Interview With Author Rob Neto
Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’ve written both fiction and non-fiction books. My first book, Sidemount Diving, The Almost Comprehensive Guide was first published in 2015. After a very successful run, I released the 2nd edition in 2020. Sidemount Diving has sold thousands of copies worldwide and has been called “one of the best and most comprehensive books on sidemount diving” by InDepth Magazine. It has been translated into three additional languages – Dutch, German, and Spanish – and is currently being translated into more languages.
I published my first novel, Beyond the Grate, in July 2023. It was an instant success and has been purchased by readers in at least 15 countries. I recently completed the sequel to Beyond the Grate, Into the Darkness Beyond, which is currently in the hands of the first line editors. Into the Darkness Beyond has a tentative release date of January 2024.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest book, Beyond the Grate, was inspired by the true events surrounding the disappearance of a scuba diver last seen at a popular Florida panhandle freshwater spring with an underwater cave. The diver had allegedly been getting past the locked grate and exploring the cave beyond it. His vehicle was reported abandoned two days after he had last been seen at the spring.
I was one of the divers called upon to find and recover his body. My team mate and I made it to the last restriction in the cave, some 1600 feet from the entrance and 140 feet deep, and saw no sign of him. To this day, 13 years later, no body has turned up. Beyond the Grate is one possible explanation for this.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Nothing I’m really aware of. I’m a pantser. I sit at my desk and just start writing. I can easily push out 4-5000 words in one session. When I start writing a book I typically don’t have an outline or any idea where the book will take me. I just let it happen. I finished the first draft of Into the Darkness Beyond in about three months time. The endings to both Beyond the Grate and Into the Darkness Beyond were a surprise to me so I hope they are also a surprise to readers.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
John Grisham is the most influential. I read an interview he had years ago and he mentioned the inspiration for A Time to Kill came from his asking what if. The true event that inspired that book was the attack and sexual assault of a young girl. Her attackers were caught and put on trial. Grisham asked himself what if the father of the girl killed her attackers during the trial and he was put on trial for their murders. This resulted in A Time to Kill being written.
My books use the same concept. I find something that has occurred and ask myself what if… Beyond the Grate, Into the Darkness Beyond, and my current WIP were all conceived this way.
Also, most thriller authors. I like Harlan Coben. He really knows how to keep readers on the edges of their seats. I’m also a huge Tom Clancy fan. Although Clancy has been dead for quite some time, his legacy continues through other writers.
What are you working on now?
I’m finishing up the editing of Into the Darkness Beyond, the sequel to Beyond the Grate, as well as beginning on the next book in the series. I still haven’t settled on a title for the third book.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have my own websites but I also promote heavily on the social media sites. I use Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Threads, YouTube, and LinkedIn. I think Facebook probably gets me the most sales but I don’t know for certain.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
You’re not done once your book is published. That’s when the real work begins. You need to market yourself. Don’t be afraid to post, post, post. Don’t bother with the book groups on Facebook. My experience leads me to believe they don’t help sell books. All they do is draw the attention of the scammers to you. Market yourself creatively and build a following. That’s the only way you’ll sell books as an indie author.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t waste money on ads, at least not for your first novel. They don’t work. Free marketing will sell more books than paid ads. Be persistent and don’t get discouraged. And being writing that next book right away. Sales for your first book will get a boost once you publish your second book.
What are you reading now?
I’m in between books. But I’m about to start reading another Harlan Coben book. I’m trying something different with my third book – writing from the 1st person POV – and Coben does that quite well. So I consider it research for my WIP.
What’s next for you as a writer?
To just keep writing. I’m hoping to be able to produce at least two books a year. Three or four would be better but I’m not sure I can keep up that pace. I’m going to try, though.
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?
Tough question. I have so many favorites. One book that really sticks out is What Dreams May Come by Richard Matheson. Both the book and the movie spoke to me. They were both very good in their own rights.
The Stand by Stephen King. It took me a while to get into that one, maybe about 200 pages. Once the character and settings were established I couldn’t put it down. Definitely a great book.
Finally, I would have to look through some literary anthologies. I would want a collection of works so I wouldn’t get bored reading the same thing over and over again. I like variety.
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