I have been presented with a few new interview questions, so here we go....
What can you tell us about the sequel? What can you share with us?
The sequel is a bit of the same and a lot of different. All of the characters from #1 are still in book 2, but there are multiple new characters. Dina, Jo, and Gabe have grown a bit older and wiser. They traverse a different virtues trail and become masters of new character virtues, fulfill new training challenges, and receive new divine gifts.
I prayed, brainstormed, and pondered possibilities for their mission for a long time. Nothing on my list of possibilities seemed quite right, though I researched facts for several scenarios. While I was researching, a news story about a group of young medical aid workers being slaughtered in Somalia popped on my screen. It was from a news source I never use. I was shocked as I read the story and wondered why I had heard nothing about it from other news outlets. I began researching Somalia. My shock grew as I learned more and more about the country and the conditions there. I felt led to draw attention to the situation so my mission fell into place as I had the setting determined.
A major premise of the book is still that young warriors are needed to fight evil. It continues as a reason young people die. However, #2 has new spiritual themes, including redemption.
When do you estimate it will be ready to publish?
I am nearly finished writing the first draft. I estimate I will add about thirty more pages to the manuscript. Then I will reread and self-edit it from the beginning. At that point, I can construct the Table of Contents and write the Preface. Hopefully, a strong title will come to me by then so I can create the title page, too. Right now, I have no idea about the title.
When I have all of the components done and self-edited, I will send the manuscript to alpha, or early, readers for their feedback. As they respond with ideas or editing, I will revise as needed. This phase is hard to estimate time wise because it depends how quickly the early readers reply. When I feel the manuscript is in the best shape I can make it, it’s time for professional editing. With #1, I had to wait three months for the editor to get to it on her schedule, then she took five weeks to edit and send her feedback. I did another full revision and cut about 15,000 words and changed the conclusion. The manuscript has to be submitted to the copyright office with their paperwork and fee, which means more waiting for that process to conclude. Getting the ISBN number and bar code take a bit more time, as does writing the summary for the back cover. Next comes cover design and interior formatting, which takes a few weeks and another revision.
So, with all of those steps, I estimate #2 might be published by the end of 2020 or early 2021.
What have been some of the surprises about the first book?
The whole publishing process has had my learning curve high. Marketing and promoting the book have been challenging for me. Dealing with Amazon on several levels has held many surprises and frustrations.
I’ve been surprised and touched by the stories of personal loss several readers have shared with me. The effect the book had on them was surprising and gratifying. I hope it helps people as they traverse their own grief journeys.
How do you go about developing the characters? It is quite personal isn’t it?
The characters become almost real to me as I develop them, so, yes, it is quite personal.
I was blessed during my forty year teaching career to know well over a thousand young people and their parents. I taught in nine schools so had the privilege of knowing many dedicated teachers, administrators, and support personnel. I met more young people and their parents through my sons as they grew up. I forged strong relationships in my youth, many of which I still maintain. So, I have a strong foundation of real people I have known over the decades from whom to draw characteristics. My characters are fictional, but their assets and flaws are composites of people I have known, woven together to create strong characters I believe many can relate to and love.
What is the most challenging part of the writing?
The blank page, otherwise known as getting started. A great deal of pondering precedes coming up with ideas you can actually develop into an engaging story, then figuring out how to tie everything together so the story makes sense and flows logically.
Also challenging is finding the right balance between dialogue, narrative, and description. I try to include some paragraphs of strong descriptions, without overdoing it and bogging down the flow of the plot. The characters and plot need to be central, so I try to infuse descriptive paragraphs sparingly, but effectively to aid the reader’s visualization of the scene. Verbs are the most important part of speech!
Where do you get your ideas?
Mostly from my imagination, though I feel led to some ideas I develop in my stories. I always pray over my stories and ask for guidance. I do a lot of research so many ideas grow from kernels I read while researching. For example, I was trying to decide on an obscure or mythical creature for the warriors to face in book 2. Things like dragons and serpents are way overdone, in my opinion. So, I started researching possible creatures. I decided on a cockatrice, which is actually mentioned four times in the Bible. A cockatrice is a “mythical”beast, essentially a two-legged dragon or serpent-like creature with a rooster's head. It is used in heraldry and as a squadron symbol for the Royal Air Force, so it is obscure, but not too obscure. It is a fierce and deadly beast, so perfect for warriors to face.
You are exclusive with Amazon KDP Select. What does that mean?
This program makes books available through Kindle Unlimited in the U.S, U.K., Germany, Italy, Spain, France, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, India, Japan, and Australia, and the Kindle Owners' Lending Library (KOLL) in the U.S, U.K., Germany, France, and Japan. I was asked by people to make ebooks available in Canada, Australia, and UK for realatives to be able to download the book. This program was the only way to do that.
The program also enrolls the book in Kindle Unlimited and the Kindle Owners' Lending Library, both of which gives the book more exposure and availability, though no money.
Kindle Unlimited is a subscription program for readers that allows them to read as many books as they want. The Kindle Owners' Lending Library is a collection of books that Amazon Prime members who own a Kindle can choose one book from each month with no due dates. When you enroll in KDP Select, your books are automatically included in both programs. My book is still available for anyone to buy in the Kindle Store, but it is also in these two programs.
KDP Select is a commitment to make the digital format of that book available exclusively through KDP. During the period of exclusivity, one cannot distribute the book digitally anywhere else, including on my website, blogs, etc. The minimum exclusive period is 90 days.
You could’ve had a traditional publisher. You chose not to. Why?
For one thing, it is very hard for an unknown author to get in with a traditional publisher. Less than 20% of all published books are now handled by a traditional publishing house. Being an independent, or indie, author is the the popular publishing route these days. The author retains control of all aspects of publication, from what is edited to cover design and marketing.
Will you talk about people going after their dreams? Their bucket list?
I believe people should find things they’re passionate about and pursue them. It isn’t always possible to do things you love when you are caught up in the demands of a career and rearing a family. There are only so many hours in a day and so much energy to expend each day. But, after retiring, many people find themselves with more time on their hands than ever before. Be willing to try different things and diligent in finishing what you start. It’s amazing what one can accomplish with enough time and a can-do attitude.
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