Self-Interview - The Next Big Thing - One More Time

Self-Interview - The Next Big Thing - One More Time

I was asked by J.P. Smith (author of Airtight) if I wanted to participate in one of these self interviews.  I agreed, not knowing it was another version of the Next Big Thing blog hops.  So here I am, doing the NBT for a second time, this time using my latest release The XIII to answer the questions.

What is the working title of your current/next book?

Since I did my upcoming book (The Profiler) in my last Next Big Thing participation, I’m using this space to talk about my last book, The XIII.

Published, November 2012, in both eBook and paperback, The XIII is available where ever books are sold (at least online)

Where did the idea come from?

Actually, Kevin (my better half) and I were watching CBS Sunday Morning back in the early 2000s where they did a segment on genetically modified foods and their consequences.  Once the show was over, we started discussing just how far this concept of consequences could go and the general idea of plot began to fall into place.

Over the next week, we talked more, recording everything until I had a very basic, rudimentary outline of The XIII in place.

What genre does your book fall under?

For the most part it is a thriller - with the usual trapping of sub plots and love story thrown in for good measure.

 

What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?

Actually, I haven’t even thought about that.  Should I ever write the screenplay version, then I might.

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

The Da Vinci Code meets the Illuminati.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Self published.

How long did it take you to write the first draft?

Approximately 60 days to write a complete first draft, another year to edit and revise - although there were several years between the two.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

First one that comes to mind is , indeed, The Da Vinci Code.  Any thriller dealing with The Illuminati would also work.  Since the story is built upon a powerful, world controlling secret society.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

My stories are always inspired by the “what if” of a situation.  Having just completed Beneath the Tor when we saw that CBS Sunday Morning piece - the what if in this case came very easy.

Who I’ve tagged to be next:

Karen Mueller Bryson

Armand Rosamilia

Robert James

Look for their posts asking the same questions either on their blog, website or their Facebook page sometime this week.  

Presenting Armand Rosamilia

Today, I'm proud to introduce my readers to my friend, the awesome author Armand Rosamilia.  His new book, Miami Spy Games, is out and ready to read in its entirety.  Originally written as a serial, it is now available in a single volume for your reading pleasure.

Miami Spy Games

Miami Spy Games

Cliffhanger Endings

Armand Rosamilia

As a kid, I used to love watching the campy Batman TV series. I loved how episodes ended with our Caped Crusader hog-tied and literally over the barrel, with a vat of boiling lava beneath his feet. What will happen to our hero and his spandex sidekick? Stay tuned next week!

When I got the call to write Miami Spy Games, the Powers That Be (OK, Hobbes End Publishing) wanted me to imagine writing 12 TV episodes instead of a book, with plenty of action and dialogue, but still have character development like a novel. The best of both worlds, I suppose.

When I wrote the first story, I had no idea if they would love it or hate it, but I had one goal in mind: write it with a cliffhanger ending so they'd have no choice but to want to read more. And so that, if it did get published, anyone who read it would need to find out what happens in the second story. I knew it was an angle I wanted to explore, but I also did it for selfish reasons: I wanted to write a second one.

The Powers That Be loved it. Hands down. They asked for more, and I hope I delivered. Each part has some peaks and valleys, and when I finally sat down and read it all in one shot (all 90,000 words) I smiled. It flows, with so many twists and turns. It is a thriller, and runs like a rollercoaster. I hope you agree!

I've had readers tell me they couldn't put it down at the end of an episode because they wanted to see where it was going. To be, that is the greatest thing anyone could say to a writer.

If you have any questions about the Miami Spy Games series, I'd love to hear them: armandrosamilia@gmail.com

Armand Rosamilia

Miami Spy Games

Miami Spy Games on Amazon Kindle only $3.99!

http://www.amazon.com/Miami-Spy-Games-Russian-ebook/dp/B00ATCH11U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358000900&sr=8-1&keywords=Miami+Armand 

Looking Back and Looking Forward

Okay, so yes, I'm late with a year in review post.  Even late with a New Year goals post.  But I have been thinking about both and will share my thoughts both backward and forward.

2012

Actually, I achieved everything I set out to do this past year - at least, author wise.  My goal was to get my three favorite books (that I had written in the past and were just sitting on my hard drive) polished up and published.  I did that.

Vengeance Is Mine was published in February on the Kindle and went into all eBook markets in May.

Beneath the Tor was Kindle published in September and went to all markets in December.

The XIII went to all markets, including the Kindle, in November.

I also published a number of Kindle only short stories throughout the year.

While sales have yet to make me rich, the reviews are good on all of them and I'm extremely pleased.

My other goal was to set up a writing laptop.  One with no distractions to get in my way.  I achieved this during the last week of the year.  Pulling out my old workhorse, the IBM ThinkPad 600, I installed DOS and two writing programs - Word 5.5 and WordPerfect 5.1.  Added a second hard drive to the machine for transferring the documents and now I'm ready for my 2013 goals.

2013

My first goal for 2013 is to unhook the harness of social media.  In my new schedule, I've only allowed myself around 2 hours a day to be online.  I think that will be a good thing.

Begin doing Yoga again.  I practiced yoga religiously when I was in my twenties and early thirties - somewhere along the line it went by the wayside.  So, I've ordered some new 'beginner' DVDs (I am so out of shape) and will begin practice when they arrive later this week.

Carved out a 4 1/2 hour writing slot in my day, where I intend to write at least 1500 words daily.  Good, bad or indifferent - the words will get on the page.  Sort of my own little NaNo project. While it's fairly easy for me to put 50,000 words on the page in a month - it will take me at least 6 months to properly edit those words.

Read more - given myself at least an hour of guilt free reading during the day.  Had reached the point where I felt that reading was a luxury and not a necessity.  That will change.

As far as books coming out this year - The Profiler:  Dark Fantasy will be completed during the first half of this spring and should be available by early summer.

The second book of the series - The Profiler:  Masks will be written and should be available in the late fall and most definitely before the Christmas season.

I may try my hand at some new short stories also - but I'm not making any commitment there.

Evenings and weekends, as always will be spent with 'That' man and other family.  I truly feel you need a balance in all things and they always help keep me centered in reality.

Other things I'm contemplating.

Free books - yes, I know a lot of readers like them and expect them.  I've received a number of emails and PMs asking when my books are going to be free.  The answer is they are not.  After a lot of soul searching, I've decided that 'free' books do not do anyone any good.  Especially the author.  If you want to read my words, sorry you're going to have to buy my books - just as you would with any other published author.  But wait, you say, it's a way to get 'your' name out there.  I disagree, people will download the freebies and promptly forget them as they download more the next day.  I may not be the world's greatest author, but...the work that I've put many hours into should be worth more than nothing.

With that said, you'll see me pushing less and less of the free books on social media.  Unless I know the author, unless I know they can write well - I am not going to waste either my newsfeed space or my credibility pushing free stuff that hasn't even be edited.  Harsh, I know - but I see more and more of it daily.

Beyond all this - I know I have all I need and all I want in life.  Anything else good that comes my way is purely icing on the cake.  Any bad can be dealt with;  hopefully without drama.

So there you have it - Looking Backward and Looking Forward.  I know I can do this.