Meet Author Tamara Ward

Well, I’m back from Book Expo America, and, boy, are my dogs barking! Lots and lots of walking and excitement as always, and I’ll be posting all about it in the days to come, but today we have our featured debut author. A big welcome to Tamara Ward!

Name: Tamara Ward

Name of book: Jade O’Reilly and the Ice Queen (A Sweetwater Short)

Book genre: short story, mystery

Date published: March 2012

Publisher: Amazon

What is your day job? Stay-at-home mom with two young boys, freelance journalist

What is your book about? When a priceless vase disappears during the fanciest party of the year in the fictional town of Sweetwater, NC, it’s up to private investigator Jade O’Reilly to recover the family heirloom. As Jade tracks down the vase, she juggles pressures from her ex-fiancé, Dale Pickles, and hard-core co-worker Mack Blackmon. This Sweetwater Short story is about 40 pages in length and originally was published in the WG2E All-For-Indies Winter Wonderland Anthology.

Why did you want to write this book? Fortune and glory. Just kidding; I’m not Indiana Jones or his sidekick, though I wouldn’t mind wearing the hat.

Seriously, though, I enjoy writing fun, fast-paced mysteries, so when an opportunity to write a short story for an indie writers’ anthology arose, I jumped at the occasion. I was in the process of writing a novel with the same characters who appear in the short story. I’m surprised at how much I learned about those characters in the process of writing the short story.

So the story was published in the anthology. A few months later, my publisher, Peak City Publishing, ran a promotion for Storm Surge, my first novel. When it hit the Amazon bestsellers lists, I wanted to offer something more for readers. Since the Ice Queen had been professionally edited, and since it was ready to go, I decided to self-publish the short story. In the meantime, I’m finishing writing the novel with the same characters.

Meet Erica Stanciu

Today’s featured author, Erica Stanciu, holds a special place in my heart. She is the daughter of an old friend who had the gall to get married and move to a land far, far away (Philly, and then Las Vegas) when we were mere teenagers, leaving me to navigate college, adulthood and handball all on my own. It doesn’t surprise me that her little girl (one of three children) has grown into a talented, funny and smart young woman. The apple certainly doesn’t fall very far from the tree.

Name: Erica Stanciu
Name of book: Electrify Me
Book genre: Fantasy
Date published: December 12, 2011
Publisher: Amazon.com (self-published)
What is your day job? I hold down the fort we call home.
What is your book about? A young princess, by the name of Kaiya Fraust, is forced on a journey where she travels to different kingdoms who wield elemental powers. Along the way, she finds demons, dragons, relics, and mysterious figures who want her for themselves.
Why did you want to write this book? I was reading a book one day and hated the ending. A friend suggested I write my own book so I did. Four months later, Electrify Me was born.
What would you say is the most challenging part of writing a book? The editing. It’s necessary, but so tedious at the same time. I’m pretty sure I have my book memorized after reading it five times just to make sure it was mistake-free.
Did you conduct any kind of research in order to write Electrify Me? My research came from reading fantasy novels for thirteen years. That helped me create the setting, characters, their powers, and the different animals you see throughout the story.
What motivates you to write? To have my characters come alive in the pages of a book (or an e-reader). I have a feeling of constant restlessness until the next scene is down on paper. Even my dreams consist of the characters and what they should be doing.
Did you experience writer’s block? I experienced writer’s block towards the end. The best way for me to overcome it is start a short story. It takes my mind away from the other characters for a bit. When I eventually come back to my original story, my mind feels refreshed and ready to tackle the novel once again.
How long did it take you to write this book? Three months to write it, and two months to edit.
Why did you decide to self-publish? I received a handful of rejections and started to feel stuck. I poured my heart into a story only to wait six weeks for an agency to say, “We’re not taking on any new clients. Have a good day.” Instead of throwing a pity party and retiring my manuscript, I decided that self-publishing was the best route for me.
Was the self-publishing process easier or more difficult than you thought it would be? Amazon makes it very easy to self-publish. They walk you through the steps to convert your work into the proper form. The rest is just submitting and waiting. It’s actually not difficult at all.
How did you decide on your book cover concept? Well, my mother, the coolest person alive, helped me design it. She’s a genius when it comes to Photoshop. The concept of silver eyes and a bolt of lightning was created, because I think simplicity intrigues readers.
What is the biggest misconception about writing a book? Almost everyone has an idea for a great novel, but actually setting scenes, creating dialogue and writing amazing plot twists takes real time and effort. Not many people have the time and patience for something like that. It’s a very hard process, but rewarding once the novel is finished.
What was your favorite aspect of the writing process for this book? Writing the scenes where the readers will say, “No way! I can’t believe that happened.” I get so excited putting those thoughts into words that it sometimes feels like my fingers are tripping over each other.
What tools/methods have you employed to promote your book? I’ve been honing my writing skills on Wattpad.com, a website where authors can post their work and have it read by people for no cost. In eight months, I have gathered more than four thousand fans who have been my biggest supporters (besides my family). A lot of them bought my book and told their friends to buy it. Promoting takes time and energy that can leave you drained, but don’t give up. Create a website, promote on blogs, use social media, and eventually you’ll see the sales skyrocket.
How has life changed for you since the publication of your book? I’ve realized that becoming an author is my true goal in life. Writing is a passion of mine that I can’t go a day without doing. Self-publishing really helped me realize that.
Do you find yourself obsessively checking sales stats? I have to admit that I do. I set a goal for the first month of publication, and I won’t stop looking obsessively until I reach that goal.
Are there plans to write another book? Electrify Me is going to be a four-book series, and I’m currently writing the second one.
My favorite last question: Oprah once famously said that there is no such thing as luck, without preparation and a moment of opportunity. Would you agree or disagree with regard to your own success as a writer? I completely agree. There were many opportunities that presented themselves to me, but I wouldn’t have been ready to take the plunge without the proper preparation.

Meet John W. Mefford

Ah, I wonder if John Grisham knows how many writers he’s inspired… Today’s featured debut author is John W. Mefford, a fellow Grisham reader and the author of his own thriller, the first in a planned series.

Name: John W. Mefford

Name of book: Committed

Book genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller

Date published: November 1, 2011

Publisher: Self-published

What is your day job? Chief Operations Officer for HFAOS (Home, Family and other stuff)

What is your book about? It’s about one man’s quest to discover what is important – who is important – while he struggles to sift through the fog of corruption and deceit to find a killer… before death finds him.

Why did you want to write this book? Why a thriller? At a high level I’ve long wanted to write fiction, and a mystery/thriller was my first choice. My initial desire to write came in my late teens when I read John Grisham’s The Firm. Years later, my first job after college was in journalism, and I learned the craft from the ground up. But I found myself mentally noting the strange and sometimes whimsical traits of people around me. It seemed that every interaction I witnessed lodged deep in my brain somewhere. When I moved into a corporate environment and the stories and interactions grew more outlandish and bizarre, I could tell my brain stored the information like a well-oiled database. So, to answer your question, why did I write this book? Because I had to. I’ve been writing it for almost twenty-five years. I just never put it on a paper until late 2009.

What would you say is the most challenging part of writing a book? Being comfortable and confident enough to start down a plot path without knowing how it will eventually tie back to other characters or sub-plots. It’s like jumping off a bridge with a rubber band around your ankles knowing you’ll bounce back up before you hit the jagged rocks below. Although, I’d never actually jump off anything.

What motivates you to write? I love stories. Hearing stories, watching stories, reading stories. And creating a story that ultimately evokes emotion from another person is the ultimate high. Like I’ve said to others, writing is like oxygen for my soul.

Did you experience writer’s block? While writing novels, I’ve never really had writer’s block. There have been days when the words and phrasing flow like syrup over warm, buttered pancakes. Other days, it’s felt more like a classical staccato piece. But I accept each outpouring of thoughts. We writers are human, and it’s only natural for outside influences to impact our emotions, thus our writing. Nothing stands still.

How long did it take you to write this book? From first word to last edit, it took about sixteen months. Lots of highs and lows along the way, but I learned a great deal about myself. It was worth the roller coaster ride.

Why did you decide to self-publish? To finally take charge of this unfinished creative thing sitting in my lap. The more it sat, the more I wanted to share it. I tried the query path and was met with a few teases, but not enough substantive response. I tried being patient (a tough sell for me). I attempted to get in the mind of agents and edit the book towards their liking. But I realized they weren’t – shouldn’t – be my target audience. I redefined what success meant to me, and I dove into researching the world of self-publishing.

Was the self-publishing process easier or more difficult than you thought it would be? Self-publishing is really the combination of many tasks and talents: writing, editing, managing, cajoling, marketing, public relations. I had prepared myself for the unexpected, which is exactly what I got. I searched and read and saved all sorts of data. I now look back on the early days of my self-publishing process and I chuckle. I didn’t know what I was doing or where I was going, but I was damn sure I was going to get there, somehow, some way.

What is the biggest misconception about writing a book? The attention to detail and the ability to look at your writing critically isn’t on the radar of the average person who talks about writing, but hasn’t actually taken that first step.

What was your favorite aspect of the writing process for this book? The first draft. That’s where you take a block of stone and chisel away until a shape begins to develop. Then the shape morphs into a desired form of life, and it begins to think, act, and react in ways you’d never thought about. Besides a loving moment with my wife, this might be the only thing that creates a tingle up my spine. It’s magical.

What tools/methods have you employed to promote your book? What advice would you give to writers regarding promotion? If I told you everything, I’d have to kill you… No, seriously, I’ve developed a growing following on Twitter, where I’ve met a lot of cool writers (Dina included!), avid readers, and interesting people altogether. It’s been a great resource and opened a number of doors for me. I also have a Facebook Author page. I created my own website with an embedded blog (Something Like That). I used a talented photographer for the website photos, my sister-in-law, Kate Mefford, and a very creative soul for my cover art, Jeroen Ten Berge.

A couple pieces of advice for future writers: First, initiate your virtual interaction early on in the creative process. It will give you a sense of confidence to interact with other authors and start to get your name out there. Second, writing is all about the story, but your supporting visuals, content, and layout matter. Your cover art needs to be created by someone who’s actually created book covers, and your website needs to be professional. Look at well-known authors and see how they tie their book themes and genre into the look and feel of their websites. And, when you’re finally ready to establish a publishing date, work, re-work, and re-work again your book description. It all matters.

How has life changed for you since the publication of your book? We’ll see. It just released on November 1. So, I’m still busy with promotional activities. And I try to write as often as possible. I’ll stick my head above the weeds in the next month or so to check the weather.

Do you plan on writing another book? I’ve written a very early draft of Book Two in The Michael Doyle Chronicles (title is TBD). That’s next. Then I might take one of the characters and write a short story, sort of a Book 2A. Book Three will follow. Then, I could start venturing into other areas of interest, both within the mystery/thriller genre and possibly into other genres (romantic suspense, young adult).

My favorite last question: Oprah once famously said that there is no such thing as luck, without preparation and a moment of opportunity. Would you agree or disagree with regard to your own success as a writer? I agree. Without me realizing it, I’ve been preparing for this time of my life for over two decades. But I needed something to shove me into the bustling freeway. Almost two years ago, I saw the three-story, neon flashing signs, and I seized the opportunity before me. Now, it’s all come to fruition.

Guest Post: Does Free Reign?

Today’s guest post comes from Wendy L. Young, Tuesday’s featured debut author. Wendy mentioned in our chat that offering one of her short stories for free on Amazon has helped sales of her self-published novel, Come the Shadows. I found this to be interesting. Conventional thought used to be — and as my grandmother used to tell me when I hit puberty — nobody wants to pay for a cow when they can get the milk for free. Recently, Akashic Books defied that logic when copies of its parody children’s book, Go the F— to Sleep, went viral before its publication in June. Sales of the book still skyrocketed, and it remains on the New York Times Bestseller List three months later. Many authors offer their books for free intentionally as a way to increase their visibility. Wendy chose to offer a separate, shorter work. I wanted to know more. Today, Wendy gives it to us.

When I embarked on this journey I focused on the writing, telling myself that the marketing would follow — just get it out there and then worry about the rest. The only pause I took in the middle of writing Come the Shadows was to pen a quick short story titled “One Final Night.” From first word to publish I spent one week on it. I put it out there, quickly learned some important self-publishing lessons, and largely left it alone.

Fast forward 3 months and Come the Shadows was published and available for download – and I was standing at an abyss called Marketing. I saw some chatter about freebies and realized that I had something to offer. At this point I had considered UN-publishing my short story and wiping it from the public eye because it was in a different genre. After considering my options, I switched tactics and made it free. That’s not an instant thing — neither Barnes & Noble or Amazon will let a self-published author choose *free* as an option – but after a couple of weeks it finally took effect.

Within 48 hours of the price change almost 2500 people had picked it up off Amazon. 24 hours later the total doubled. In less than a week it peaked at #15 on the freebie list – that’s ALL freebies, for all Kindles. Now, in less than a month, it has been downloaded almost 27000 times on Kindle. I cannot access any B&N numbers for it due to how it is listed there but I would venture it’s 5,000+ there as well. The reviews have been great too — averaging over 4.5 stars across the board.

But, what does that mean for my book?

At this point, not a lot. Were I listing a free novel with a tie-in to a paid book I think I would be running down the road screaming joy as numbers climbed. I am very happy I did it but it has not bought me a trip to the moon, or even over a hop over the Atlantic.

But that’s not to say it hasn’t done any good. It did bump my sales a little when I combined it with dropping the price of Come the Shadows from $2.99 to $0.99. And with such glowing reviews it definitely helps those who research see very positive statements about my writing and the effect my work can have on a reader. That’s something you cannot buy.

Overall I recommend this as a very positive technique for a new writer. Amazon, especially, does an amazing job promoting free works. I mentioned it most days on Twitter but for the most part Amazon did it for me. The downloads have slowed but continue and I have no plans any time soon to return it to a paid price.

I will definitely use free downloads again in the future and on larger works. I have seen multiple stories about how effective it can be and I believe that used well — long-term or just for a week or two — it can pay great dividends in growing an author’s footprint with readers.

Wendy L. Young has been writing for more than twenty years. She now writes and publishes short stories in literary fiction/drama and novels in mystery/suspense. Her first mystery Come the Shadows is out now and the sequel will be published in late fall 2011. Follow her online at http://www.twitter.com/wendyyoung

Meet Author J.M. Kelley

It’s Tuesday! That means another edition of Debut Author Q&A! Yippee! :) Today, we interview J.M. Kelley, another Lazy Day Publishing author. (We’ve also chatted with George Pappas and Liz Borino.) I found myself nodding in agreement when J.M. says that perhaps the only thing worse that getting a “no” from a publisher is getting an “I LOVE this, but have to pass…” So true!

Name: J.M. Kelley

Name of book: Drew In Blue

Book genre: Contemporary Romance

Date Published: December 1, 2010

Publisher: Lazy Day Publishing

What is your book about? Drew In Blue is the story of a thirty-six year old loner unexpectedly saddled with the task of raising a baby while trying to sort out his mess of a life. Problem is, he just keeps making things worse for himself. It’s a running theme in Drew’s life, considering he never does anything the easy way. The River’s View, Pennsylvania gossip mill is watching each misstep as Drew juggles a price-gouging babysitter, a major case of artist’s block, and a best friend with an opinion to share on every bungled choice he makes.

Drew’s love life isn’t faring much better. Despite a long history of relationships that never really get off the ground, he falls head over heels for someone new, hoping that she might be the one to end his romantic bad luck streak. After a few abysmally bad false starts, things finally start looking up for Drew. That is, until he finds out (the hard way, naturally) that this new love interest isn’t the one for him after all.

What was the most challenging part of the writing process? So many challenges! Drew In Blue was my first novel, so learning how to actually write a book was quite the process. I read books, went to writers conferences and tried to relearn the English language in order to write coherently. As for the book itself, I tackled a fully male perspective in a romance – which was a learning experience all its own being a woman. It was necessary for me to maintain a true male voice, and I had to observe, listen and deconstruct everything about the men in my life in order to be successful.

What motivates you to write? I think the biggest motivator in my writing life is the sheer excitement when story is flowing. It has to be better than any drug, not that I have a comparison basis. But I can’t imagine anything feeling as exhilarating as being on a writing roll. It’s addictive and empowering.

Did you experience writer’s block? I do struggle with writer’s block at times. Often, it’s more that I have too many ideas in my head and selecting just one or two is difficult, so my brain refuses to release any ideas at all. Sometimes I will write a short story to clear the mechanism and get the mind back in order. Other times the only thing you can do is step away for a while and wait until the muse wakes up again.

How long did it take you to write this book? I think it took about a year to write, maybe a year and half if you count edits and revisions. I am working on my second novel, and though I’ve taken a break in order to promote Drew In Blue and relocate to another state, the writing process flows more smoothly. I think subsequent works will be easier to produce now that I’ve learned a thing or two about writing.

How difficult was it to find a publisher? It’s a tough environment, especially when you’re trying to sell a different angle. Drew In Blue is a romance, but it’s from the male perspective, and it’s quite character-driven, which means I’ve bucked a trend or two in the standard romance formula. And sometimes, the only thing harder to take than a “no” is a “I really like this story! But I have to pass.”

What is the biggest misconception about writing a book? That you can just throw out a story in a few weeks and it’s done. I think the biggest surprise for me was reaching “The End” and realizing I’d actually only just begun. You might have a good idea, but that first draft isn’t what you’re going to try to sell. That’s just the foundation you’ve laid, and once it’s set, you have to really get to work and make it shine.

What was your favorite aspect of the writing process for this book? The characters became real to me. They spoke to me. I argued with them. Drew sulked when I wouldn’t listen. Kris pouted when I didn’t do things her way. I adore how they came alive, and how they are still very prominent in my mind. I know them. They know me. I doubt I’ll ever shake them, or would want to.

How far along are you on your second novel? I’m about halfway through my second novel, a romance set, once again, in small town Pennsylvania. But while it’s a romance, the story focuses heavily on the relationship between a black sheep of the family and her gravely ill father. The love story can only exist as long as she and her father are healing old wounds. I’m enjoying the synergy of those two plots in the emerging story.

Oprah has famously said that there is no such thing as luck, without preparation and a moment of opportunity. Would you agree or disagree with regard to your own success as a writer? I do believe that sometimes you have to be in the right place at the right time, but you’d better be carrying gold when opportunity knocks. I am one of the lucky ones who was given a chance to share her words, but I had to work hard to get there. A lot of blood, sweat and tears went into writing Drew In Blue, and I firmly believe my devotion to my characters is apparent. If I didn’t care so much, it would have been just another story getting lost in the slush pile. It’s not just that I have a book to sell. I love my characters, and I want to share their story.

Writing Tip #10

Let the characters drive their story. Today, I am feverishly finishing up the revisions on Baby Grand (about 12 days later than I had hoped, but who’s counting…). When I began, I had some very definite ideas about what I wanted to do in this book, and, overall, I think I succeeded in created the work that I envisioned. But there were times, as there are today, when I stopped and asked myself, “Would he really do that? Would she really say that?” And sometimes the answer was no, and I sat back in my chair and groaned and reworked the scene, because certainly if I’m questioning the authenticity of something, the reader will too. As much as I’m all for wrapping things up neatly, it only works if I’m able to stay true to the motivations of the characters I’ve worked so hard to create. In other words, your characters will always know what do to and where to go in your story. Sometimes you just have to hand them the reins and enjoy the ride.

To check out all of my writing tips, click here.

Meet Author George Pappas

Twitter is a wonderful place, a place where I’ve gotten to meet supportive and interesting writers. George Pappas is one of them. His new book, Monogamy Sucks, is an e-book from the new digital publisher Lazy Day Publishing. It’s George’s second novel, but his first one released by a publisher (his first novel was self-published). George was kind enough to take time chat with me about Monogamy Sucks and its road to publication.

Name: George Pappas

Name of book: Monogamy Sucks

Book genre: Erotica

Date Published: December 1, 2010

Publisher: Lazy Day Publishing

What is your book about? Monogamy Sucks is an erotic fiction novel that explores a Long Beach, Calif. man’s sexy, humorous and intriguing adventures into the swinging lifestyle. The story is told in the form of a fictional diary by the book’s protagonist Jake Dalmas, who is searching for answers and alternatives for his frustration and boredom with conventional relationships and monogamy. It is being published as e-book by new digital publisher Lazy Day Publishing and is very frank, funny, explicit and painfully honest about the ups and downs of casual sex. Kind of like Tucker Max (author of Hope They Serve Beer in Hell and Assholes Finish First) for people in their thirties and forties. Or an edgy male version of Sex in the City.

What was the most challenging part of the writing process? Getting down the initial first draft of my story or writing project with my original vision intact while avoiding the impulse to edit while I go along.

What motivates you to write? The desire to explore and express some kind of understanding about my life’s experiences, and maybe even resolve emotions about certain situations that are still unsettled in my mind, heart or soul. It is only later after you write about a scene that occurred in your life or someone else’s life that you begin to perceive the real motivations behind your actions or other’s actions more clearly.

I have no choice. I am compelled to write. It has always been that way. I had written my first novel when I was 15 by hand — a science fiction novel called Jake’s War. It was 70 pages!

Did you experience writer’s block? Before I starting writing this novel, I experienced a writer’s block on writing fiction that lasted 13 years. I used to write fiction when I was in college, but I went into journalism and later public relations. My only writing was for my job. So all for those years, my fiction ideas and words were just pent up inside of me and later came out in a torrent of writing starting in the late 1990s.

Even now, I do experience writer’s block from time to time, but I don’t worry about it. Usually I figure it is because I have written too much and need to replenish my creative well, so to speak. One method I use to get over writer’s block is giving myself a modest goal – let’s say, writing a paragraph or two when I sit down to write. Before I know it, I have written a lot more than I intended. It is a way to trick your mind into writing that I learned from Julie Cameron’s excellent book Write to Right.

How long did it take you to write this book? More than 12 years. I had worked on and off on Monogamy Sucks since 1998, but finished my first draft in 2001. I kept polishing and reworking it while I wrote two other novels — my first self-published novel Letters from Cyberspace and another unpublished novel. It was actually fear more than anything else that kept me from bringing out Monogamy Sucks. I wasn’t sure if there was a market for it, and I couldn’t afford to self -publish it like I did my first book. I had a bad experience looking for an agent and publisher for my first book, and I didn’t want go through that again.

How difficult was it to find a publisher? I know from my first book that looking for an agent and publisher is a long and frustrating process. I finally gave up with my first book and put it out myself.

I had no intentions of shopping around Monogamy Sucks to traditional agents and publishers. What was the point? I thought it made more sense to get my work out there via my blog and to build my own readership and fans. I figured at some point I could always publish it myself.  In my case, finding a publisher wasn’t difficult at all. A couple of months after launching my blog, Lazy Day Publishing contacted me. I know that is not a common occurrence, but it was something I was hoping for.

Earlier this year I read an article on the Huffington Post about how many recent bestselling books started out as blogs. That gave me the idea to launch put my novel out on my blog one chapter at a time last summer.

Lazy Day Publishing is a new digital publisher and asked if I wanted to turn the book into novel. They thought it was hilarious and reminded them of Tucker Max’s writing. Fortunately, I had my novel written already. I was intending to eventually bring out my novel myself, but thanks to Lazy Day I didn’t have to worry about that. Lazy Day has been a dream to work with. They have been so supportive and have championed my book from the start. I have heard from other writers that is not typically the case with traditional publishers.

My first book Letters From Cyberspace was also a novel. I have always written novels or, when I was younger, short stories in the science fiction vein. I really enjoy the novel form. I think it is a great vehicle for expressing a story in a longer format. My favorite writers have always been novelists. I have read most of the classic novelists in addition to all the genre writers. I believe there are subjects and stories that you can only effectively tell in a novel. I also like everyone else wanted to see if I could actually write an interesting novel. I have to let the readers be the judge if I actually succeeded.

What is the biggest misconception about writing a book? The two biggest misconceptions are that is it easy to do and impossible to do.  Some people think they can just whip out an interesting book, but if it is going to be intriguing or compelling your book needs to come from a place deep inside of you. That is never simple to do no matter what anyone says.

At the same time, you can’t let fear and the judgment of others prevent you from telling your stories.  I’ve known so many writers who have started books or other writing projects and just abandoned them. I remember one writer I knew spent six months writing and rewriting the same 11 pages and couldn’t finish her novel. You have to shut off the critical side of your mind, and just get your book down in a cogent form. Without a rough draft, you will ultimately have nothing to work with.

What was your favorite aspect of the writing process for this book? Well, I experimented a lot with this book in the writing with different techniques to better get my original vision on the page. Sometimes I would dictate a whole chapter into a mini tape recorder and then transcribe it into my computer. Other times I would write out whole chapters in notebooks and then later put it into my computer, and then there were times I would just write at the computer. I enjoyed all of that, but my favorite part of the writing process for this book was the long editing process I was afforded. Through each draft, I could see my character’s self-deprecating, sarcastic even sardonic voice come to life. Jake Dalmas’ humorous commentary about what he finds on his journey is the real core of this book.

My first book Letters From Cyberspace was a much different experience in that I wrote it very quickly – six months! – to prove to myself that I could actually finish a novel. My first novel is also based on the emails and experiences of a lady friend of mine so the story wasn’t as deeply personal to me as with Monogamy Sucks.

Do you plan to write another novel? While I was editing Monogamy Sucks all those years, I wrote another novel and I am in the process of editing it.  This novel has a provocative celebrity angle. I can’t say much more about it except that it focuses on the romantic, erotic adventures of a man in his late twenties.  I also have started a sequel to Monogamy Sucks, which picks up six months after where this book ends. Eventually, I am hoping to turn Jake Dalmas’ erotic adventures into a trilogy of books.

Oprah has famously said that there is no such thing as luck, without preparation and a moment of opportunity. Would you agree or disagree with regard to your own success as a writer? Yes, I would agree with Oprah, as I think we make our own luck. When Lazy Day Publishing reached out to me to publish my book, I was ready and prepared with a finished novel that I worked on for years. However, Lazy Day’s co-owner Staci Heller would have never known I existed and contacted me if I hadn’t put my book out on my blog. She was able to read parts of my work online and see the potential.