Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a novelist from rural North Carolina. I first got interested in writing novels when I read that Louis Lamour made up his stories as he went along. I thought I could try my hand at that, and I found it easy and fun.
So far, I have published only two books- one novel and a short novella. But more are on the way.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest publication is a novella named “The Ghost of Shanaghy Jones.” The initial inspiration (believe it or not!) came from a Bonita Granville Nancy Drew movie. The main plot was a neighbor trying to make two elderly sisters believe their house was haunted so he steal it from them, by making them violate some legal technicalities in their father’s will.
I changed it into a rustler and his two sons getting caught in the act one night. There was some shooting and at least the father, Shanaghy Jones, was killed. The one son fell over a cliff in making his escape and the other left the county. But ten years later, a man who looked and talked just like Shanaghy Jones started stealing cows. The couple people who were unfortunate enough to run into him described him as Shanaghy Jones- a dead man! And the rustler would just disappear with his herds into thin air. The trail just stopped.
A master troubleshooter named Smoky Walker came after the ghost rustler. He could track an Apache Indian across a rock, but can even he track a ghost rustler through the air?
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I write when I have time here and there, so I often think ahead and plan out the next couple pages so that when I sit down, I can start typing 100 mph.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite western author is Louis Lamour. I have read many of his books, and continue to like them. I also like to read Robert Ballantyne’s historical novels.
My list of all-time favorite books would be “The Spanish Brothers”, “The Scarlett Pimpernel”, and “The Pirate City.”
Non-fiction books have influenced me more than fiction. Philosopher Gordan Clark has been a heavy influence on my thinking, as has John Calvin.
What are you working on now?
My upcoming novel is called “The Sons of Thunder”. It is a sprawling tale of intrigue, dust and bullets. I plan to publish it sometime next summer.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I would tell new authors to read every article Dave Chesson has on Kindleprenuer. Start building an email list and a blog at least six months in advance of releasing your book. Figure out what your book is worth. If you can’t give a definitive statement of what makes your book worth buying, then it will be next to impossible to market it or find an audience.
If you know why your book is worth reading, then you can figure out the people who would like reading it (your audience) and then market it to them. And finally, don’t expect your first book to be a bestseller. First books just aren’t like that. People that have best-selling first novels are selling their best novel so far. They have developed their writing style for a long time, and they probably have rejected manuscripts at the house. If yours becomes one, that’s awesome. But don’t go into publishing expecting to be featured in the New York Times a week later. That being said, if you do your homework and keep writing novels, each one should generate higher and higher sales- to the point that you may get a bestseller at some point.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
At a man’s 100th birthday, his children asked him what advice he would give. He picked up his Bible and said, “In here is all the wisdom we need. Never cease to study it.”
What are you reading now?
One book I am currently reading is “The Lovat Scouts”, which is the story an amazing group of Highland soldiers in the British army. Another is “A Christian View of Men and Things.” I am also reading “The Adventures of Big Foot Wallace”, the true story of a Texas Ranger.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I am working on finishing up a novel, “The Sons of Thunder.” I have not yet decided on the plot of the book after that.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
If I were going to be stranded on a desert island, I would bring the Bible, “The Master Backwoodsman,” “The Pirate City,” and “The Scarlett Pimpernel.”
Author Websites and Profiles
Andrew Pankratz Website
Andrew Pankratz Amazon Profile
Andrew Pankratz’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile