Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I am a east coaster, born and raised in NYC. I’ve been writing stories since I was 8. I do tend to be a little…well, different when come up with stories, going from anything from action adventure with a side of humor to my first kids book.
I’ve written two books: “A Prayer For The Dying”, a story about a young man who carries the cure for a deadly disease within his own blood, and my first kids book (aimed at middle aged folks, even though adults would like it as well), “Cluck The Undercover Chicken.”
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
“Cluck The Undercover Chicken” is my latest book. It is based on stories that I used to tell my oldest when he was between 7-10. What I did with the book was take everything my son like about it (the humor and the action involved, as well as Cluck’s arrogance) and built an entire world around it. I also tried to make sure I inserted enough content in the book where adults would get a kick out of it as well. The extra angle of the writer interacting with Cluck was also a driving factor as I wrote it.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Putting ideas on every piece of paper I can find. My head is always coming up with story ideas, and since most days I can’t get on my computer to put it down, I have paper everywhere with ideas with new short stories and ideas. Also, I can be watching TV, and an idea pops in my head and I either blog about it or share it amongst friends. For all I know, I may have left a best seller on Facebook.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Mythology, really. It was all I read when I was a kid. The different ideas of a civilization believing in something different that what I am used to when it comes to deities in some odd way made me want to write about different realities.
What are you working on now?
I am about halfway done with the sequel to my first book, as well as bouncing ideas off my son for the 2nd “Cluck” book. We came up with so many villains for Cluck to face, there are plenty places for him to go, especially as the relationship he forms with the author continues to expand and grow.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Wow, I wish I knew that…I’m hoping right here (chuckling). I have spent my time basically contacting folks who might be interested in my book and ask them to read it. Also, my publisher has given me an option to offer a free chapter of the book for folks to sample, in return for a few questions answered. That has helped with sales, since folks have an idea what the book is about.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Write.
Write.
Right!
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
When I stopped writing for a while, I got a call out of the blue from an old friend, who happened to be a pastor. We caught up on things, and he asked about my writing. I told him that after 75 rejection letters from literary agents, I just figured it wasn’t in the cards for me. He paused for a moment, and said the following:
“Don’t give up. You don’t want to get old and say “What if…”
I started writing “Prayer” the next day.
What are you reading now?
Sadly, I’ve spent my time promoting the book, as well as to attending to other personal matters. However, I did finally get around to reading the first book of “The Hunger Games”, about a 1/3 of the way through it. They definitely left a lot out of the movie.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’ll be honest. I love to write, but I lose interest when folks don’t read what I write, whether it is on my blog, my books, or just short stories that happen to pop into my head. With “Cluck”, I’ve never worked on anything so hard writing-wise in my life. I cut all the fat that I can see, so I could make it entertain as wide as an audience as possible. I only want a few hundred folks to look at my work, say “hey, that’s pretty cool”, and spend a couple of bucks.
That’s my fuel…my fire; it gets me excited to come up with something new for them. I figure that if you use your most precious commodity (time) to read something I wrote, it is the greatest compliment as a writer, which gives me the drive to write more.
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?
Greek Or Roman Mythology
The Hunger Games Series
Any Star Wars books
Any Star Trek Books
(and yes, I am a part time nerd).
Author Websites and Profiles
G. Eric Francis Website
G. Eric Francis Amazon Profile
G. Eric Francis’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
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