Meet Kathryn Craft — Speaker GLVWG Write Stuff Conference™ March 23, 2019

Tags

Critical First Pages, Writing, Writing Conferences, Writing Craft, Writing Effective Dialogue, Writing Workshops

Article by The Write Stuff Conference Chair, Dawn Sooy

 

Kathryn Craft writes stories that seek beauty and meaning at the edge of darkness. Rich with material for further thought or discussion, her novels make a great choice for book clubs.

Her first novel, The Art of Falling (Sourcebooks), grew from her 19 years of experience as a dance critic for The Morning Call newspaper. Set in Philadelphia, every page of the novel is infused with a dancer’s heightened awareness of the human body and its movement.

Her second novel, the IPPY award-winning The Far End of Happy (Sourcebooks), is based on the true events surrounding the 1997 suicide standoff that resulted in her husband’s death. It was these events that launched her interest working through troubling psychosocial issues by writing fiction.

Over the past decades she has served on the boards of the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group and the Philadelphia Writers Conference and worked with the Women’s Fiction Writers Association; she hosts writing retreats for women and often speaks about writing. She is a regular contributor at two of Writer’s Digest’s Top 101 Websites for Writers, Writer Unboxed and Writers in the Storm.

Who is Kathryn Craft?

“I love the sound of snow crunching beneath boots, the taste of butter, and pumpkin pancakes with real maple syrup (What can I say? I was born in Syracuse, NY). Perfume isn’t for me. When I’m swimming in a northern spring-fed lake, and my nose is right down near the water–that’s my favorite scent in the world. The next is baking bread, which reminds me of my grandmother (I’ve spent every summer of my life at the same lakeside cottage, where I can still conjure her spirit).”

Kathryn was a favorite speaker at a past conference and we were delighted when she was available for us in 2019. She will be presenting the following sessions at the Write Stuff Conference, Saturday March 23.

• Those Critical First Pages

An agent’s request for a full manuscript is so exciting for an aspiring author—but how much of your novel will an agent really read? Perhaps only a few paragraphs—about all you would give a book when browsing in the bookstore. We’ll analyze opening pages that refused to let publishing industry pros go.

• Say That and More: Writing Effective Dialogue – Seating Limited to 24

In this two-hour workshop, you will participate in a series of exercises that will challenge you to improve your dialogue writing. Prepare to leave with a whole new respect for this multi-tasking tool—and perhaps the germ of a new story idea, as well.

• To take advantage of Kathryn’s experience and expertise join us at The Write Stuff
  March 21 – 23, 2019

 

Kathryn lives with her husband in Doylestown. She is the proud mother of two sons: an opera singer and a traffic engineer.

To read more on Kathryn, visit:

• Kathryn’s Amazon Central page
• http://www.kathryncraft.com/

You can follow Kathryn on her Facebook Page KathrynCraftAuthor and Twitter @kcraftwriter

Interviews with Kathryn:

• with Debra Pinkerton on Good Day PA ABC27, January 2016 (TV)
• with Will Broaddus in The Salem News (MA), February 2014
• with Jaclyn Fulmer in Shelf Awareness for Readers, January 2014
• with George and Kate Scuffle, WDIY Arts Salon, December 2013 (radio)
• by Gwen Shrift, Bucks County Courier-Times (PA), December 2013
• by Milton D. Carrero, The Morning Call (PA), December 2013 (includes video)

 

_______________________________________________________________________

Article by Dawn Sooy, The Write Stuff 2019 Chair.

Dawn is a native of Eastern Pennsylvania, with plenty of experience the four seasons have to offer. Armed with a Computer Science degree, she worked in the tech industry until 2012. As an animal lover, she volunteers at the local animal shelter, sneaking in treats for the four-legged residents.

As a member of the Greater Lehigh Valley Writers Group, Dawn fulfills the duties of Secretary, Conference Chair for the 2019 GLVWG The Write Stuff Conference™ and is part of the 2019 Anthology team. She has published six short stories, the most recent, “Love Knows No Boundaries,” featured in the 2017 GLVWG anthology, “Write Here – Write Now.” She plans to contribute a story to the 2019 GLVWG anthology “Rewriting the Past.”

“From the Darkness” is her first novel, self-published in March 2018. This is based on a true story about a woman with bipolar depression.

Dawn and her husband Bob reside in Kempton, PA. Between them, they have four children, two grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

 

 

Meet Lawrence Knorr

Tags

Editor, GLVWG "Write Stuff", Sunbury Press, Writing, Writing Conference

GLVWG’s Tammy Burke had a chance to speak with Lawrence Knorr of Sunbury Press, publisher of hardcover, trade paperback, and digital books featuring established and emerging authors in many fiction and nonfiction categories.

*****

 

How delightful having you back at the “Write Stuff” conference again! And wow! Is it coming up fast. Anything new and exciting you can share regarding you and/or the Sunbury Press?

Lawrence Knorr: Yes! It is an honor to be asked back a third time. Sunbury Press just completed its best year ever from a sales perspective, nearly doubling. But, there are some interesting trends in the business. EBooks, which peaked at 13% of our business in 2012, have slipped to only 3%. We’ve been strong in nonfiction, but have seen an erosion in many fiction categories. We reintroduced hardcover books in 2014, and had a nice bump from them, but that has cooled a bit. Trade paperbacks remain the strongest format. We’re now at 400 titles and about 200 authors under management. Two of our titles have already been shot as Hollywood movies and another three are in the works. So, who knows what’s in store!

Based on your webpage, I understand the your company holds a “Continue the Enlightenment” mentality from the 18th century and the “Age of Reason.” Could you expand more what that means to you and to the Sunbury Press?

Lawrence Knorr: “Continue the Enlightenment” is a motto that represents our mission statement. Simply put, we are a publisher of diverse categories, but we are always seeking to bring new perspectives and voices to the marketplace. The Enlightenment was about a new order of things — not unlike what is happening in publishing today. The old order governed by a strong center of control is being challenged by more democratic ideals. This is what the independent publishing movement is all about — whether doing it yourself or with an independent publisher. We are experiencing an era of rapid democratization of the publishing industry. If only Hugh Fox had lived a little longer! I’ll never forget the day he called me – Hugh Fox – one of the founders of the Pushcart Prize. He revealed he was dying of cancer and offered me the opportunity to publish his remaining works. He said Sunbury Press was exactly the kind of publisher he was looking for. I was very grateful for his offer, and encouraged him to spread the dozen or so works around to other presses, keeping two of them for ourselves. Hugh liked the motto, and we think it is very appropriate at this time.

2014 – Meet Jessica Dimuzio VMD, Conservation Educator and Author!

by Tammy Burke reposted from http://glvwgwritersconference.blogspot.com/2014/03/meet-jessica-dimuzio-vmd-conservation.html – March 19, 2014 Hi Jessica, The stories you must be able to tell…conducting …

Continue reading →

2014 – Meet Karen E. Quinones Miller, Essence best selling author!

by Tammy Burke

reposted from http://glvwgwritersconference.blogspot.com/2014/03/meet-karen-e-quinones-miller-essence.html on 3/18/2014

Hi Karen,

What an indomitable spirit you must have and what an impressive journey you’ve traveled: Staff writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer to self-published author to experiencing a literary auction with major publishing houses competing over your work to national bestselling author! Our attendees have so much to gain from your insight.

According to your bio, you were turned down by dozens of agents and publishing houses for your first book “Satin Doll.” Was there a specific moment which made you decide you were going to take your manuscript’s fate into your own hands and create Oshun Publishing Company?

Karen E. Quinones Miller: My 12-year-old daughter was the one who encouraged me (forced, actually!) to write Satin Doll, and I had let her read the manuscript before I even sent it to agents and publishers. After sending out 35 query letters — and receiving 50 rejections — I asked her for reassurance that the manuscript was indeed good. When she said, “yes,” we then decided that we would just publish it ourselves. This was in 1999, before the big explosion of self-published books . . . but my daughter and I celebrate Kwanzaa (African-American holiday Dec 26-Jan 1.) and the second principle of Kwanzaa is Kujichagula — which means self-determination. We decided if we really believed in this principle we should put it into practice, and not rely on someone else to affirm me as a published author. And so . . . we self-published!

Being such a successful publicist – 3,000 book sales in six weeks and 28,000 in less than six months, attention from several major publishing houses, Essence bestselling author and the publisher of an another Essence best seller – our conferees are sure to gain a lot from your session “Guerilla Marketing.” I was wondering if we might get a little teaser on how you do what you do.

Karen E. Quinones Miller: The most important thing is to train yourself to think outside of the box when it comes to marketing. One of the best things I had going for me, when promoting Satin Doll, was the fact that I had never taken a marketing class. If I had, I’d probably done just enough to sell the 3,000 books in a year — which was my original goal. Because I had no idea how to sell 3,000 books in a year, I just did any and everything to sell those books. Everything I saw, every person I met, I immediately started thinking how they could be incorporated into my sales plan. So, I’ll be sharing some of my own techniques during the workshop on Saturday, but the most important thing is for people to come up with their own . . . and to remember that nothing is off limits!

Your stories, for example “I’m Telling” contain thought provoking subject matters which society many times would just like to sweep under the rug. What advice would you give to other writers who struggle to be brave enough to tackle the big subject matters?

Karen E. Quinones Miller: Well, I don’t think a writer should tackle any subject — controversial or not — if it’s not something that speaks to them. Don’t write about something just because it’s commercially advantageous to do it . . . but if there’s something in your soul that you need to get out, do it! Don’t be intimidated about the “bigness” or the “controversy” involved in the writing about the subject . . . a good writer is an honest writer. If it’s in your soul, than the honest thing to do as a writer is to share it with others.

Could you tell us a little bit about the first time bestselling author Kwan Foye coined you as “The Aretha Franklin of Black Publishing?”

Karen E. Quinones Miller: I was the Book Expo of America — back in 2003, or so — when Kwan first introduced me to someone as the Aretha Franklin of Black Publishing, and I think it was because I was so well-known for helping new writers with advice and resources . . . and sometimes being their voice when more “veteran” writers chose to unfairly target them.

Just curious….but is Oshun considering any manuscripts currently?

Karen E. Quinones Miller: Unfortunately, no . . . due to my health issues (first brain surgery, than multiple sclerosis), I’ve not published a book under Oshun Publishing since 2008.

What was the inspiration that brought you to writing? And is there anything you’d like to add that I haven’t asked?

Karen E. Quinones Miller: I write because if I didn’t I’d be in prison. If I couldn’t write I had have to go ahead and commit murder and mayhem in real life.

Thank you so much Karen for allowing me to interview you and being a part of our “Write Stuff” Conference! Our conferees are sure to walk away enriched and inspired from not only your marketing session but also your “Showing versus Telling.”

————————————————–

Essence best selling and NAACP Literary Award Nominee, Karen E. Quinones Miller started her literary career in 1999 when she self-published her novel, Satin Doll, and sold 3,000 copies in six weeks, and ultimately 28,000 copies in less than six months.

Although Miller, who was formerly a staff writer at the Philadelphia Inquirer, had approached dozens of literary agents and publishing companies about Satin Doll, it was only after her novel’s phenomenal sales success that major publishing houses stood up and paid attention. So many houses were interested at that point, that a literary auction was held and Simon & Schuster won the publishing rights to Satin Doll, and a second book, with a six-figure bid.

Miller subsequently published seven books through major publishing houses, but she also maintained her own publishing company – Oshun Publishing Company, Inc. – which she used to publish Satin Doll. Oshun Publishing went on to publish the novel Yo Yo Love, which became an Essence best seller and launched the literary career of Daaimah S. Poole who has since published six other novels with Kensington Books. Essence best selling author, Miasha – author of Secret Society, Diary of a Mistress, and Chasers – also considers Miller her literary mentor and says Miller was instrumental in her landing her first publishing deal with Simon & Schuster.

Books written by Karen E. Quinones Miller: Satin Doll, I’m Telling, Using What You Got, Ida B. (re-titled Uptown Dreams), Satin Nights, Passin’, Harlem Godfather, An Angry-Ass Black Woman

————————————————–

Tammy Burke, GLVWG member, 2011 conference chair and past president, has published around 400 newspaper and regional magazine articles. She has interviewed state and local government officials, business and community leaders, everyday folk and celebrities, in addition with helping with scripts for over a dozen television commercials and writing various business communications. Currently, she is in the revision stage for her first YA fantasy adventure book, the first in an intended series. When not writing, she works in the social service field and is a fencing marshal in the Society of Creative Anachronism (SCA).

2014 – Meet Paranormal and SF Author Phil Giunta!

by Tammy Burke

reposted from http://glvwgwritersconference.blogspot.com/2014/03/meet-paranormal-and-sf-author-phil.html on 3/6/2014

Hi Phil,

How exciting to have one of our own teaching at this year’s “Write Stuff” Conference and what intriguing sessions you’re teaching!

I have to admit, the description for your “Time Management for Writers” session gave me a sheepish moment because…well…I admit it, sometimes I’m terrible about getting off FaceBook! I’m wondering if we might get more of a teaser about what you’ll be sharing with us? I wouldn’t mind a teaser about “The Differences Between Writing Novels and Short Stories” too…please. 🙂

Phil Giunta: My focus with “Time Management of Writers” will be guilt. Yes, guilt…and why you shouldn’t necessarily feel it when you don’t achieve a specific word count per day or find yourself unable to spare time on a daily basis or the words just don’t flow when you finally find that hour or two. Writing time can also be spent in other ways. Editing the previous day’s work or research are also valid uses of writing time.

“The Differences Between Writing Novels and Short Stories” seem obvious, right? One is short, the other is long and that’s all folks, goodnight! Yet there are writers who have a challenging time keeping to word counts. Why is that? Well, there might be differences in the amount of characters needed to tell a story, the level of character development, character points of view, timeframe, pacing, and plotting. With novels you have a bit more elbow room than in short stories.

However, there are no absolute hard and fast rules for much of what we’ll talk about and I definitely look forward to audience participation. I stake no claim on omniscience. Every writer has his or her own unique methods and experience and I find that many writers are eager to share, which I encourage.

Your first book “Testing the Prisoner” presents an interesting combination about a person’s innermost psychology and the paranormal. Seriously creepy stuff here. How did this story idea come to you?

Phil Giunta: Testing the Prisoner began as a story of a broken family, child abuse, and—eventually—forgiveness. Suffice it to say that I have some personal experience in these matters and wanted to write a tale for all of those dealing with the same pain to let them know that they are not alone.

However, as I began writing the outline, my fondness for the paranormal crept in and I realized that it would be more dramatically told as a ghost story. So we have Daniel, our protagonist, estranged from his abusive mother for over a decade. On the night he learns of her death, he finds himself haunted by an angel and a demon. He soon learns that each is a manifestation of his own personality. They battle for one purpose—to convince Daniel to either forgive his mother or not, thereby determining the fate of her soul. The victim has now become the judge, jury, and potential executioner.

Yes, it’s creepy. It’s also emotional and dark, but is not personal experience often the source of an artist’s creativity? I recently read an article on The Creative Penn blog by Eric Praschan called “Using Real Life Fear and Pain to Springboard Your Story” and I firmly agree that if you can imbue in your characters the same emotions you felt while enduring a similar tribulation, the story will gain verisimilitude and truly reach your readers’ hearts.

Out of curiosity, how did you first become interested with ghost stories and the paranormal? And may I ask, have you ever been part of a paranormal investigating team such as the one your heroine Miranda Lorensen had?

Phil Giunta: I’ve always loved an atmospheric, suspenseful ghost story. Think of The Sixth Sense, What Lies Beneath, Stir of Echoes. By its very nature, the paranormal removes certain boundaries and in doing so, allows a writer to create scenarios and explore emotions not always possible in other genres.

Ironically, other than Edgar Allan Poe and very few others, I rarely read paranormal fiction. SF is my first love and I am an avid reader of books from the golden age of SF (Asimov, Bradbury, Clarke, Heinlein, etc) and just beyond that era (Bova, Ellison, etc). In fact, I’m developing an SF novel right now.

I can count on one hand how many paranormal investigations I’ve participated in and even those were years ago. I was never part of an organized group, just a few curiosity-seekers with still cameras and voice recorders.

However, like any good writer, research was in order when it came to writing By Your Side. The television series, Ghost Hunters, and other shows provided some assistance to that end.

Miranda had been a last-minute addition to Testing the Prisoner as Daniel’s old flame who also happened to be a psychic-medium. During a dinner scene, she mentions to Daniel that she belongs to a group of paranormal investigators. That, along with many other aspects of her character, led me to write By Your Side as a spin-off novel focusing on Miranda, her abilities, her team, and her life. Daniel’s story ended, but Miranda’s continues.

I understand “Testing the Prisoner” is on Podiobooks and “By Your Side” is on Prometheus Radio Theatre. Can you tell us a little bit about what these are and the benefits you are seeing by being a part of it?

Phil Giunta: A bit of background: My publisher for both novels is Firebringer Press, started by Steven H. Wilson. Steve created The Arbiter Chronicles, a podcast SF audio drama featuring a full cast of voice actors and earning him both the Mark Time and Parsec awards. Since he loves audio and has been podcasting for years, Steve encourages his prose writers to record their own audio books.

Prometheus Radio Theatre is Steve’s podcast site where listeners can, free of charge, listen to episodes of any full cast audio show that he has produced as well as audio books written and read by those published via his imprint, Firebringer Press. Audio books are serialized; typically one chapter per week.

Podiobooks.com offers all audio books free of charge. The site was founded by Evo Terra and Tee Morris. Tee, also a Parsec award winner, was the first writer to serialize a novel as a podcast audio book and Evo coined the term “podiobook”. Hence, the site was born and now hosts probably thousands of audio books. Evo and Tee also wrote Podcasting for Dummies. Many popular writers have their work on Podiobooks such as Scott Sigler, Nathan Lowell, and others.

The largest benefit I’ve seen is promotion and exposure. Though we give away the audio books, they have generated sales of the ebooks and paperbacks from supportive listeners. As I’m still a newbie, I’m not yet seeing stunning sales as a result of the audio books, but like anything worthwhile, it takes time. I’m focused on the long tail.

Beyond the above reasons, reading for audio is simply great fun, albeit time intensive for longer works. Listener feedback is often immediate. So far, I’ve been fortunate to receive many positive comments on my audio books.

Testing the Prisoner’s audio book had its first run on Prometheus Radio Theatre before being uploaded to Podiobooks. By Your Side will eventually end up on Podiobooks as well.

I understand you wrote fan fiction in the 1990s. Could you tell us a little about how this helped your writing and career? Do you think this contributed to writing the short stories in the ReDeus anthologies?

Phil Giunta: These are two excellent questions and yes, they definitely relate. For those who need a definition of fan fiction (or fan fic), it is simply fans of already-established universes writing their own stories based on those characters. To me, fan fic was a great training ground to hone my writing and storytelling skills.

Between 1995 and 2003, I wrote short stories in the universes of Star Trek, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and several others. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, but by 2003, I wanted to move on and pursue original stories with an eye toward getting published.

Couple that with the fact that for 20 years, I’ve been attending SF conventions in Maryland where many of my favorite media tie-in writers are guests. In the early years, I would take my stack of Star Trek comics and novels and have them signed by folks like Peter David, Michael Jan Friedman, Bob Greenberger, Howard Weinstein, and others.

Many of these writers would take the time to offer writing advice to me personally as well as host writing workshops and discussion panels at the conventions.

Flash forward to 2012. I received an email from Bob Greenberger in June inviting me, and several other writers that attend the Maryland conventions (including Steve Wilson as he and Bob are longtime friends), to contribute stories to the ReDeus series (more details about ReDeus in the next question). Bob knew I had published my first novel a few years before and was now including me on a dream project. I was, and still am, deeply honored.

So in two ways, writing SF fan fic definitely helped me contribute to the ReDeus series. I was already adept at the short story format and I had become friends with one of the series creators, which leads us to…

Speaking of Crazy 8’s ReDeus (the anthology depicting the world’s mythological gods returning), mythology has always been one of my favorites! Do you have a favorite pantheon? Can you tell us how this anthology started?

Phil Giunta: I’m not sure of the exact year when the project began, but the series is the brainchild of Bob Greenberger, Paul Kupperberg, and Aaron Rosenberg. The premise: what if all of the ancient gods from every pantheon returned at once? How would they look upon us now with our cars, aircraft, technology? How would they reinstate themselves as absolute rulers over their old domains?

I was only able to participate in the first two volumes (Divine Tales and Beyond Borders). By the time the third book was open for submissions, I was on deadline to finish recording the audio book for By Your Side, working on a novella, and about three months away from my wedding. Alas, I could not commit to Native Lands.

As for my favorite pantheon, I wrote about two: the Tuatha dé Danaan of Ireland and the little known Gaulish gods (of the Gaul Empire). I had so much fun with both stories that it’s challenging to pick a favorite. I will say that Irish mythology has a wealth of characters to choose from whereas much of Gaulish mythology has been lost in comparison.

It is my understanding that ReDeus will continue. So I hope to have an opportunity to return.

I understand your anthology, which you edited and contributed to, is launching this August. Congratulations! Could you tell us what it’s about?

Phil Giunta: I am so very proud of this. In 2011, I asked Steve Wilson if he would consider publishing a collection of SF, Fantasy and paranormal stories written mostly by as-yet unpublished writers. I had specific people in mind, some of whom started in fan fic, but had gone on to write original material. They just needed an outlet. My hope was that Firebringer Press could provide that opportunity.

Steve and I would also contribute tales, along with fellow Firebringer author Lance Woods. The plan also called for one illustration per story provided by Allentown artist Michael Riehl, who would also create the cover art.

Steve agreed on the condition that I serve as editor. 2012 was spent gathering and editing stories and writing three of my own. It was a wonderful experience and I could tell immediately that we had something special building here. We ended up with 13 fantastic stories from 8 writers.

The manuscript was submitted in February 2013 and accepted in October. The artwork is nearly finished as I write this, and Somewhere in the Middle of Eternity is set to launch at the Shore Leave convention on August 1 in Maryland.

I love your blog, Phil, especially the blurb paragraph about what you’ll find and then all these COOL links. How did you come up with that?

Phil Giunta: Thank you! Well, when I started my blog back in 2010, I simply needed material. I started with author interviews (including many of the aforementioned writers) and book reviews as well as SF convention news and announcements about my upcoming publications. Of course, I still do all of this, although the author interviews have dropped off a bit. Those will pick up again as part of promotion for our anthology.

At one point, I noticed that fellow GLVWG member Jon Gibbs had a feature called “Interesting blog posts about writing” each week on his blog. So, I stole the concept from him. Hi, Jon, hope you don’t mind!

I began scouring the interwebs for cool articles about the craft of writing, the business of publishing and the controversies that occasionally erupt (as when Joe Konrath takes someone to task or a vanity press like Author Solutions is caught fleecing writers…again).

Now, the collection of cool articles has become a weekly routine, though it’s potluck as to which day I post them.

And last question… so what’s next on the docket for you?

Phil Giunta: I have a novella-in-progress that will detail the first manifestation of Miranda Lorensen’s psychic-medium abilities when she was six years old. I consider it her origin story. The second draft is currently finished and awaiting revisions.

My medical SF story “First, Do No Harm” was accepted into a digital anthology called Local Magic by Antimatter Press. It is their first publication and is due out in Spring 2014.

I’m just starting to outline a SF novel regarding the journey of a generational ship, carrying the survivors of a dying Earth, across the galaxy in search of another habitable planet.

————————————————————-

A Pennsylvania resident, Phil Giunta graduated from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia with a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and continues to work in the IT industry. His first novel, a paranormal mystery called Testing the Prisoner, debuted in 2010 from Firebringer Press. His second novel in the same genre, By Your Side, was released in 2013. Phil has also narrated the audio version, available in podcast episodes at Prometheus Radio Theatre: http://prometheus.libsynpro.com.

In August 2012, he was among an exclusive group of authors selected to participate in Crazy 8 Press’s new venture, ReDeus, a collection of anthologies depicting the return of all the world’s mythological gods. The series was created and edited by veteran authors Bob Greenberger, Aaron Rosenberg, and Paul Kupperberg. Phil’s short story about the Celtic gods, “There Be In Dreams No War”, was featured in the premiere anthology, ReDeus: Divine Tales. He followed up with “Root for the Undergods”, a tale about the gods of the Gaul Empire in ReDeus: Beyond Borders.

Phil has recently finished editing an anthology titled Somewhere in the Middle of Eternity for Firebringer Press to be released in 2014, and is currently working on a paranormal thriller.

Visit Phil’s website: http://www.philgiunta.com

————————————————————

Tammy Burke, GLVWG member, 2011 conference chair and past president, has published around 400 newspaper and regional magazine articles. She has interviewed state and local government officials, business and community leaders, everyday folk and celebrities, in addition to helping write scripts for over a dozen television commercials and writing various business communications. Currently, she is in the revision stage for her first YA fantasy adventure book, the first in an intended series. When not writing, she works in the social service field and is a fencing marshal in the Society of Creative Anachronism (SCA).

2014 – Meet Don Lafferty, Chief Marketing Officer of Mingl Marketing and social media guru!

by Tammy Burke

previously posted on http://glvwgwritersconference.blogspot.com/ on 2/22/2014

Hi Don,

I am delighted to hear you will teaching a pre-conference workshop THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF EVERY AUTHOR’S ONLINE MARKETING STRATEGY. Our attendees are sure to gain so much insight! I remember leaving one of the monthly Liars Club Coffeehouse for Writers meetings with my head spinning with the wealth of good information after hearing you talk about the optimal ways to use Twitter for marketing. And I see that social media isn’t the only thing listed which you will be covering during this workshop. I hope everyone brings a notebook!

I was wondering if you might whet our appetites even more by giving us an example or two about the workshop.

Don Lafferty: Facebook is the eight hundred pound gorilla of social media. Seventy-five percent of Americans are logging into Facebook for on average, more than fifteen minutes a day. So it makes perfect sense to start your social media strategy with a Facebook author page to build community in much the same spirit that we build an email list.

But Facebook has stacked the deck against us, depressing the number of people who see our posts to somewhere between one and three percent of the communities we’ve all worked so hard to build.
So how does an author reach the people who have made a deliberate decision to connect with their Facebook page without breaking the bank on Facebook ads?

I’ll cover that in my seminar.

With the dizzying, ever-growing plethora of choices in social media networks, how does an author know in which ones to invest their most valuable possession – Time?

I’ll go through a step-by-step evaluation to help you determine which social media channels are best for your writing goals and the most efficient, effective ways to manage the time you spend tending to them.

Have you ever changed someone mind’s from believing social media and time management shouldn’t belong in the same sentence to understanding its value?

Don Lafferty: It’s always prudent to weigh the value of the investments we make in the goals we want to accomplish, in fact, it would be foolish not to. I don’t see that I’m changing anyone’s mind as much as giving them the facts they need to make a decision within their comfort zone. Time management is essential to every part of our careers, but information is the key to setting this balance in everything we do.

Changing direction for just a moment…The Liars Club is a wonderful group of Philly-area writers who pay it forward in the writing community by offering advice and free events. How did you become a part of this? What do you like best?

Don Lafferty: I became part of the Liars Club when my good friend, Jonathan Maberry, invited me to join. That’s the short answer. The long answer starts just like every other writer’s journey – with a passion for storytelling and a knack for stringing words together. Eventually those two things brought me to The Writer’s Corner in Doylestown where I met Maberry. Within three years, using Jonathan’s platform as my test lab for MySpace, Facebook and Twitter, we were among the pioneers of the use of social media for writers.

When the original eight Liars decided to invite more people to join, Maberry – who’s always on the lookout for a win-win – brought me in as a way to elevate the overall social media savvy of the group.

Being part of the Liars Club has opened so many doors for me as a writer, a speaker and a marketing consultant, but, at the risk of sounding corny and trite, the friendships I’ve made through my association with the Liars Club trump every other awesome thing about it. Being a part of the community of support for aspiring writers that has grown around our activities is something I could have only dreamed of when I walked into the Writer’s Corner back in the spring of 2005.

We’ve seen social media grow and change. For one, the teenage crowd seem to be moving away from FaceBook and are using Snapchat. What are your thoughts about the evolution of social media? How important is it to know what is likely to be trending as you’re trying to reach your optimal audience? What do you believe are today’s most advantageous social media sites?

Don Lafferty: Tammy, I’m surprised all the time by the innovative ideas people are coming up with to slice and dice the social media landscape into new and innovative ways for people to connect, share and collaborate. The evolution of social media is going to continue to drive toward a more seamless user experience, where the boundaries of a media channel will no longer be an impediment to sharing and discovering new things right where you are in the palm of your hand, or using a wearable device like Google Glass.

The importance of keeping pace with the changes in social media is critical to people who do what I do, but it’s not easy. My clients depend on me to have a solid understanding of the various social media channels, and in turn I depend on specialized experts to sift through all the latest and greatest shiny objects so I can figure out if and how to incorporate them into a client’s strategy.

For writers, there are a few social media channels that are no-brainers, like Facebook, Goodreads, Google Plus and maybe Twitter. After that, it all depends on what the writer writes, and where their target connections are playing in social media.

For example, a cookbook author should be on Pinterest. Maybe even Instagram. But a creative nonfiction author probably wouldn’t get much traction for their work in a community like that.
A writer’s content will dictate the social media channels into which they should jump.

You have an interesting blurb on your company’s website about how in 2005 you realized the marketing potential of social media after having daughter-assistance creating your own MySpace page. Presumably, this was one of the first steps which led you to becoming a social media guru. Could you tell us a bit about this? Also, I was wondering if there was a particular catalyst which inspired you to become the Chief Marketing Officer of the digital marketing agency, Mingl Marketing Group?

Don Lafferty: You’re absolutely right, Tammy. About a year after I became a regular attendee of what would become the Coffeehouse for Writers, Maberry orchestrated a competition designed to pit two groups of writers against each other to see who could successfully pitch and sell a nonfiction book first.

In the end, I wound up on a team with Kerry Gans, Jerry Waxler, Keith Strunk, Jeanette Juryea and Carron Morris. We decided to pitch a book about all the ways the Internet had changed how people were able to connect.

We decided to write about business, medicine, romance, and sex among other things, so when we divided up the research, I drew the research on Virtual Communities, which at the time, was Myspace, Xanga, LiveJournal, listserves and Yahoo groups. I went home from that meeting and asked my then, ten and twelve year old daughters, to show me how to get on Myspace. Once I started to play around with it, my marketing brain exploded with ideas for authors and small businesses to connect to the people in their target demographics at a level never seen before.

This was 2006, before the term “social media” had even been coined. Back then, writers didn’t build platform by blogging, but by working in the field and writing magazine articles, so I set about querying all types of markets to write about the uses of Myspace for marketing. By 2008 I was in business and the next year I left my full time job to pursue a full time career as a freelance social media marketing consultant. As the business grew I eventually had to form a company to scale up, and Mingl Marketing was born with the help of my partners, Ron Musser and Mike Gospodarek.

Do you find more differences than similarities between what small businesses should use with social media versus a writer looking to increase his or her readership and book sales?

Don Lafferty: Huge differences. [Most] writers are people. [Most] brands are not. The relationships people have with authors are very different from their relationships to brands. Although both types of relationship can be quite passionate, an author is the brand and rarely has professional branding consultants, PR consultants and marketing and communications professionals vetting their content. Consequently, an author can make connections in social media channels that will foster loyalty in readers in a way that brands can rarely accomplish.

But there is a dark side to this, and we’ve all seen it. An author whose core message is “Look at me! I’m so cool! Buy my book! Look at me! Buy my book! Oh, and politics! Come to my book signing! And bring your whole family! Oh and religion! And buy my book! Did you buy my book yet? Because I have a new one coming out in 9 months, so hurry!”

You get the picture.

Just out of curiosity, how does one go from testing guidance systems for the B-1 bomber program in the 1980s to being described as “one of the strongest technical communicators in the business?”

Don Lafferty: Because I have always been a writer and I’ve always sought out adventure. These have been the main themes of my life since I was a teenager.

I joined the Air Force to see the world, and it was one of the single most important and beneficial decisions I’ve ever made, but even in the Air Force, I wrote for the base newspaper, wrote almost every piece of important correspondence for almost every one of my superiors and became responsible for narratively documenting many of our test protocols and internal manuals. So even though I spent my days flying, I spent my time on the ground writing about the work we were doing.

Upon my discharge from military service, the best paying jobs I had offered to be were sales and marketing positions where I spent most of my time telling stories. By the age of twenty-six I was routinely speaking to large audiences and wherever I worked, I was the guy that had to craft important written correspondence.

So my time in the military gave me a solid background in technical writing, but I was already a writer before I got there.

Could you tell us more about your fiction writing?

Don Lafferty: I am all over the place with this. I love to read genre; horror, crime, and noir specifically, and I love to write that too, but the past couple of years I’ve taken a turn toward what I know – family life, relationships and the tangled web in which so many people live their lives.

I prefer short form at this time in my life because I know what it takes to write long form and I’m just not ready to make that commitment, but I have that to look forward to. I hope.

And last question…is there was one solid piece of advice you tend to share when asked “How do I become successful?”

Don Lafferty: Seek the company of successful, positive people in the field where you endeavor, and when you find them, listen carefully. Contribute. Support, don’t hate. And be kind.

Do not expect success to find you. You need to chase it as if your very life depends on it, because it does.

_______________________________

Don Lafferty’s short fiction has appeared in NEEDLE MAGAZINE, CRIME FACTORY MAGAZINE, SHOTGUN HONEY and a number of other markets and anthologies. He’s written corporate communication, marketing and advertising copy, and feature magazine articles.

Don is a regular speaker, teacher and the Chief Marketing Officer of the digital marketing agency, Mingl Marketing Group. He’s a member of the Liars Club, the social media director of the Wild River Review, and serves on the board of directors of the Philadelphia Writers’ Conference.
___________________________________

Tammy Burke, GLVWG member, 2011 conference chair and past president, has published over 300 newspaper and regional magazine articles. She has interviewed state and local government officials, business and community leaders, everyday folk and celebrities. Currently, she is in the revision stage for her first YA fantasy adventure book, the first in an intended series. When not writing, she works in the social service field and is a fencing marshal in the Society of Creative Anachronism (SCA).

2014 – Meet Jennifer R. Hubbard, YA author!

Tags

Jennifer Hubbard, Jennifer R. Hubbard

by Tammy Burke

Reposted from http://glvwgwritersconference.blogspot.com on 2/17/2014

Hi Jennifer,

It is such a pleasure having you join us as one of our conference faculty this year. With three YA novels, submissions in Willow Review and North American Review, and a short story in the 2011 anthology Truth & Dare under your belt, our conferees are sure to gain wonderful insight from you.

Jennifer R. Hubbard: Thank you! I’m looking forward to being there.

I am curious, your first two novels, The Secret Year and Try Not To Breathe, are written in a male point-of-view…did you find that challenging? Is a female POV easier? Or doesn’t it make a difference? Also, do you come up with your protagonists first or the story idea?

Jennifer R. Hubbard: I grew up around men and boys. I have male relatives, friends, coworkers, and a husband. I grew up reading the work of male writers. So I have many models for a male voice. Besides, all characters are people first.

I have both male and female characters in my head. In the short stories I published before I started publishing novels, about half my main characters were male and half female. The protagonists and story ideas show up together; each story seems to have its natural main character.

With the Young Adult market being so popular I have to say what a brilliant idea to offer two sessions, Part 1 and Part 2 of Teen Voices: Writing YA at the conference. Can you give us a teaser on how one finds an authentic YA voice?

Jennifer R. Hubbard: One advantage most of us have is that we’ve been teenagers. We’ve lived those years. While external fashions and technologies change over the generations, emotions and watershed experiences don’t; we can tap into that.

I like that your protagonist, Maggie, in Until It Hurts To Stop has the same hobby, hiking, that you do. (I peeked on your website). Does any of Maggie’s hiking experiences coincide with yours? Have you ever known any one like Raleigh Barringer, the ringleader bully from your story?

Jennifer R. Hubbard: I did borrow some of my own hiking experiences for the book, such as the rattlesnake encounter, and a very windy mountain summit where I resorted to crawling.

Raleigh isn’t based on any single, real-life person. But I think we’ve all known bullies. Raleigh doesn’t have much patience with people, and she feels better about herself when she’s asserting her own superiority, cutting other people down. She has had problems of her own, but unfortunately it hasn’t led to her being very empathetic, so far.

I’m also curious, does hiking help you when working on story ideas?

Jennifer R. Hubbard: Absolutely. I try to take a walk, even a short one, every day. Often my mind will solve a writing problem while I’m walking, but it’s good to get exercise in any case.

I like that you tackle real issues teens face such as bullying and suicide. What has been the inspiration to write on these topics?

Jennifer R. Hubbard: They’re important issues, and they are things that people really face. But I don’t write about a topic unless I think I have something to say about it, and something that’s maybe a little new or unusual take on the subject. For example, in Try Not to Breathe, I wanted to focus on what it’s like for a character to put his life back together after a suicide attempt. In Until It Hurts to Stop, I wanted to focus on the long-term effects of bullying, the way it can affect people’s thinking and their relationships for years afterward.

I understand that you’ve been writing since you could hold a crayon. Can you remember the gist of any of your early creations? Also, what were some of the first stories which captivated you and which ones have stayed with you?

Jennifer R. Hubbard: I think I wrote one about Christmas, and I was so young that I had no sense then what time of year Christmas was. I set it in July and had people eating corn on the cob. I used to illustrate my stories with crayons and staple them together.

I read everything I could get my hands on. In addition to the children’s books my parents gave me, and that I found in the library, I raided the family bookshelf in our living room. It contained, among other things, a first-aid manual, a book of photographs, a book of poetry, and my mother’s nursing-school textbooks. I read everything even if I couldn’t understand it. I still have the poetry book. It was produced in 1969, and has this psychedelic neon cover.

Could you tell us a little bit of KidLit Authors Club and YA Novelists Pushing the Boundaries of the Genre? What are your thoughts about synergy among writers?

Jennifer R. Hubbard: The Kidlit Authors Club (www.kidlitauthorsclub.com) is a group of authors from the mid-Atlantic region who work together to promote, market, sign, and sell our books at stores, schools, libraries, conferences, and festivals throughout our region. Doing book signings can be such a lonely business; through the club, we can do group events instead. It’s more fun, and it offers book shoppers a wider variety of books. Because there are so many of us, we can almost always muster some writers to do any event we’re invited to. Our authors write for kids of all ages, picture books through young adult, so we can do events for many different age levels. Teaming up together this way has given us more opportunities, as well as giving more flexibility to the stores and libraries and schools. It has enabled us to support one another in many ways, personal and professional.

YA Outside the Lines (http://yaoutsidethelines.blogspot.com/), subtitled “YA Novelists Pushing the Boundaries of the Genre and Writing from the Heart,” is a group of YA authors who do a joint blog. (I also have my own individual blog at http://jenniferrhubbard.blogspot.com/). Holly Schindler coordinates YA Outside the Lines. We have a topic each month, and we each have a certain day of the month to blog on that topic. I like it because it only takes a one-day-a-month commitment, and readers get to see so many different takes on each topic.

I highly recommend authors finding other authors: whether for critique groups, swapping professional tips and information, doing promotional events together, or just giving emotional support and mentorship. This is a tough profession, full of uncertainty and rejection. It is immensely helpful to find other writers to share the journey with.

What advice do you think is most important for writers to know?

Jennifer R. Hubbard: Read a lot. Write a lot.

Last question…What is next on the horizon for you?

Jennifer Hubbard: I have three books out there right now, and my works in progress are at various stages of completion.

____________________________________________________________

Jennifer R. Hubbard lives and writes in the Philadelphia area. Her short fiction has appeared in literary magazines including Flashquake, Willow Review, and the North American Review, and children’s magazines including Cricket. In 2010, Viking/Penguin began publishing her contemporary young-adult novels.

The Secret Year, a story of a boy coping with the tragic end of a secret relationship, was on YALSA’s Quick Picks List and the Indie Next list. Try Not to Breathe, in which a boy recovering from a suicide attempt befriends a girl with many questions and many secrets, received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and Library Media Connection. Jennifer’s most recent novel is Until It Hurts to Stop, about a formerly-bullied girl whose nemesis moves back to town.

When not writing, Jennifer is usually hiking, reading, or at the library. Online, she can be found at http://www.jenniferhubbard.com.

____________________________________________________________

Tammy Burke, GLVWG member, 2011 conference chair and past president, has published over 300 newspaper and regional magazine articles and has interviewed government officials, business and community leaders, everyday folk and celebrities. Currently, she is in the revision stage for her first YA fantasy adventure book, the first in an intended series. When not writing, she works in the social service field and is a fencing marshal in the Society of Creative Anachronism (SCA).

2014 – Meet “The Art of Falling” Author Kathryn Craft!

Tags

Kathryn Craft

by Tammy Burke
[originally posted on GLVWG conference blog http://glvwgwritersconference.blogspot.com ] on 2/12/2014

Hi Kathryn,

What an exciting year for you with having your first book THE ART OF FALLING recently released and already going into its second printing, and having a second book WHILE THE LEAVES STOOD STILL due to be released next year. Congratulations! It is indeed a special pleasure to see “one of our own,” who has been a GLVWG “Write Stuff” Conference Chair herself, experience such an exceptional debut.

KATHRYN CRAFT: Thanks so much Tammy! The book was only six days past its publication date when I found out that it was selling beyond expectation, and that they were going back for the second printing. If my agent and the publisher hadn’t already had several back-and-forths on it when I discovered the email thread, I wouldn’t have believed my eyes! A dream come true.

THE ART OF FALLING uses a masterful and brilliant format threading a dual story — Penny’s present, trying to figure out how to live with her 14 story plummet, and a look at her past and her choices which put her on the balcony that fateful night. I’m curious, what was the deciding factor which made you tell the tale this way?

KATHRYN CRAFT: I discovered it by accident. My first opening showed Penny out on the ledge about to take the fateful plunge, and due to its high drama I suppose, this incarnation placed third in a state-wide novel opening contest. But I couldn’t sustain the tension. The question raised by this incident is “Oh no—will she survive?” The reader turns the page, sees Penny wake up in the hospital, and yep—question answered. Book over.

Important lesson learned: the story question must sustain the reader until the end of the book. And so began the intense period of learning about story structure that resulted in my work as a developmental editor and prompted the Incite Me! workshop I’ll be teaching before the conference.

Turns out the fall wasn’t the inciting incident: it was waking up afterward, and what Penny decides to do with that. The baker on whose car she landed, her hospital roommate, and the doctors all want to know how she parted from that balcony, but Penny doesn’t have the energy or the will to face it—she wants to know how she’ll move again, and live up to her disappointing body’s zest for life.

At this point I realized I had two strong story questions: what happened to make Penny fall from the very height of her dream career, and how would she make something of this extraordinary second chance from rock bottom? These questions “incited” the story’s two story lines, which I then interwove. Only at the end of the book, when Penny has healed, can she face the missing piece: that fall.

An inciting incident is rarely straight-forward. Because it must set up the entire book its facets can be difficult to craft. In the pre-conference workshop we’ll take a good hard look at this crucial story element so everyone can appreciate its ability to bind the reader to the protagonist for the length of the entire story.

I find it ironic that your protagonist, Penny, who is easy for a reader to get a deep sense of, never has a physical description written in your book. How did you do that? And why?

KATHRYN CRAFT: Although I employ hints from various characters as to what Penny looks like, I am not big on physical description in general, unless it adds depth to the characterization or pushes along the story line. But since I orchestrated the cast of secondary characters according to their differing relationships with their bodies and food, I do describe them to some extent.

Penny was different. Obviously, since she has an aberrant body image, what she looks like might seem to be of utmost relevance—but she’s an unreliable first-person narrator, so we wouldn’t be able to believe her anyway. I recognized an opportunity for the reader to enter the story more deeply by contributing his or her own body bugaboos to Penny’s body. I look forward to speaking to book clubs and hearing people argue about what Penny looks like!

In my mind, the Penny that needs expression isn’t about the parameters of her body. It’s the tender creative core that wants to find its way to the sun—and in that, Penny could be any one of us.

Do you think paying it forward by being a part of the writing community, such as previous board positions with GLVWG and now, the Philadelphia Writers’ Conference and the new Women’s Fiction Writers Association, has helped with your writing career? Also, what advice would you give someone new to volunteering and may be shy?

KATHRYN CRAFT: I met my own writing partner, Linda Glaser of Ithaca NY, at the 2005 Write Stuff conference. Linda is far from an extrovert, but knew she needed to emerge from her solitary writer’s life if she stood a chance of seeing publication. Her goal was to go to a different regional conference each year and try to meet a few people. That didn’t work out so well—she kept coming back to The Write Stuff year after year.

We ran the Friday reception differently back then and I remember Linda strolling in and asking quietly if this was an event tied to the writing conference. I said yes, but apologized that it was only for volunteers. She said, “How can I help?” and I went to get her a name tag. Working side by side we discovered similar interests and agreed on a trial manuscript swap—and the rest is history.

When I ran for my second term as GLVWG president, I overheard someone in the back of the room say, “What is she, a doormat?” I could only chuckle to myself, because here are the facts: thanks to my volunteerism I have tons of friends who are writers and friends who are agents and editors and friends who are published authors that have mentored me in numerous ways in thanks for hiring them; I’ve had opportunities to be on TV, radio, and speak at libraries; I had the chance to start programs that met my needs for learning craft and networking and reading in public; eventually I learned to the point that I could pass that knowledge along to others through critique and as an independent editor and by teaching my own workshops; my mentoring has earned me loyal readers. All of that made me a better writer, and even more, a writer who understands the publishing business.

I can see absolutely no downside to working alongside other writers to keep our literary community thriving.

It might just be me but I’ve seen more information on beginnings and middles but not as much for endings. I was wondering if we could have a little teaser about your upcoming session LAST WORD ON ENDINGS?

KATHRYN CRAFT: That’s what I thought, Tammy, and that’s why I developed this workshop. What author hopes that her reader will close the back cover, push the book away, and say, “I was curiously unmoved”? Not me! I don’t want to settle for anything less than “joyous,” “heart-warming,” or “gut-wrenching.” A story is first and foremost an emotional experience and I for one want that emotion to fill the reader like a satisfying meal rather than escape with one quick burp.

Here’s my teaser: if people are saying your ending falls flat, chances are the main problem lies much, much earlier in the book. 😉

You co-authored THE 7 DEADLY SINS OF SELF-EDITING with Janice Gable Bashman which was published in Writers Digest Nov/Dec 2012 and made their top articles for 2013. Congrats on that too! So out of curiosity, which of the 7 are you most guilty of, and how did you overcome it?

KATHRYN CRAFT: Tammy, you are the devil herself for asking! I’d say that from the start my main problem was gluttony—overstuffing the story with irrelevant conflict and tension. This was an outgrowth of an early piece of well-intentioned advice I’d heard, that “story is conflict.” While it’s true that without conflict there is no story, that quote is only part of the picture. I’ve now learned that story is about a “certain kind of conflict”—and having learned that lesson I am now sensitive to seeing the same issue in other manuscripts.

As a developmental editor at Writing-Partner.com along with running semi-annual writing retreats, what do you find to be the most common mistakes writers make and what advice have you given most frequently?

KATHRYN CRAFT: I developed the specialty in developmental editing because of the overwhelming number of issues I see related to the same basic issues of storytelling structure. These issues manifest in predictable ways: fizzling tension, irrelevant conflict that pops the reader out of the story, lack of character orchestration, and a lack of cohesion that only a concerted focus on or subconscious adherence to premise can provide. The writer may have lost interest in her own story! I love nothing more than helping that writer deepen character motivation, raise the stakes, align the structure, and set her on fire to improve her manuscript.

Last question, Kathryn, what is next for you?

KATHRYN CRAFT: Next up is a story I had begun drafting as a memoir about my first husband’s suicide during the many periods that The Art of Falling was out on submission. Due out from Sourcebooks in Spring 2015, WHILE THE LEAVES STOOD STILL, is the story of a tense ten-hour standoff between one desperate man ready to take his life and the police, while the three women who loved him most, and the larger community, grapple with how best to find hope.

Thank you again for doing this interview! And all the best successes your way!

KATHRYN CRAFT: Thanks Tammy!

________________________________________________________
Kathryn Craft is the author of two novels, marketed as book club fiction, from Sourcebooks:The Art of Falling, and While the Leaves Stood Still (due Spring 2015). Her work as a developmental editor at Writing-Partner.com, specializing in storytelling structure and writing craft, follows a nineteen-year career as a dance critic (Morning Call, Allentown, PA). A former GLVWG president and Write Stuff conference chair, she now serves on the board of the Philadelphia Writers Conference and as book club liaison for the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, hosts writing retreats for women, and speaks often about writing. She is a contributing editor at The Blood-Red Pencil blog and a monthly guest at Writers in the Storm with her series “Turning Whine into Gold.” She is a proud member of the Liars Club, a Philadelphia-based group of novelists supporting independent bookstores, literacy, and other forms of paying it forward. She lives with her husband in Bucks County, PA. Representation: Katie Shea Boutillier, Donald Maass Literary Agency. http://www.kathryncraft.com

__________________________________________________________

Tammy Burke, GLVWG member, 2011 conference chair and past president, has published over 300 newspaper and regional magazine articles and has interviewed government officials, business leaders, everyday folk and celebrities. Currently. she is in the revision stage for her first YA fantasy adventure book, the first in an intended series. When not writing, she works in the social service field and is a fencing marshal in the Society of Creative Anachronism (SCA).

2014 – Meet International Best Selling Author Scott Nicholson! (GLVWG “Write Stuff Conference)

Tags

conference, international bestselling author, Scott Nicholson

Reposted from GLVWG conference blog on 2/6/2014

by Tammy Burke

Whether you are just starting out as a writer or successfully published and in the field for some time, this year’s talent at GLVWG’s “Write Stuff” Conference is sure to help inspire, educate and enhance your writing life. During the next few weeks we will be posting a new interview with one of our very talented VIPs.

First up is Scott Nicholson, international bestselling author of 20 thrillers. His bio is listed at the bottom of this interview and on our conference page.

Hi Scott,

As a prolific international bestselling author of 20 thrillers, (including The Home, After: The Shock, Liquid Fear, and Disintegration); in addition to writing 80 short stories, six screenplays, five children’s books, and three comic-book series, (plus songs and poems), it seems quite apropos for you to have such a strong presence at this year’s “Write Stuff” conference and pre-conference workshops.

Q: Based on the descriptions for your pre-conference workshops “Nurture Your Inner Hack” and “Re-imagining Your Writing,” it would seem you are constantly “swimming in an ocean of creative ideas.” Have you always been able to do this? Or is this something you developed over time?

Nicholson: I’ve always had more ideas than time to write them. Mostly, it’s just a habit developed over years, plus it’s just my nature to want to create things. I guess I am a natural born liar. Even when I was a musician, I always wanted to make up songs instead of learning some star’s song note for note.

Q: I understand you believe in embracing the digital age and with sales of 500,000 ebook within the past three years this appears to be a sound philosophy. Could you tell us what first made you a firm believer of ebooks and the digital age? And what advice would you have for other writers contemplating grabbing ahold of the digital age?

Nicholson: It was part inspiration and part desperation for me. After a few mass-market and small-press deals, the stream was drying up and I had to try something different. Luckily, the Kindle was just beginning to take off, so I jumped aboard and didn’t look back. Really, no matter what your route to publication, digital sales will be an ever-increasing part of your future, so it’s worthwhile to learn about the different devices and how readers are using them.

Q: Is it difficult to branch into international markets? Do other countries crave a different type of story than here in the states?

Nicholson: Well, marketing is the biggest challenge, no matter which route you take. Digital publishing allows you to reach the entire world, but translations are still important. I basically set mine up like a publishing company, finding my own translators, but other opportunities are arising, too.

Q: I couldn’t help noticing the phrase “Will trade words for magic beans” on your website. Am I correct to assume there is a story behind that…and if so, would you mind sharing it?

Nicholson: That’s just a play on “Jack & the Beanstalk,” as well as the fact that I am a serious organic gardener. My writing business is primarily to sustain my rural lifestyle. If gardening paid better, I’d probably spend all my time on it.

Q: I have to admire your tenacity. Based on your information on your website you experienced 105 rejections before your first story sale and then over 400 more before you sold your first novel. What was your inspiration for holding on when many would have given up?

Nicholson: Only the first two or three bothered me. After that, I realized it was just part of the process. I’ve learned to remove my ego from the process as much as possible. It’s nothing personal when your book doesn’t reach the right agent or editor, or doesn’t appeal to a certain reader. Just keep at it and you will find the right people.

Q: And finally, last question… Writing horror thrillers like “The Harvest,” which hit #1 on the U.K.’s Kindle horror list, you probably get asked if any of your ideas come from your dreams/nightmares. Would you mind confirming or denying that for us?

Nicholson: Not really. I don’t take horror seriously. It’s just a means of exploring certain questions and spiritual mysteries without being restricted by too many boundaries. To me, the big question is “Why are we here and what happens after that?” Horror, particularly in supernatural stories, is a good way to explore that question.

Thank you Scott for taking the time to let us get to know you better and being a part of our 21st annual Write Stuff Conference event!
______________________________________________________
Scott Nicholson is the international bestselling author of 20 thrillers, including The Home, After: The Shock, Liquid Fear, and Disintegration. He’s sold more than 500,000 ebooks in the last three years. Amazon’s Thomas & Mercer thriller imprint has released his Fear series and Amazon’s 47North imprint will be publishing the serialized novel McFall. Nicholson is also writing for a new Amazon media tie-in program. His ebook sales are projected to exceed $1,000,000 in 2013.

The Home spent six weeks on Amazon’s Kindle Top 100 bestseller list, selling more than 25,000 copies during January 2013. He’s been in the Kindle Top 100 with six different books in the United States and twice in the United Kingdom, reaching #12 with Liquid Fear. His horror thriller The Harvest hit #1 on the U.K.’s Kindle horror list. He’s also been in the Nook Top 100 twice.

Nicholson won the worldwide Writers of the Future contest in 1999 and was a Stoker Award finalist and an alternate selection of the Mystery Guild for his debut novel The Red Church. He’s also written 80 short stories, six screenplays, five children’s books, and three comic-book series. He’s served as an officer or volunteer in the International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, and Horror Writers Association. His website is http://www.hauntedcomputer.com.

_________________________________________
Tammy Burke, GLVWG member, 2011 conference chair and past president, has published over 300 newspaper and regional magazine articles and has interviewed government officials, business leaders, everyday folk and celebrities. Currently. she is in the revision stage for her first YA fantasy adventure book, the first in an intended series. When not writing, she works in the social service field and is a fencing marshal in the Society of Creative Anachronism (SCA).

Check out the GLVWG “Write Stuff” Conference blog at http://glvwgwritersconference.blogspot.com/