Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve been writing since I was in second grade when my teacher called my parents in for a conference because the ghost story I’d written had her a little concerned. By the time I was fourteen years old I was reading every Stephen King book I could find in the public library. I was hooked – I knew I had to be a writer.
Since then I’ve had several stories published and I’ve had four screenplays optioned by producers in Hollywood, one of which is being considered for production at a major studio. I’ve written three books so far and one collection of short stories (Ancient Enemy, The Summoning, Descendants of Magic, and A Dark Collection: 12 Scary Stories). Ancient Enemy was a bestseller on Amazon/Kindle. I’m a member of the Horror Writers Association.
I grew up in Daytona Beach, Florida but after many travels and adventures I settled down in Tampa, Florida with my wonderful and supportive wife, my son, and a stray cat we adopted.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is a collection of short stories (A Dark Collection: 12 Scary Stories). I’ve always loved short stories, short story collections, and anthologies. Short stories have always been a way for me to discover new writers. Some of the stories in my collection were published previously, but most are new.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I don’t know if this is unusual, but I outline a lot. Also, (and I know this is contrary to most advice writers might hear) I don’t write every day. There are days when I just let my mind wander, maybe jotting down notes here and there. But then the days I do sit down to write, I can accomplish a lot. I don’t really have a set schedule and I don’t put pressure on myself in that way, but I still get a lot done.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite authors through the years:
Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Larry McMurtry, Michael Crichton, Louis L’Amour, Ann Rice, Lee Child, Robert McCammon, Sue Grafton, Michael Marshall, Preston and Child, Shirley Jackson, Peter Straub, Clive Barker, Dan Brown, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Nancy Kress, and too many more to name.
What are you working on now?
I’ve got two books coming out on Amazon/Kindle within the next few weeks.
Night Terrors is a supernatural thriller about a woman with psychic abilities being pursued by a serial killer with psychic powers of his own.
Ghost Town is a novella about six strangers who wake up in a ghost town where someone begins picking them off one by one, but they need to figure out the rules of the “game” if any of them are going to survive.
I’m also just beginning the first book in a post-apocalyptic series called Blackout.
I’m always working on several projects at a time in varying stages of completion.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Promoting books is one of the toughest things I’ve had to do since becoming an author, and I’m still in the learning stages.
I’ve found that Twitter works well, especially services that will tweet your book to their followers during a promotion. I’ve also frequented websites (like this one) to get the word out.
One thing I haven’t done yet is build a website or start a blog, but I plan on getting to that very soon.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
One of my biggest pieces of advice is: I don’t believe writers should put too much pressure on themselves to write every day. Sometimes it just doesn’t work, and you can do other things such as promoting, jotting down notes, daydreaming, outlining, editing and re-reading your work, designing covers, etc.
Don’t be afraid to just write out the whole first draft, even if it isn’t coming out exactly like you want it to. You can always go back and edit and change things, but you can’t do anything unless the first draft is written down.
On Kindle, I believe it’s important to have a great description of your book and a great title and cover. And with Kindle, you can always change these at any time if you don’t think they’re working.
Like Stephen King said, and I still think it’s the best advice ever (probably should’ve been at the top of this page), read a lot and write a lot.
And to go along with reading, I would advise reading as many books on selling and marketing your book on Amazon/Kindle as you can. I read three books before putting my first book on Kindle and they helped me a lot.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
From Stephen King’s On Writing: Read a lot and write a lot.
What are you reading now?
Several books:
Boy’s Life by Robert McCammon (paperback)
Crossing the Darkness by William Massa (Kindle)
The Final Winter by Iain Rob Wright (Kindle)
What’s next for you as a writer?
I’m working with two producers on two different scripts right now.
As for the books: I’ve got Night Terrors and Ghost Town coming out very soon. I’m in the middle of a book called Devil’s Island. And I’m just beginning Blackout and The Superhuman Gene.
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?
I’d bring a book called: How to get off a desert island.
Just kidding.
I guess I’d bring the only two fiction books I’ve read more than once: Christine by Stephen King and Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry.
Author Websites and Profiles
Mark Lukens Amazon Profile
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