Author interview: Orlando Smart-Powell     

Folsom on Fire                                                         

Gods of Egypt

 

     Is there any significant event, conversation, or story that sparked the idea for Folsom on Fire?

 

       A few years back, there was great interest in exploring what life was like for freed slaves. One of the areas that was explored was about terrorism against African-Americans by lynching. Reading about and seeing pictures of these murders prompted me to explore what in a person’s psyche could reduce them to commit such evil acts. But the crime of lynching was just the seed for the novel. Folsom on Fire is a woman’s journey from self-hate to self-love, and an exploration of bravery and perseverance of the soul.

 

 

     What about the title? Titles can change several times during the course of a novel and it's fun to find out what other names the novel carried before the final title was chosen. You chose a chilling title that fit the story well, but what was the working title for Folsom on Fire?

 

       The original title of the novel was Mary—Mother of the Dead. My partner, Nathan, actually felt that it sounded far too grim and didn’t fit the beauty of the main character, Mary. So the title Folsom on Fire was actually his idea. The moment it came out of his mouth, we both knew that it was the one.

 

 

     How many rounds of revisions did it take to get your manuscript ready before Critique My Novel had a go at it?

 

       My oh my! I would say that I revised the novel about three times (after the first draft) before I submitted it to CMN. I’ve heard that writing is rewriting, and I now know that to be true. But after each edit, I can honestly say that the novel became better and tighter. And then it was off to CMN for an honest, unbiased opinion, which worked wonders.

 

 

    Did you research other editing sites? If so, why did you choose CMN?

 

       I actually checked out a number of other editing sites. One of the first things that struck me and turned me off was their sterile feel. In no way did I get a sense that they were invested in helping me produce a great novel, as much as they just wanted my business.

       CMN immediately stood out as a team dedicated to helping a writer craft the best novel possible. After receiving my critique back for Folsom on Fire, I knew that I would be utilizing them again and again. I don’t say this because their critique told me what I wanted to hear, but because they told me what I needed to hear, which is the best critique in my opinion.

 

 

     Once your novel was ready, you went out to search for an agent. Tell us how that went. Any significant anecdotes in your dealings with the publishing world?

 

       Yes, I did enter that frightening world of ‘querying an agent.’ I spent weeks writing up the best query letter that I could. I ordered the Writer’s Digest ‘tome’ and searched for agents that were looking for novels like mine. I organized, categorized, made lists and charts. I think I sent off perhaps thirty or more queries, and then watched the rejection letters trickle in.

       I would be lying if I said that I didn’t take it personally at first, but more importantly, I didn’t let it stop me. One thing I did notice (and have heard from other authors) is that often times, query letters are not even looked at, or just given a cursory glance. I could tell when my query letter was actually handled, or just slipped back into the return envelope and put back in the mail. It’s hard to take a rejection to heart when you know your query letter wasn’t even looked at. 

       But then the company, Amazon, developed a novel (no pun intended) delivery system and created this really neat device called a Kindle, which revolutionized the book industry . . . and brought Indie authors into light.

 

 

     When the traditional route didn't pan out, what did you do next?

 

       I knew that an unpublished writer could become an Indie novelist, so I decided to go that route. I figured that it would be difficult to get my book out there and some name recognition, but I didn’t realize just how crowded the field really is. There are literally thousands of books being published and self-published every week. So getting one’s book out there and noticed is really where the traditional route has a greater advantage by means of connections and money.

 

But, there is this really cool thing out there called the Internet.

 

       With the aid of Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and other social networking sites, an Indie author can spread the word about their novel and themselves as a novelist. But it takes work. You must produce a great novel first and foremost, which is where the CMN team comes into play. Second, you need to get the word out by whatever means. I’ve sent copies to family and friends, who have then recommended the book to others. We all have to remember, J.K. Rowling, even with the best marketers in the world, wouldn’t be where she is today if it weren’t for great word of mouth about her novels. So again, write that great novel and do what you can (and must) to get it into people’s hands.

 

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Bio:

 

 

       Orlando Smart-Powell is a Speech-Language Pathologist and the owner of a Consulting Service and Special Needs technology company. He holds a Masters Degree in Communicative Disorders and is a veteran of the United States Army. Mr. Smart-Powell is the author of Folsom on Fire--Critique My Novel’s 2012 winner.

       His next novel, Gods of Egypt, is a dark fantasy delving into the rivalry between God and Lucifer—Summer 2013 release.

 

 

Links:  

 

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/174939 

 

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Folsom-on-Fire-ebook

              http://www.amazon.com/Gods-of-Egypt-ebook

  

Faceook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Orlando-Smart-Powell-Author/169734413075647?ref=hl

 

Author Interview with Richard Houston A View to Die For Upcoming: A Book to Die For          The first question people like to ask is how do writers come up with their ideas. Is there any significantevent, conversation, or story that sparked the idea for A View to Die For?        Like most English students (my college minor), I’ve always wanted to write a book. It only took me thirty years. I started A View to Die For shortly after we moved to Lake of the Ozarks from Colorado. I had been working on several novels using Colorado as the background but never got beyond the first chapter.        Then shortly after moving to Missouri, I discovered a cave on our property. This was about the same time that the History Channel was airing an episode of Jesse James and the Golden Circle and how they had hid some of their loot in Kansas. Well, I thought, why not Missouri too. These guys were from Missouri — could they have hidden money on the Osage?          What was the working title for A View to Die For?        That’s a great question, Catherine – one that only another writer would ask. I think the two most important things an author can do to get the attention of a prospective buyer are the book’s title and cover.        My title changed several times until I got it right. My original title was Jesse’s Gold (see the above answer). When the book began to take on a life of its own and Jesse James became a minor player, I changed the title to Murder on the Osage.        Then I played around with several versions containing Black-widow, but it wasn’t until one of the characters made the remark that the view from Megan’s deck on the lake was 'a view to die for.’ My title was born.          How many rounds of revisions did it take to get your manuscript ready before Critique My Novel had a go at it?        I can’t count that high without removing my shoes.          Did you research other editing sites? If so, why did you choose CMN?       Not at first. I had a BS with a minor in English. I foolishly believed I didn’t need an editor. It wasn’t until after I hooked an agent and then got rejected that I began to think all those creative writing courses I’d taken were not enough. So, I began looking for someone to tell me what was wrong with my masterpiece.        Wow! I couldn’t believe how much it cost to have someone critique a manuscript. Some of these guys wanted several thousand dollars. I was about to forget it, and the NY syndicate, and just self publish the book myself. I’m so happy I didn’t make that mistake for my third most important piece of advice is: don’t publish without having your book professionally edited.         I didn’t realize this at the time because until self publishing was possible, everything I’ve ever read had been purged of most typos, grammatical errors, and inconsistencies. Now that I’ve read several self-published ebooks, I am appalled by the quality. So please don’t publish without having some professional editing.        Sorry about being sidetracked from your question, Catherine. It’s just that I’ve seen too many authors skip the third step and it shows. Okay, why did I choose CMN? Two reasons: price and your offer of a sample edit. Your prices are affordable so I sent in my five hundred word sample. I was amazed at all the mistakes you found.          After your final round of revisions, did you search for an agent?      Yes, I wasted a year of my precious time (at my age, every day is a gift) trying to find an agent or NY publisher. This search began before I found you. In fact, it is why I went looking for a critique in the first place.        I did what every aspiring writer does and can quote all the clichés about rejections. However, I did find one very useful site, Editors and Predators, that saved me a lot of time by warning me where not to send a query. I highly recommend anyone who still thinks they can land an agent without being famous, or infamous, check out that site.        I also studied all the blogs on how to write a query letter. That must have worked for after only two or three hundred queries, I got an agent who not only responded, but she asked for the full manuscript. Another wasted three months. Yes, she waited that long to reject me, and then only after I bugged her. Did she send me a nice rejection outlining why? No. All I got for letting her sit on my manuscript was the cute rejection form they all use. I sent several emails asking her to please tell me why she didn’t like my book. I never heard from her again.        On a side note, now that my book is, or was, an Amazon top selling mystery, agents actually respond to my queries. Being the romantic I am, I thought I’d try the NY gang again. I got three responses asking for full manuscripts from only five queries. Alas, my work, or reputation, still doesn’t qualify for a personal rejection. Maybe once I sell a million copies they will all come begging at my door.          Once you decided the traditional route wasn't for you, what did you do with your novel?          I cried, yelled, and then went into a state of self-pity. Well, maybe it wasn’t that bad, but for someone who always had his work read to the rest of the class during those creative writing sessions, rejection was hard; it’s tough to find out you’re not as good as you think your are.        I had grown up being told never to self-publish and didn’t even think of going that route. I had heard all the horror stories about vanity publishers and subsidy presses. Every teacher I ever had, back in the dark-ages, had warned not to go down that road. But then I started to hear about people like Amanda Hocking and John Locke. Amazon had made them millionaires.        By this time, I had finished my rewrite based on the critique from CMN. I was sure it was a much better book and the few friends and family I could get to read it the second time agreed. However, father time was knocking at my door. He woke me one morning and sent me off for a triple bypass. After that, I realized I didn’t have time to waste with the NY bullies and decided if I ever wanted to see my book in print, I’d have to do it my self. So that is what I did. A View to Die For hit number twenty-six on Amazon’s Top 100 paid Mystery list last February, and stayed on the list for over a month. It is still in the top 100 Cozy Mystery list.              Thank you, CMN. Sure the title and cover help, but I have never had one review saying the book wasn’t well written, and in the long haul it is a well written (critiqued and edited) that sells.           Number twenty-six on Amazon’s top 100 Mystery list? Impressive. How did you do that?       Well, like I said you need to start with a well written book. I’m not saying my book is that good, but thanks to CMN and all the people who read the first drafts, it is much improved. Then the real work began: promotion.        I put my book on Amazon’s KDP and watched it go nowhere. It started in the mid four or five hundred thousand rank and stayed there for weeks. Then I tried advertising on Facebook and Goodreads. I spent a couple hundred dollars and sold five or six books. My rank went all the way up to 350,000. I also tried submitting to several blogs, most of which required donations, to gain some exposure. That resulted in two or three more sales.        Then I searched the internet to see what other authors were doing. I found a couple sites with lists of where I could buy paid ads. After spending another couple hundred, my sales started inching up the charts. I finally broke past the 100,000 spot.Next I got suckered into KDP’s free days and gave my book away for two days. It had 1300 downloads and rose to #38 or so in the Free Mystery list. Then after the promotion, it dropped back into the 100,000 rank range and I managed to sell six more books. All I had accomplished with giving it away was to feed the appetite of readers who only download free books. I now cringe when I hear of authors who give away thousands of books—it is a practice that is going to kill us.        Anyway, I was about ready to give it up and get on to the next book when I stumbled across a book called, How to Market Your eBook, by Marquita Herald. She had some great advice and lists of sites to submit your book. Her lists included the Alexa rank that shows how much web traffic a site gets. I tried some of the sites with the lowest ranks (like Amazon, low is better).        Most of the sites were out of my price range (BookBub for instance wanted over a thousand dollars). But one site that had an extremely low rank only charged you when you sold a book. That site was eReader News Today (ENT for short) and they changed my life as an author.ENT will only list bargain books, so I dropped my price to 99 cents (ouch). Within two days, I sold over 500 books and went on to sell several thousand more in the next month. Thank you ENT. I was only charged for the first two days, so for less than fifty dollars, my book became a hit. My total sales to date number over five thousand.     Bio:        Richard Houston worked as a carpenter and roofer for 20 years while working his way through college. After earning a bachelor's degree in math, he spent the next 25 years as a successful software engineer. He now devotes his time to raising his great-granddaughter and is currently working on the second novel in the Jacob Martin series.   Links:   FB page:http://www.facebook.com/AViewToDieFor Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009NNL8EC Barnes and Nobel: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-view-to-die-for-richard-houston/1113369102?ean=2940044218130 Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/269475

 

Author Interview with Emily Feustel

Bound

 

      So how did you come up with your idea for Bound?

      Wow. It's hard to remember that far back, having officially started Bound about two years ago. I'd always loved the idea of a lost love that maybe didn't work out at first, but got a second chance. Then inspiration seemed to come out of nowhere from graveyards to ghosts to a historical romance.  
       I had to push myself to write Bound because I really didn't want to do the research necessary to make it historically accurate. But I'm so glad I did! All the random facts I know now that never actually made it into my book... did you know women didn't wear underwear back in the 1830's?

 

      You chose a fitting title that served the story well, but what was the working title for Bound?

       Funny enough, it's always been Bound! Sometimes, even before I get the actual idea for a book, I get an idea for a title. And Bound was always it!

       
       How many rounds of revisions did it take to get your manuscript ready before Critique My Novel had a go at it?

       Oh goodness, haha. Quite a few. I was a part of an online writing critique community called CritiqueCircle.com where you could submit a chapter each week in exchange for critiques by fellow writers. It all ran on a credit-based system, which was nice, but not if you didn't have a lot of time! The process took about six months.
       After Bound went through my critique partners, I spent a lot of time editing. I'd say there were about five major rewrites before I handed it over to the lovely ladies at CMN. I won't even mention how many times I rewrote the beginning!

 

     Did you research other editing sites? If so, why did you choose CMN?

       I researched tons of other editing sites, looking for the right one. I submitted the first 500 words or so looking to see which gave me the right feedback. CMN was the only one that gave me constructive, helpful advice. One site said I had nothing to work on--which so wasn't true!  
       On top of that, a fellow writer mentioned the site to me, and CMN has FANTASTIC pricing compared to every other site I looked at. I don't know how you guys afford to do what you do for such a small fee. I'm talking other editors that charge more than $1,250.00!

 

     After your final rounds of revisions, you went out to search for an agent. Tell us how that went.

       Oh boy. Well, my search for an agent didn't end happily, but I'm grateful for the experience. I sent over fifty query letters and got a few requests. All of which got rejections (one full still pending, but I'm pessimistic), but one thing an agent said that still makes me laugh is "your romance wasn't hot enough." And here I had a main character making out with a shirtless stableboy in a barn, then a maze, then a graveyard (weird, huh?). I couldn't help but think: "Katniss' romance wasn't hot! Her and Peeta were as flat flatbread." It just goes to show how tricky and subjective the publishing industry is!

    So the traditional route hasn't gotten you very far. What now?

       I haven't given up on being traditionally published! I know self-publication is an option, a big option with Amazon and eBooks, but I still dream of seeing my name on that cover--a cover I didn't have to pay for. As of now, I am in the plotting/writing stages of a new YA novel which I hope will land me an agent, then a publisher. You know what they say, the third [book's] the charm!

 

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Bio:

     Trapped in the business world and never-ending college classes, Emily Feustel longs to spend her days developing plot twists and torturing her characters (though they always get their happy endings--most of them, anyway). She lives in rural Pennsylvania after spending most of her childhood trekking across the U.S. with her military father. She considers attending three elementary schools in one year her greatest accomplishment as an army brat. 
     Emily has a passion for the young adult genre and its complicated, over-the-top romances. She dreams of being published.

 

Links:

 

Blog: www.passagetowriting.blogspot.com

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Emily.L.Layne

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EmilyFeustel