Interview With Author Bernard Schaffer
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Bernard Schaffer and I'm an author from the Philadelphia area. I wrote the Santero and Rein Thriller series for Kensington Books (3 novels) and three westerns for the Ralph Compton series with Berkley.
Prior to that I was an indie author who published multiple titles.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
BASEMENT DOGS is my latest book. I wanted to go back to something raw and visceral that didn't have to worry about getting picked by celebrity book clubs or appeasing a dozen different gatekeepers. I wrote this one for the people I really work for, the readers.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Only that I write a lot and I always finish my projects. I'd only say that's unusual because I've met far too many writers who languish with one book and never get past chapter five.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
There are too many to name. At the top of the list, I'd have to say Hemingway, Harper Lee, Stephen King, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Ian Fleming, Harlan Ellison, Bukowski, and Elmore Leonard.
What are you working on now?
I have another book called VANPIRO that's waiting in the wings. One of the reasons I went back to indie publishing is that the traditional world is just too slow. I've had projects backing up and just sitting on hard drives when they could have been out there in the world.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
The best tool I've found is to connect with readers who enjoy your work via social media. Then create a space where you can interact with them and let them know what you're working on. For me, setting up a Facebook Group for my readers and reviewers has been greatly beneficial. Plus, it gives me a place to offer signed copies, special items, and things like that.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
I didn't start going to writing conventions until after I landed my Kensington deal, but I can see how they'd be beneficial to new authors. They give you a chance to connect with people in the industry and learn from the experience of others.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Readeth More Than Thou Writeth Shall be the Whole of the Law – Harlan Ellison
What are you reading now?
I just finished DUNE MESSIAH yesterday and I'm trying to decide whether or not to keep going. I'm definitely interested in the next two books, especially the one where the guy turns himself into an enormous sandworm, but I didn't love MESSIAH that much. I've got about a hundred other books in my TBR pile if I decide to go in a different direction.
What’s next for you as a writer?
For BASEMENT DOGS, I've started a new endeavor called Rewilding Books. Rewilding is a process where you take endangered or almost extinct species and you put them back out into their natural environment and see if they flourish. That's how I feel about the state of publishing right now.
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?
HOUSE OF LEAVES, by Mark Z. Danielewski
A MOVEABLE FEAST, by Hemingway
HARRY POTTER: ORDER OF THE PHOENIX, by JK Rowling
LONESOME DOVE, by Larry McMurtry
Author Websites and Profiles
Bernard Schaffer Amazon Profile
Bernard Schaffer’s Social Media Links
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