen King.
Bec: Is there anything you would like to share that I haven't asked you about?
Jeff: Yes. I host a blog where I try to post interesting issues on Horror and writing by me, other authors, editors, and readers. I even interviewed an Esperanto aficionado once, nothing to do with horror, but I felt it was a fascinating topic. I like offering space to people who want to share something.
Here goes the link, if you care: http://jeffreykosh.blogspot.com/
You can also follow my tweets at: twitter.com/#!/JeffreyKosh or add me to your circles on Google + and visit my novel’s fan page at: http://www.facebook.com/feeding.the.urge
If you want to know more about Prosperity Glades, Dr. Axel Hyde will be your host at: http://www.facebook.com/axel.j.hyde
Bec: Thank you for stopping by and sharing! Best of luck with your book and future project!
Jeff: Thanks Rebecca, and keep on writing. We need to know what’s going on in California.
Click on cover pic to visit this title on Amazon!
Copyrights owned by Rebecca Besser and Jeffrey Kosh, 2012. All rights reserved.
Interview with Author Charles Day and his alter ego...The Evil Jester
Author Charles Day and The Evil Jester
Bec: Welcome to my blog, please start out by sharing a little bit about yourself –
Hey everyone, I’m Charles Day. Father, husband, Adult Home Coordinator with my day job, publisher of non-fiction and fiction -- writer by night and early AM!
Bec: What first got you interested in writing?
I just love to create imaginary worlds from the voices that dictate what they’ve experienced. I’m also an avid reader, I watch a ton of movies, and I’ve always wanted to be a movie director and do screenplays. I guess by writing fiction, it helps me to achieve some of these desires; I feel I’m making movies out of my writing.
Bec: What are the worst struggles you think writers face, writing and marketing?
For me, first and foremost, I have to be sure I’ve done my best to tell a story that will entertain. Then it’s building up a readership, writing stories that are different from everything else that’s out there, and being able to accept the fact that you really have to be a shameless self-promoter. But, if you truly have a story you believe in, and know for sure many people are going to like it, it helps boost confidence in promoting.
Bec: Tell us about your book/s –
Okay, I’ll try. My newest release, “Legend of The Pumpkin Thief,” with Noble YA Publishers LLC, is a story that revolves around, Nick, a seventeen-year-old who wants to go on to college and eventually sit for the police exam. His ultimate goal is to be a detective someday. As the story develops, he becomes involved in doing some early detective work when some pumpkins suddenly disappear in his small town of Chesterville.
An urban legend foretells of a Pumpkin Thief who chooses a town each Halloween, stealing the pumpkins so his ghosts, goblins, and other Halloween creatures can have their right to free passage into this chosen town. Without the pumpkins to keep them away, they have free sovereignty to wreak terror and mayhem. Is Nick’s town the chosen one this year?
Although this is a young adult novel, my first actually, it’s fun for all ages. I had a blast writing this, and I’m excited to be working on my next YA novel for them. I really enjoy writing for this genre.
My novella, “Lockdown,” with Wicked East Press included in Hannibal’s Manor is about a young guy with a mental illness who lives with his mother. He’s a huge kid for twenty -- think of Micheal Meyers in the Halloween remake -- and he also has something supernatural going on. Well, he winds up on a secured psych unit and the staff are about to find out that mental illness and the supernatural just do not mix.
“The Plan: A Mystery,” with Naked Snake Press is about this guy, Frankie who comes into a large amount of cash, but in order to retrieve it, he’s taking along a few of his friends. Little do they all know they are being set up -- a conspiracy is about to go down, and Frankie and his boys are in for trouble.
Bec: Are you working on a sequel/s?
Not yet. I would love to do a sequel for the Pumpkin Thief, but I want to see how well received it is first. And if I do, I’m in contract with Noble Publishers to send it to them first, which I would do anyway, contract or not. They are a great publisher to work with. But, yeah, that would be the one.
Bec: What other projects are you working on or involved with?
My horror novel, “Deep Within,” with Twisted Library Press will be out later this year, and I’ve been working on edits for a while. It’s an 80,000 word novel, and it’s taking some time to make it the best it can be before we release it.
My YA western trilogy was just accepted on the 29th of January, one of a few projects that were still under consideration from 2011. Kyle McGertt, Destroyer of the Indian Curses, Book 1, Hunt for The Ghoulish Bartender will be out Nov/Dec 2012.
Deadly Workout, a novella is slated to be released later this year by Dopomalvi Books. Another mystery I wrote in 2011.
And then there is, “Redemption,” still under consideration with a publisher. A collaborative novella about two guys who accidentally kill a young girl in a hit and run. Problem is, they should never have left her to die. I tell the story from Al Fudrucker’s POV, and Mark Taylor tells his story from Benny Fairwether’s. Two separate stories, but the reader will see how they closely interrelate. Evil is coming and it just became furry!!
Bec: What's your favorite color?
Blue, and black!!
Bec: If you were walking down the road and you saw a zombie walking along the opposite side of the road, what would you do?
Hell, I'd turn and run my ass off. I’m not ‘bout to let him start munching on my small brains! Hehehe!
Bec: Do you like to listen to music while you write or have complete silence?
I do both, whatever mood I’m in when I go to the table to begin writing.
Bec: What is the Evil Jester's favorite thing to eat for supper?
Whatever small animals he can find when he leaves my house late at night, on the prowl for dinner.
Bec: What genres do you most like to read/write?
Horror, fantasy, thrillers, graphic novels, comics, mystery, and YA. I've noticed I’ve been genre jumping lately with my published works. I wrote two mysteries, adult horror, YA horror, and have some other ideas in the future. I go with the best story from the voices in my head, and I do my best to bring it to fruition.
Bec: How long does it take the Evil Jester to do his hair/make-up in the morning? Does he carry a small purse with him so he can fix his evil make-up, should it smudge while he's goring it up?
Hehehehe. I’ll let him answer that. Hold on. Charlie, Bec has a question for you.
*The evil little jester opens his lid, pops out of his box using his galvanized slinky spring and leans over my shoulder to answer Bec’s question.*
“Ah, my dear, dear Rebecca, one of my first writer buds. I must admit it takes some time to do up my evil face in the AM. I do not carry a small purse, because as you know, I live in a dingy old box. Which by the way, I’d love to have you come on down one day and break some bread with me at the dinner table. We have so, so much to converse about.”
Okay, Charlie, thank you my evil little friend.
Bec: Do you find writing a lonely profession?
Hell no!! Between the voices, my characters that come alive to play with me in their fictitious world, and the evil little muse of mine who lives in a jester box, I’m never truly alone.
Bec: Has the Evil Jester ever run away and started mayhem in a crowded place?
I think we all know the answer to that one, the little devil.
Bec: What would you share with a beginning writer?
When you go to do your first draft, remember no one is going to see it but you. Take your time, but do not keep stopping and going back to redo this and that. Just get the story down on paper. You have many more edits to do from there anyway. And when you feel it’s polished, give it to a fresh set of eyes. And then, go find a publisher.
Bec: Has the Evil Jester ever bitten a cat?
Nope. He has bitten me on many occasions though; I can show you the bite marks. He hates when I reach down into his jester box! I know what many are thinking right now…dirty minds! Heheehehe!
Bec: What do you wish someone would have told you when you first started your writing journey?
Don’t do it! Heehehe!! Actually I think if someone told me: "Charles, you’re an extremist, a go getter, you have an addictive personality. If you start writing and find you love it, you’re going to be doing it for a very long time." I would heed there advice and think about what I was getting into. Now…I can’t stop.
Bec: Do you think having other writers as friend is a good thing for your growth as a writer?
Oh, yes, absolutely. I love my writer friends. They are so supportive. I also have three that are my mentors, Gregory L. Norris, Peter Giglio, and Hollie Snider. And then there is someone I’ve looked up to for a few years now, Vince Liaguno, Author, Publisher and Board Member for the HWA. He had many conversations with me when I first started and I’ll never forget those. And Gregory was there when I was ready to quit, getting rejection after rejection. Oh, yeah, you have to have writer friends and mentors to survive in this publishing industry.
Bec: Do you have any story ideas you think are too messed up to write?
Nope!!
Bec: What's your favorite book? Why?
Right now, my favorite book was The Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill. My all time favorite book was Lord of The Rings when I was a kid. I had so much fun being in that world. I know I have others and I may have mentioned those in other interviews. I just love to read and have enjoyed so many.
Bec: Who's your favorite author? Why?
Stephen King. I’m in awe of everything he writes.
Bec: If you were going to take the Evil Jester on vacation, where would he want to go and what would he want to do there?
To a remote location up in the mountains, in a log cabin!!
Bec: Is there anything you would like to share that I haven't asked you about?
You didn’t ask me do I wear boxers or briefs. Hehehehe!! Someone asked me that on an interview. Nope, I think you covered everything.
Bec: Thank you for stopping by and sharing! Best of luck with your book and future project!
Thank you, Bec, I had a great time!!!
Hey everyone, I’m Charles Day. Father, husband, Adult Home Coordinator with my day job, publisher of non-fiction and fiction -- writer by night and early AM!
Bec: What first got you interested in writing?
I just love to create imaginary worlds from the voices that dictate what they’ve experienced. I’m also an avid reader, I watch a ton of movies, and I’ve always wanted to be a movie director and do screenplays. I guess by writing fiction, it helps me to achieve some of these desires; I feel I’m making movies out of my writing.
Bec: What are the worst struggles you think writers face, writing and marketing?
For me, first and foremost, I have to be sure I’ve done my best to tell a story that will entertain. Then it’s building up a readership, writing stories that are different from everything else that’s out there, and being able to accept the fact that you really have to be a shameless self-promoter. But, if you truly have a story you believe in, and know for sure many people are going to like it, it helps boost confidence in promoting.
Bec: Tell us about your book/s –
Okay, I’ll try. My newest release, “Legend of The Pumpkin Thief,” with Noble YA Publishers LLC, is a story that revolves around, Nick, a seventeen-year-old who wants to go on to college and eventually sit for the police exam. His ultimate goal is to be a detective someday. As the story develops, he becomes involved in doing some early detective work when some pumpkins suddenly disappear in his small town of Chesterville.
Although this is a young adult novel, my first actually, it’s fun for all ages. I had a blast writing this, and I’m excited to be working on my next YA novel for them. I really enjoy writing for this genre.
My novella, “Lockdown,” with Wicked East Press included in Hannibal’s Manor is about a young guy with a mental illness who lives with his mother. He’s a huge kid for twenty -- think of Micheal Meyers in the Halloween remake -- and he also has something supernatural going on. Well, he winds up on a secured psych unit and the staff are about to find out that mental illness and the supernatural just do not mix.
Not yet. I would love to do a sequel for the Pumpkin Thief, but I want to see how well received it is first. And if I do, I’m in contract with Noble Publishers to send it to them first, which I would do anyway, contract or not. They are a great publisher to work with. But, yeah, that would be the one.
Bec: What other projects are you working on or involved with?
My horror novel, “Deep Within,” with Twisted Library Press will be out later this year, and I’ve been working on edits for a while. It’s an 80,000 word novel, and it’s taking some time to make it the best it can be before we release it.
My YA western trilogy was just accepted on the 29th of January, one of a few projects that were still under consideration from 2011. Kyle McGertt, Destroyer of the Indian Curses, Book 1, Hunt for The Ghoulish Bartender will be out Nov/Dec 2012.
Deadly Workout, a novella is slated to be released later this year by Dopomalvi Books. Another mystery I wrote in 2011.
And then there is, “Redemption,” still under consideration with a publisher. A collaborative novella about two guys who accidentally kill a young girl in a hit and run. Problem is, they should never have left her to die. I tell the story from Al Fudrucker’s POV, and Mark Taylor tells his story from Benny Fairwether’s. Two separate stories, but the reader will see how they closely interrelate. Evil is coming and it just became furry!!
Bec: What's your favorite color?
Blue, and black!!
Bec: If you were walking down the road and you saw a zombie walking along the opposite side of the road, what would you do?
Hell, I'd turn and run my ass off. I’m not ‘bout to let him start munching on my small brains! Hehehe!
Bec: Do you like to listen to music while you write or have complete silence?
I do both, whatever mood I’m in when I go to the table to begin writing.
Bec: What is the Evil Jester's favorite thing to eat for supper?
Whatever small animals he can find when he leaves my house late at night, on the prowl for dinner.
Bec: What genres do you most like to read/write?
Horror, fantasy, thrillers, graphic novels, comics, mystery, and YA. I've noticed I’ve been genre jumping lately with my published works. I wrote two mysteries, adult horror, YA horror, and have some other ideas in the future. I go with the best story from the voices in my head, and I do my best to bring it to fruition.
Bec: How long does it take the Evil Jester to do his hair/make-up in the morning? Does he carry a small purse with him so he can fix his evil make-up, should it smudge while he's goring it up?
Hehehehe. I’ll let him answer that. Hold on. Charlie, Bec has a question for you.
*The evil little jester opens his lid, pops out of his box using his galvanized slinky spring and leans over my shoulder to answer Bec’s question.*
“Ah, my dear, dear Rebecca, one of my first writer buds. I must admit it takes some time to do up my evil face in the AM. I do not carry a small purse, because as you know, I live in a dingy old box. Which by the way, I’d love to have you come on down one day and break some bread with me at the dinner table. We have so, so much to converse about.”
Okay, Charlie, thank you my evil little friend.
Bec: Do you find writing a lonely profession?
Hell no!! Between the voices, my characters that come alive to play with me in their fictitious world, and the evil little muse of mine who lives in a jester box, I’m never truly alone.
Bec: Has the Evil Jester ever run away and started mayhem in a crowded place?
I think we all know the answer to that one, the little devil.
Bec: What would you share with a beginning writer?
When you go to do your first draft, remember no one is going to see it but you. Take your time, but do not keep stopping and going back to redo this and that. Just get the story down on paper. You have many more edits to do from there anyway. And when you feel it’s polished, give it to a fresh set of eyes. And then, go find a publisher.
Bec: Has the Evil Jester ever bitten a cat?
Nope. He has bitten me on many occasions though; I can show you the bite marks. He hates when I reach down into his jester box! I know what many are thinking right now…dirty minds! Heheehehe!
Bec: What do you wish someone would have told you when you first started your writing journey?
Don’t do it! Heehehe!! Actually I think if someone told me: "Charles, you’re an extremist, a go getter, you have an addictive personality. If you start writing and find you love it, you’re going to be doing it for a very long time." I would heed there advice and think about what I was getting into. Now…I can’t stop.
Bec: Do you think having other writers as friend is a good thing for your growth as a writer?
Oh, yes, absolutely. I love my writer friends. They are so supportive. I also have three that are my mentors, Gregory L. Norris, Peter Giglio, and Hollie Snider. And then there is someone I’ve looked up to for a few years now, Vince Liaguno, Author, Publisher and Board Member for the HWA. He had many conversations with me when I first started and I’ll never forget those. And Gregory was there when I was ready to quit, getting rejection after rejection. Oh, yeah, you have to have writer friends and mentors to survive in this publishing industry.
Bec: Do you have any story ideas you think are too messed up to write?
Nope!!
Bec: What's your favorite book? Why?
Right now, my favorite book was The Heart Shaped Box by Joe Hill. My all time favorite book was Lord of The Rings when I was a kid. I had so much fun being in that world. I know I have others and I may have mentioned those in other interviews. I just love to read and have enjoyed so many.
Bec: Who's your favorite author? Why?
Stephen King. I’m in awe of everything he writes.
Bec: If you were going to take the Evil Jester on vacation, where would he want to go and what would he want to do there?
To a remote location up in the mountains, in a log cabin!!
Bec: Is there anything you would like to share that I haven't asked you about?
You didn’t ask me do I wear boxers or briefs. Hehehehe!! Someone asked me that on an interview. Nope, I think you covered everything.
Bec: Thank you for stopping by and sharing! Best of luck with your book and future project!
Thank you, Bec, I had a great time!!!
Click no the above covers to visit the titles on Amazon!
Copyrights owned by Rebecca Besser and Charles Day, 2012. All rights reserved.
Copyrights owned by Rebecca Besser and Charles Day, 2012. All rights reserved.
Amazon vs Barnes & Noble - You're Gonna Have to Choose
I just read this article about Barnes & Noble refusing to sell print copies of Amazon published titles:
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/31/barnes-noble-says-it-wont-sell-books-published-by-amazon/
I have to say it leaves me wondering many things. Like how is it going to effect all the people who self-published with Amazon, or have signed with them as their publisher? Clearly from The New York Times article, you might be flying solo with them because Barnes & Noble will not sell your print books in their store (although they still plan to sell ebooks).
So, if you had the dream of walking into a Barnes & Noble store and seeing a copy of your book sitting on a shelf, you can forget it.
What's more is that (again, according to the article) other book stores across the US feel the same way and don't plan on carrying Amazon published books.
My thinking is that Amazon finally pissed enough people off with their domination -- trying to change the entire publishing market to suit them -- that they've gone too far and pushed too many good relationships away.
I see this as hurting the people who self-publish or sign with Amazon. Those who stay with traditional publishing and go with small presses to larger, established ones, will just be sitting back and shaking their heads, because their books shouldn't be affected.
I guess we'll all just have to sit back and wait and see what happens. I think this will change how some people choose to publish their book now, because they might have some road blocks of how their title will be presented in the world.
Here's another link of interest:
http://www.theverge.com/2012/1/29/2755207/publishing-industry-barnes-noble-amazon
Copyrights owned by Rebecca Besser, 2012. All rights reserved.
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/31/barnes-noble-says-it-wont-sell-books-published-by-amazon/
I have to say it leaves me wondering many things. Like how is it going to effect all the people who self-published with Amazon, or have signed with them as their publisher? Clearly from The New York Times article, you might be flying solo with them because Barnes & Noble will not sell your print books in their store (although they still plan to sell ebooks).
So, if you had the dream of walking into a Barnes & Noble store and seeing a copy of your book sitting on a shelf, you can forget it.
What's more is that (again, according to the article) other book stores across the US feel the same way and don't plan on carrying Amazon published books.
My thinking is that Amazon finally pissed enough people off with their domination -- trying to change the entire publishing market to suit them -- that they've gone too far and pushed too many good relationships away.
I see this as hurting the people who self-publish or sign with Amazon. Those who stay with traditional publishing and go with small presses to larger, established ones, will just be sitting back and shaking their heads, because their books shouldn't be affected.
I guess we'll all just have to sit back and wait and see what happens. I think this will change how some people choose to publish their book now, because they might have some road blocks of how their title will be presented in the world.
Here's another link of interest:
http://www.theverge.com/2012/1/29/2755207/publishing-industry-barnes-noble-amazon
Copyrights owned by Rebecca Besser, 2012. All rights reserved.
Evans City Cemetery Chapel Charity project headed by Alfredo Torres
Bec: Welcome to my blog, please tell us about your charity project and what inspired you to take it on –
Alfredo (A): The Save the Chapel writing project is part of a charity which is trying to raise 50 thousand dollars in order to preserve the Evans City Cemetery Chapel. The chapel is seen in the opening of the movie Night of the Living Dead and it is the last surviving structure from that iconic movie. I have long been a fan of Night of the Living Dead. As a matter of fact, I saw the movie when I was 7 years old and it haunted me for years. I was deathly afraid of zombies till I was about 35. I figured that since I had access to quite a few authors, I would see if they were interested in possibly getting a book together with the proceeds going toward the charity.
Bec: What will the proceeds of sales go for?
A: The proceeds will go toward the restoration and preservation of the Chapel. The Chapel is in a bad state of neglect and is in need of quite a bit of work.
Bec: Are you still taking story submission? (If so, please share the guidelines.)
A: I will be taking stories for the book until the end of February. I only have three guidelines: 1) the story includes the Chapel; 2) the story involve zombies; and 3) there is no reference made to any character from the movie.
Bec: What are you absolutely not looking for in a story?
A: As long as the stories do not involve any of the characters, I am leaving it up to the creativity of the authors. They are a pretty imaginative and talented group of people that are already involved.
Bec: Is there anywhere/way for people to contact you if they have questions?
A: They can contact me on Facebook by looking for the “Save the chapel writing group”. It is a private group, but once they request to become a member, I will approve them and they can ask any questions they have.
Bec: How many stories are you planning on taking all together?
A: As many stories as I can get. I would love to have maybe 30 or so. They stories don’t have to be long and any editing that I am going to do with be basic spelling and such. I have no intention to rewrite or change the stories in any way. If there is significant problems with the story in any way, I will contact the author and inform him/her on what I think the issues are.
Bec: How will the book be shared with the world? Are you going to do ebook, paperback, or both?
A: We will be doing an ebook release since we can save money on publishing and storage costs, thereby giving more money to the charity. If there is a significant demand for a book format, then we might look at printing a few and see what that turns into.
Bec: Where will people be able to buy copies?
A: We will be setting up an account on amazon.com where people will be able to go and purchase the book. The price will be set once I know how big it will be, and the money collected will go straight into the chapel account. This way, everyone knows that the chapel is getting every penny, and once the chapel is fixed, any additional purchases will continue to help defray the cost of upkeep and future maintenance.
Bec: Is there anything else you would like to share that I haven't asked you about?
A: First I would like to thank you for taking the time to let your readers know about the charity. This book will feature a lot of really talented authors and is a great way to check out their writing style. This book will also feature stories written by people who just love the chapel. Night of the Living Dead is more than just a zombie movie. It has inspired every form of media, from books to movies to video games to comic books. It has been named one of the top 100 movies by every film organization that exists. The movie is in the Library of Congress. The movie is the foundation for the horror genre as we know it today. To say it was iconic is an understatement. Thanks to the efforts of the Save the Chapel group led by Gary Streiner, who also happened to be the sound engineer on the film, we might be able to save the last remaining piece of this incredible film. If anyone is interested in finding out more, you can go to Facebook and look up the Living Dead Festival group, the group run by Gary, and for the ebook, go to the Save the Chapel writing group and request to join. Also make sure that if you are a fan of zombies in general, check out my podcast, Torres vs Zombies. You can download it for free on itunes or sticher radio.
Bec: Thank you for stopping by! I wish you all the best with your charity project!
A: Thank you, Becca, for taking the time to talk to me
Copyrights owned by Rebecca Besser and Alfredo Torres, 2012. All rights reserved.
Alfredo (A): The Save the Chapel writing project is part of a charity which is trying to raise 50 thousand dollars in order to preserve the Evans City Cemetery Chapel. The chapel is seen in the opening of the movie Night of the Living Dead and it is the last surviving structure from that iconic movie. I have long been a fan of Night of the Living Dead. As a matter of fact, I saw the movie when I was 7 years old and it haunted me for years. I was deathly afraid of zombies till I was about 35. I figured that since I had access to quite a few authors, I would see if they were interested in possibly getting a book together with the proceeds going toward the charity.
Bec: What will the proceeds of sales go for?
A: The proceeds will go toward the restoration and preservation of the Chapel. The Chapel is in a bad state of neglect and is in need of quite a bit of work.
Bec: Are you still taking story submission? (If so, please share the guidelines.)
A: I will be taking stories for the book until the end of February. I only have three guidelines: 1) the story includes the Chapel; 2) the story involve zombies; and 3) there is no reference made to any character from the movie.
Bec: What are you absolutely not looking for in a story?
A: As long as the stories do not involve any of the characters, I am leaving it up to the creativity of the authors. They are a pretty imaginative and talented group of people that are already involved.
Bec: Is there anywhere/way for people to contact you if they have questions?
A: They can contact me on Facebook by looking for the “Save the chapel writing group”. It is a private group, but once they request to become a member, I will approve them and they can ask any questions they have.
Bec: How many stories are you planning on taking all together?
A: As many stories as I can get. I would love to have maybe 30 or so. They stories don’t have to be long and any editing that I am going to do with be basic spelling and such. I have no intention to rewrite or change the stories in any way. If there is significant problems with the story in any way, I will contact the author and inform him/her on what I think the issues are.
Bec: How will the book be shared with the world? Are you going to do ebook, paperback, or both?
A: We will be doing an ebook release since we can save money on publishing and storage costs, thereby giving more money to the charity. If there is a significant demand for a book format, then we might look at printing a few and see what that turns into.
Bec: Where will people be able to buy copies?
A: We will be setting up an account on amazon.com where people will be able to go and purchase the book. The price will be set once I know how big it will be, and the money collected will go straight into the chapel account. This way, everyone knows that the chapel is getting every penny, and once the chapel is fixed, any additional purchases will continue to help defray the cost of upkeep and future maintenance.
Bec: Is there anything else you would like to share that I haven't asked you about?
A: First I would like to thank you for taking the time to let your readers know about the charity. This book will feature a lot of really talented authors and is a great way to check out their writing style. This book will also feature stories written by people who just love the chapel. Night of the Living Dead is more than just a zombie movie. It has inspired every form of media, from books to movies to video games to comic books. It has been named one of the top 100 movies by every film organization that exists. The movie is in the Library of Congress. The movie is the foundation for the horror genre as we know it today. To say it was iconic is an understatement. Thanks to the efforts of the Save the Chapel group led by Gary Streiner, who also happened to be the sound engineer on the film, we might be able to save the last remaining piece of this incredible film. If anyone is interested in finding out more, you can go to Facebook and look up the Living Dead Festival group, the group run by Gary, and for the ebook, go to the Save the Chapel writing group and request to join. Also make sure that if you are a fan of zombies in general, check out my podcast, Torres vs Zombies. You can download it for free on itunes or sticher radio.
Bec: Thank you for stopping by! I wish you all the best with your charity project!
A: Thank you, Becca, for taking the time to talk to me
Copyrights owned by Rebecca Besser and Alfredo Torres, 2012. All rights reserved.
