Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
How many I’ve written and how many that have been published are different answers.
Currently, I have a Sci-Fy series called Evolution of Angels out. There are three books in the series so far with more coming down the pike, including one that I’m looking to launch early next year.
In 2013 and 2014, I wrote non-fiction books about Fantasy Baseball. I also did quite a few videos. Those were fun, but I decided that splitting my focus between it, my work and other projects was taking its toll on me.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book is called Artificial Light. It’s a continuation of my Evolution of Angels series.
Book 1 “Evolution of Angels” and book 2 “The Descendants” were events that happened simultaneously. Book three brought them together and introduced a new crop of characters.
The books are science fiction and deal with a race of galactic superbeings known as angels, their offspring, their interaction with earth, humans and the consequences. Gods from ancient mythologies (Greek, Egyptian, Myan, Norse, Yoruba…) are all angels. The books weave an original story by incorporating old myths, legends and religious tales through a scientific lens with new characters and boat loads of action.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
This is sort of a leading question. Since I just know my habits, I can’t say what is weird and what isn’t. I can’t really write while listening to music, but I do all my best scene planning while listening to music in the shower.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Robert Frost, Franz Kafka, Mathew, Mark, Luke, John
What are you working on now?
I’m doing my second pass of the 4th Evolution of Angels novel while balancing two unrelated projects.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
They all suck. If any of them were the best, then I’d be getting more sales given the feedback I’ve gotten through reviews, posts and personal messages.
Goodreads is a storm of authors all clamoring for the same candlelight. Facebook beats you down until you pay them. Twitter….hahahaha.
I like to find KDP groups on Facebook and relentlessly post there. I get about 100 pages read a day on my KDP. More than most, shy of many.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Don’t rush your first book. Yeah, you just finished it and it’s the best thing ever. I’m sure. But it’s not. Put it down. Play with some action figures. Then come back to it.
Don’t do your own editing. Don’t do your own proofreading. Don’t ask family to do anything: it’ll either be bad information or they’ll just let you down with how much they couldn’t care less.
Find 5-7 BETA readers who enjoy different types of books. You want readers who will appreciate romance and those who appreciate a twisting plot. Some readers will tick more than one box, none will tick them all.
Do hire someone to make you a professional cover. Microsoft paint won’t cut it.
Don’t pay for one of those scrolling blog blasts. They regurgitate the same information. You can find better people looking for content for their site on Goodreads. Just look at this one here! Totally free.
Do plan in advance: schedule your book for pre-order 3 months after you think you want to publish. During this time, you need to be doing a full gauntlet of interviews, posts, sneak peaks, artwork leaks, anything you can do to ramp up support. If you haven’t already done a book trailer, do one. The three months leading up to your book release ARE NOT for editing and formatting. That should be done already.
Find as many ARC readers as you can. Some will flake out. Most will take longer than they claim. Use the same type of criteria you did for your BETA’s. Readers who look for theme, action, characters or some other specific thing they enjoy about books. No one reader is the same. This way your reviews are all different and focus on a different aspect of your novel. Maybe your BETAs will be willing to do an ARC.
Find ARC readers by searching for similar books to yours and pick out those who wrote 5 and 2 star reviews. Find the reasons for their reviews and see if your book hits the notes they want in those types of books. Why 5 and 2 star reviews? 4 and 3 star reviews are the “I read some of it and just want to leave a good review so that I don’t piss this person off, but I totally don’t want to mislead.” 1 star reviews mean a book was shittier than shit and therefore you can’t really determine what a reviewer was looking for.
This is all stuff I wish I would have known before publishing book 1.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t pee into the wind.
A fox smells its own hole.
What are you reading now?
I’ve been doing some Development Editing to make some spending cash. It’s made me a tremendously better writer. The book I’m currently reading is especially painful.
If you’re looking for some good indie books, check out Iron by Robin L. Cole, GR3T3L-1 by V.M. Sawh and The Eleventh Ring by Tom Hoffman.
What’s next for you as a writer?
You ask a lot of questions. Anyone ever tell you that you are nosy?
The same thing I do every night: try to take over the world.
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?
American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
How to Build and Sail Small Boats-Canoes-Punts and Rafts by Tony Read
Born Survivor: Survival Techniques from the most dangerous places on Earth
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