Dear O'Abby: Do I really need blurbs?

Dear O’Abby,

I have a book releasing in late 2020 and my publisher has asked me to see if I can get other authors whose work is similar to mine to blurb my book.  I have reached out to literally hundreds of authors through their agents and publishers and not one of them has agreed to write a blur for me.

Do you have any advice about how to get blurbs?  And are they really important to getting sales?

Any information you have would be helpful.

Sincerely,

Blurbless

Dear Blurbless,

Blurbs can be a useful marketing tool, but they are only as good as the authors who give them.  A positive blurb from a recognized name can lift the profile of a book and signal to readers who are fans of that author that this might be a book they’d enjoy. For a non-fiction title, a blurb from an expert in the field you’re writing about would be a great endorsement that the book is relevant to people interested in the subject.

Getting blurbs is not easy, especially if you’re a new author without many contacts within the writing community.  If you have an agent, they might be able to help you get in touch with other authors they represent, if they write similar things to you.  Your publisher may also be able to help, although the fact they have asked you to do this alone does ring a few alarm bells for me.

My best advice is to be as polite and concise as possible when approaching potential authors.  Don’t spam them with endless emails if they don’t respond to you.  Don’t get bitchy if they come back to you with a ‘no’.  Thank them for their time and move on.

Remember that these are busy people and you’re asking them not to just write a couple of nice sentences about your book, but to actually read it so those sentences hold some weight.  Not everyone reads quickly so asking someone to read your book could be asking for a significant time commitment.  Authors who might already be juggling a day job, family, book deadlines and other commitments may genuinely not have the time to read and blurb a novel.

A glowing blurb from that unpublished writer in your critique group or your high-school English teacher won’t do much to lift your book’s profile, so if that’s all you can generate, you’d be better off going out without a blurb.

Blurbs are not essential by any stretch of the imagination and if you can’t get anyone with a ‘name’ in your genre and category to blurb it, your book isn’t destined for failure.  Getting good reviews on Amazon and other sales platforms is far more important in terms of selling books so my suggestion would be to stop looking for writers to blurb your book and save your energy until you have ARCs to send out to reviewers.

Good luck with the release!

XXX O’Abby

Operation Awesome #20Questions in #2020 of #NewBook Debut Author Stephen H Vincent

When Faith Lights the Way: The Quest to Restore Electricity to a War Ravaged African Hospital by Stephen H Vincent

1- What makes solar the best source of electricity for developing areas?

The best source of electricity varies by how much electricity the user needs and the location. For small users like households, solar works great.
For hospitals, schools, and orphanages, solar systems with battery storage are four times the cost of diesel fuel systems. While solar panels are getting cheaper, battery prices are not dropping very much, and government subsidies, which are a game-changer, are not offered in the developing world. We have done both, but are intrigued with using solar panels during sunny days to directly supply power, but smaller diesel engines or biofuels engines to supply power at night or on cloudy days. The overall initial and operating cost of this type of system should be very effective.

2- Would you please, in 160 characters or less, give a #WriteTip ?

(no answer)

3- What is the best piece of writing advice you've received?

Write, write, write. I was not a writer and still don’t consider myself one. But, the more I write, the word pictures begin to have life, and the “great” thoughts and opinions running around in my head have now become clearer to anyone reading them.

4- Amazon has your book in the "Christian Inspiration" category. Is it more religious, reference, autobiography, or general non-fiction in your opinion?

It is the story of my life and the forks in my life’s river that I chose to take so that I would say more autographical. But, during my journey down life’s river, the book stops at a few spots and tells a more detailed story. These stories are adventure stories in my mind. Yes, these stories are a physical occurrence, but each contributed to my spiritual understanding of my beliefs.

5- Would you share a picture with us of your book in an interesting setting?

Smuggled in on a cold Colorado day reading a good book!

6- Could you tell us a bit more about Power from the SON?

An amazing group of all volunteers with a goal of supply electricity and power to the neediest people in the world. Why electricity? You can feed people, heal and educate them, but without electricity, it is difficult to better your life or the lives of those around you. Electricity saves lives and is a key component in an education that opens the world.
Our volunteers are engineers, electric construction people, medical professionals, lawyers, secretaries, people who know electricity, and those who have trouble screwing in a lightbulb.
We have provided about ten electric systems to hospitals, schools, seminaries, and orphanages in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Honduras,

7- What's your Twitter handle, and do you have two or three writer friends on there to shout-out to for #WriterWednesday ?

I am too much of a dinosaur to do twitter, but I do have a few writer friends. Lindsey Barlow helped me with editing and has just had a book published, Pivot. Andrew Natsios did the forward for When Faith Lights the Way and is the former Administrator of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Currently, he is an Executive Professor at the Bush School at Texas A&M University. Also, Rabbi Dr. Peter Tarlow, the author of numerous books and articles on religious subjects and tourism security, deserves a shout-out.

8- Do you have a favorite #bookstagram image or account/ profile?

No, sorry.

9- What most motivates you to read a new book?

I love stories of common people who are overcomers and have given their all, people who are explorers or inventors. I am inspired by those who have sacrificed for the sake of others.

10- It's our tenth anniversary! How far has your writing come in the past ten years and where do you see your writing career ten years from now?

Ten years ago, I was in Africa doing my first electrification of a hospital torn by fourteen years of civil war. Writing was the furthest thing from my mind. In ten years, I hope Power From the SON has grown and is providing multiple electrical systems per year, and I can spend my time promoting by writing and speaking about our work and encouraging others to follow their quest.

11- What is your favorite book by someone else, what's the author's Twitter handle, and what do you love most about that book? #FridayReads book recommendation time!

Author name: Alex Kershaw @kershaw_alex
Title: The First Wave
Love because: His work gives you the facts, and the words transport you to the scene. His stories tell of people who gave their all for their country, family, and friends.


12- What emotions do you hope your book will evoke for the reader?

Hope. From reading that there are everyday unknown and unheralded people in the world doing good things because it is the right thing to do.
Inspiration. That anyone and everyone can make a difference for the betterment of the world.

13- What kind of impact do you hope your book will have?

Within each of us, there is a quest. A quiet voice that encourages us to stretch our limits. All of us are ordinary people, but some follow this voice and great things result.
When Faith Lights the Way is the story of average people, facing impossible obstacles, who kept focused on their calling. Its purpose is to encourage and inspire you to follow your passion and purpose.

14- What is the best writing tool, program, or reference book you've ever bought?

Well, of course, Word, followed closely behind, is Grammarly. I am an engineer by training and profession, and I have forgotten so much about sentence structure, punctuation, and I have always been a terrible speller!

15- diversebooks.org #WeNeedDiverseBooks What's your favorite book with a diverse main character?

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope by William Kamkwamba, Bryan Mealer
It is a true story of ingenuity, perseverance, and determination to improve the lives of his family and villages. Netflix is premiering a movie based on this book.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is about a single person working to take ordinary items that were available in his village and build an electric generator that could supply a small amount of electricity that benefited everyone.


16- Who is your favorite book review blogger?

I am usually behind social trends, but in this case, maybe I am ahead. WYS: What's Your Story? By Brandon Jones kicked off on January 1st. It is a video blog, whose purpose is to inspire. He interviews fascinating people and adds pictures to enhance and describe the topic. Each section is less than five minutes, and the complete story is told over several episodes. Brandon’s input and opinion adds interest. I was privileged to talk to Brandon about When Faith Lights the Way. What’s Your Story? can be found at https://www.facebook.com/WYS-Whats-Your-Story-114544263332521/

17- What was the deciding factor in your publication route?

Being a rookie writer with NO credentials, a smattering of print media networking contacts, and no experience, I contacted multiple agents and received no acceptances. I researched online self-publishing organizations and decided Fedd Agency in Austin, Texas, was a good fit for me.
They helped me with editing, did the cover design, and had the books printed. Next, I had all these books at my house and no experience in marketing. I tried Barnes & Noble, and other sellers with the same lack of interest on their part. Basically, they had no interest in someone not listed on the New York Times bestsellers list. So, I returned to the internet and found PR by the Book. They have set up various TV and radio interviews and podcasts that have helped me get my message out.

18- Which author, past or present, do you feel most resembles your work?

I am inspired by fiction or non-fiction, where people achieve objectives where the impossible becomes possible due to an unwavering commitment to their quest. For non-fiction, writers sharing the unvarnished telling of the facts of an extraordinary accomplishment gives me the courage to step out of my boat. David Roberts, author of Alone on the Ice: The Greatest Survival Story In The History Of Exploration, is such a writer.
A few months ago, I had the privilege to meet and talk with Alex Kershaw, New York Times Best Selling Author, and he even asked me to send him my book. His work gives you the facts, and the words transport you to the scene. His stories tell of people who gave their all for their country, family, and friends.

19- Would you please ask our audience a question to answer in the comments?

What has that inner voice encouraged you to do, and what was the result?

20- Anything else you would care to share about your book and yourself?

Steve is a successful businessman with a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from Texas A&M University. His first career spanned thirty-four years in the electric utility industry. In his second career, he has redirected his efforts to provide state of the art electric systems to improve the health and education of the neediest people in the world. Steve's extensive experience working with utilities has made this unique contribution to humanity possible.
Steve founded Power From the SON (PFS), who’s first project was restoring electricity to a hospital in Liberia that was ravaged by a fourteen-year civil war. The dedicated hospital staff struggled without electricity while trying to rebuild and serve 24,000 patients a year. Routinely surgeons were forced to finish operations with flashlights in their mouths, often without anesthesia equipment. A few months after the project’s completion, the United Methodist Bishop proclaimed, “Thousands of lives will be saved, hundreds of lives have been saved already!”
During one week in August 2019, Power From the SON electrified a Honduran church/school and an orphanage separated by two hundred miles of ocean. These were not small house wiring jobs, but installations that required the transformation of a shipping container into an electric generation and switching location, coupled with a state-of-the-art electric distribution system.
Steve is the author of When Faith Lights the Way: The Quest to Restore Electricity to a War-Ravaged African Hospital.
http://whenfaithlightstheway.com/
https://www.amazon.com/When-Faith-Lights-Way-Electricity/dp/1949784029
https://www.facebook.com/Power-From-The-SON-230919783730495/


When Faith Lights the Way: The Quest to Restore Electricity to a War Ravaged African Hospital by Stephen H Vincent

The Merits of Procrasti-writing

The other day, I sat down to work on my revisions for my YA fantasy. In my last post for Operation Awesome, I talked about being too tired during the week to be able to even think about writing, so I was pretty excited that I had the time and energy to write on Saturday. There I was, clacking away at my keyboard, when I stumbled across something that seemed a simple question:

It's 5:00 in the morning on a trail through the woods. How are the characters able to see and navigate?

Lantern? Nope, they just escaped a fight with bad guys in the woods; they wouldn't want to draw attention to themselves. Magic? No, there's not that kind of magic in this world. Night vision? Cool idea, but that could get overpowered very quickly. So how?

The next logical thought was, well, of course there's a moon and stars. But then I paused. See, I'm firmly in the camp of making fantasy worlds markedly different from our own, and what always annoys me is these fantasy worlds that have the same 24-hour day, the same single sun and moon, the same seasons and tides and all of the other things unique to our planet. So of course I thought to myself, Well, in this world, there are TWO moons.

Yet another thought that seemed so simple at the time. But three hours later, my eyes aching from having stared at my computer screen, I realized I was very deep in the rabbit hole of figuring out how to put together a binary moon system that perfectly cycles in a 360-day year and only has one shared new moon.

All the while as I was working on this, some voice of reason in the back of my head kept pleading with me to stop, to just work on the revisions like I'd intended, that the binary moons were cool but did not need this much thought. But I couldn't stop. This one extremely background detail had completely consumed me, and I needed to figure it out. And, after multiple days of thought, research, and Excel formulas, I came up with my system. 

When I was done, I looked back on that time and felt extremely disappointed with myself. Rather than spending the weekend writing the entirely new chapter two I'd intended to work on, I messed around with sine curves. Instead of figuring out how to work in more of that side character who completely disappeared after chapter four, I read about lunar eclipses. I felt like I'd wasted the weekend. 

But the thing is, I didn't waste it. Sure, at first it was an exercise in procrastination, but by the end of my deliberations, I had something to show for it. I had created a metric that I can now use to tell time in the world of the story, and to set the stage for a major world-specific event. It's hard to see this kind of stuff as you're in it, that the time you're "wasting" will actually be useful as you move forward with your writing. 

So I'd encourage you to do these deep dives, to let your imagination or your sense of scientific propriety drive you where it may. You might resurface with a binary moon system.

Help for your TBR pile!

Books for soldiers & sailors 1918

We here at Operation Awesome want to help all our blog readers to ~drumroll~ restock your TBR [to be read] piles!  We know your piles are starting to dwindle*, and we want to ensure you have something to read.  Because let's be honest, the thought of having NOTHING to read is downright scary!

*In case you haven't guessed, this is HUMOR.  If you're like me, your TBR pile resides on the nightstand beside your bed, most of the floor space UNDER your bed, three bookcases along the wall in the hallway, about half of the trunk of your car, one-third of your briefcase, one desk drawer at work, a Kindle app on your iPhone, Overdrive on your iPad, and a folder of PDFs on your laptop computer.  And this doesn't count the library books you've checked out.


Overdrive

Internet Archive

Project Gutenberg

Smithsonian Libraries

Library of Congress


Two sites of compilations:

Teach Thought

Edu Choices


I'm currently reading Dogtripping by David Rosenfelt.  Next on my TBR list is So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo.

What's on your TBR list?  Tell us in the comments!

Dear O'Abby: Help! I'm out of ideas!

Dear O'Abby,

Something has happened to me recently that has never happened before: I just can't come up with a story idea that excites me.

I have fragments of ideas and sketches of characters, but nothing that feels like it could sustain a whole novel.  

Do you have any ideas how I might be able to kickstart my creativity and come up with an idea for a new book?

Yours,

Blanking

Dear Blanking,

It's frustrating isn't it?  I know exactly how you feel.  Those ephemeral half-formed ideas that don't quite gel into something you can picture yourself spending a year or more working on.  Those ghostly characters that flit through your brain, half-formed, but with no real purpose.

I don't have any definitive, sure-to-work strategies for dealing with this lack of inspiration, but I can tell you about a few things that have worked for me when I've been drowning in a puddle of not-really-stories and not-quite-characters.

Firstly, if you have several different ideas, see if they could go together.  For example, when I wrote An Unstill Life, it started off as three very separate book ideas, one about a gay couple not being allowed to attend a school dance together, the second about a cancer sufferer not wanting to prolong her agony through doing more treatment when she knew it was futile, and the third about the way friendships change once people start coupling up.  None of these ideas was big enough or well formed enough to sustain a book on its own, and I wasn't sure who the characters really were in any of them.  It was only once I put all three stories together that the novel began to take shape in my mind.

Another thing I've done to try and spark something interesting is to use one of those really vague ideas you have - in my case, I wanted to write a story about a boy being physically and emotionally abused by his girlfriend - and use daily writing prompts to guide your character and story development.  If you Google "writing prompts" there are numerous sites that offer writing prompts and you can even subscribe to sites that send you one each day.  Just make sure you give yourself some rules around how you use the prompts or you'll find yourself sifting through them looking for something you can use, rather than allowing the prompts to force you to think outside your comfort zone.  I used a contest called The Writer's Cramp on Writing.com because it's a site I belong to, and the competition side of it made it a little more fun to dash out those 1000 words each day.  I didn't write a perfect book using this method, but I certainly discovered some really interesting things out about my characters by forcing myself to write about them using the scenarios and situations the prompts threw at me.  I even ended up with a central character I hadn't ever expected to be in there.

Inspiration can come from other sources too.  Read the newspaper and you might find a tiny sidebar story about something that tickles your imagination.  Watch a documentary and you might discover something fascinating you've never heard of before.  Something that you could incorporate into your own story.  Sometimes it might be a location, other times, a character or story that just piques your imagination in a way that tosses up ideas you want to follow.  Read widely.  You might read something you thought you'd love because the story sounded like something you'd be really interested in, but the book fell flat for some reason.  Maybe you can figure out why you felt that way and write a book that explores a similar story in a more satisfying way.

Hopefully one of these suggestions will spark your imagination.  Stories can't always be forced into existence, but they can certainly be encouraged to grow.

X O'Abby.

Operation Awesome #20Questions in #2020 of #NewBook Debut Author Julie Holmes

Murder in Plane Sight by Julie Holmes

1- Do you have a #NewYearsResolution you care to share?

I like to think of the new year as a fresh opportunity to work toward goals, rather than resolutions. My goals for 2020 include finishing the draft for the second Sierra Bauer mystery and editing it for submission to my agent, and completing a draft of my next project, a rural Minnesota mystery.

2- Would you please, in 160 characters or less, give a #WriteTip ?

Write what you know, but don’t show off. You want to be authentic but don’t bog readers down. Too much “technical” information will turn readers off.

3- What is the best piece of writing advice you've received?

Don’t stop studying the craft. Don’t stop practicing. Even professional athletes practice. If you want to be a writer, don’t give up. Persist. Keep learning, keep practicing, and you will become a better writer.

4- Would your mystery qualify to enter for The Staunch Book Prize?

Yes, my mystery would qualify, I believe. My main character survived an attack by her stalker ex-boyfriend, and regained control of her life. She is determined not to lose all the progress she’s made since the attack even when her past comes back to haunt her.

5- Would you share a picture with us of your book with the sky or a plane in the background?



6- How many Sierra Bauer Mystery books are you hoping to write?

I have completed the draft of the next book in the series, and I have the story idea for the third book. I’d like to write at least three books, but I have other series in mind I want to work on, including a police procedural series for which I have the first four books drafted.

7- What's your Twitter handle, and do you have two or three writer friends on there to shout-out to for #WriterWednesday ?

My Twitter handle is @julieholmes2k13 . I have a lot of writer friends on Twitter, but I’ll pick these three to shout out: @MaeClair1 , @dlfinnauthor , @stacitroilo

8- What’s one writing goal you hope to accomplish before you die?

I hope to be on the New York Bestseller List at least once (don’t we all hope for that? :D )

9- What most motivates you to read a new book?

I am a member of the Twin Cities chapter of Sisters in Crime, and I have met a lot of fellow authors. If I know the author, I would like to read at least one of their books. Unique and not run-of-the-mill protagonists with an interesting story and great cover (of course!) also inspire me to read a new book. To finish a book, I want to feel connected to the characters in some way. I want to be scared for them, root for them, and feel a sigh of relief for them when I reach the end of the book.

10- It's our tenth anniversary! How far has your writing come in the past ten years and where do you see your writing career ten years from now?

Happy Anniversary and congratulations! The past ten years of my writing life have been the best, I think, because I have found treasured mentors who guided me to improve my craft. Of those ten, the past seven years have been the best, because in the summer of 2012 I met my Writing Sisters. We are eight writers who have helped each other not only improve our writing, but have helped each other through real life difficulties. We have become sisters in all but blood.

11- What is your favorite book by someone else, what's the author's Twitter handle, and what do you love most about that book? #FridayReads book recommendation time!

Author name: Mae Clair @MaeClair1
Title: Hode’s Hill
Love because: Hode’s Hill is a series of three books; I’m reading the last one now: Eventide. I have to pick the whole series :D Love because: Mae does a fantastic job with dual timelines and rich characters.


12- What emotions do you hope your book will evoke for the reader?

I want my reader to feel the fear, the anxiety, the grief, and the confidence my main characters feel through the story. I want the reader to invest in the characters and really experience the story with them.

13- What kind of impact do you hope your book will have?

I hope my book will show readers that non-traditional protagonists are interesting and worth reading without falling into the usual stereotypes. I also hope my book assures people who may have been victims in the past do not have to become victims again. I think people like characters who, although they have tragedy in their past, learn to take control of their lives and aspire to keep that confidence in their strength.

14- What is the best writing tool, program, or reference book you've ever bought?

The best writing program, for me, that I ever bought is Scrivener. It fits the way I like to write without being outrageously expensive. I don’t use all of its capabilities, but I like what I do use. I also love OneNote, which is where I keep my story bibles. And a shout-out to Karen Wiesner and her book, First Draft in 30 Days.

15- In what ways are the main characters in your book diverse? diversebooks.org #WeNeedDiverseBooks

I think the biggest way my book is diverse is the fact that my main character is a woman doing a man’s job, which doesn’t compare to truly diverse books. My favorite book(s) with diverse characters are the Detective by Day series by Kellye Garrett and the Pen Wilkenson series by Brian Lutterman.

16- Who is your favorite book review blogger?

I’ve been spending a lot of time working on my WIP, so less time roaming the internet. There are a lot of readers and many writers who post reviews. Two I follow are Kim at By Hook Or By Book (https://cadburypom.wordpress.com) and Debby Geis (https://dgkayewriter.com).

17- What was the deciding factor in your publication route?

The main reason I chose to go the traditional route is cost. Sure, self-publishing allows a writer to keep more of the profits from the book, but they also have to pay for professional editing, cover design, and they have to work to find all the channels, etc to get their books out into the world. By being traditionally published, I worked with an editor and a cover designer, plus traditional publishers, including small presses, have access to avenues like PW and LJ and distributors that self-published writers don’t.

18- Which author, past or present, do you feel most resembles your work?

That’s a tough question. I think my work has a similar flavor to writers such as Julie Kramer or Jess Lourey (Murder by Month series). Patricia Briggs’ main character, Mercy Thompson, is a non-traditional character like Sierra Bauer, but I’m not writing urban fantasy (yet 😉 )

19- Would you please ask our audience a question to answer in the comments?

Was there one thing, a person or event, that inspired you to become a writer? What was it?

20- Anything else you would care to share about your book and yourself?

Bio: Award-winning author Julie Holmes writes a variety of mysteries, from suspense with a touch of romance to police procedurals with a brush of extrasensory, with forays into fantasy and science fiction. A former aircraft mechanic for a commuter airline, she is now a technical writer for a software company. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and Mystery Writers of America.

Social Media:

Blog: https://facetsofamuse.wordpress.com
FB: @JulieHolmesAuthor (https://facebook.com/julieholmesauthor/)
Twitter:
@julieholmes2k13 Website: http://julieholmesauthor.com


Excerpt:

Headlights glared in the rearview mirror. Sierra Bauer slowed, but not enough. Her car slid around the turn onto the service drive that ran past the Range Airlines maintenance hangar on the western side of the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. She steered into the skid, regained control. Cursed the timing of the snow.

The idiot stuck to her backside like duct tape, too damn close even for Minneapolis drivers in these two inches of fresh January snow. Sierra considered hitting the brakes.

A deep rumble, and her tailgater passed her.

A pickup truck.

In the glow of her headlights, she identified the color.

Black.

Her breath caught.

An outline of a pale rectangle peeked from the layer of snow on the rear bumper.

Her heart stuttered. Raced.

It can’t be his truck. How would he know where I am?



Murder in Plane Sight by Julie Holmes

The Full-Time Worker and the Writer

After finishing my master’s degree and taking a year off to write, I have only just recently entered The Workforce - Amren's First Full-Time Job! And you know what? I have NO IDEA how people manage to fit in writing. If you're someone who somehow squeezes in a quick revision during lunch, or you write a new paragraph on the bus, kudos to you because I do not know how you do it. I have no idea how you compartmentalize well enough to shove aside the fact that Anna left this unsolvable problem by deleting her source code and just get into zen writer-mind. It seems nigh impossible.

I thought that starting a full-time job would be easier than grad school, since I wouldn’t have homework or group projects or research to do on my own time. I thought I'd be able to clock out at 5:00, leave my worries at the door, and saunter home to write a dozen pages. Instead, I get home and stare at my laptop, all of my creativity drained as if I'd poured it through a sieve. What I didn’t factor into this consideration was that, during grad school, I could go home during the day and make pizza dough or smash out a couple chapters. (Sometimes I could even cram a few paragraphs into the margins of my notes during class, if I was sneaky.) Working full-time is a whole other animal.

I've considered making time to write in the little moments here and there at work, but my job is too demanding to even allow me to think about what I'm going to work on after lunch. My brain is constantly "on," working out how long it'll take me to scan a dozen slides and whether I can figure out what's wrong with the lab computer while the scanner is running. At the end of the day, I constantly feel like my brain has turned to jello. And it is so frustrating. I've had my NaNoWriMo manuscript nagging at the back of my mind since the new year started, but I've barely had the energy to work on it. I have so many ideas in the tiny moments when I'm walking to lunch or running to the lab next door, but even just writing them down, they come off so boring, so clinical. It's as if work saps all the creativity from my body. It seems as though all I can do is hope that I'll eventually settle in, and all of this will be a distant memory.

How do you deal with work-writing balance? When do you find time to write? When you're feeling as if your creativity has drained away, how do you "reset?"

Questions to ask a literary agent on “the call”

Library reading nook 2018

Writers who want to be traditionally published are usually interested in being represented by a literary agent.  A literary agent can provide some major benefits to writers, including that the larger publishers [Big 5 – Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster] generally don't accept submissions directly from writers.  They only accept submissions from literary agents.

Last week we reviewed some questions to ask your critique partners and/or beta readers.  This week let's review some questions to ask if you have a literary agent interested in representing you.

First, congrats!  Getting “the call” from an agent means you've worked long and hard on your book and your query and maybe even a synopsis.  You've researched agents you believe would be a good fit for your book and your own personal style.  You've bitten your fingernails down to the quick with all the waiting and hoping.  And now you have an agent interested in talking to you!  Yay!

Now, here are some sample questions to ask:

Janet Reid - literary agent

Rachelle Gardner - literary agent

Jessica Faust - literary agent

Victoria Lee - author

And, here are some questions you might be asked.  Know your responses!

Maria Vicente - literary agent

Mary Kole - freelance editor, former literary agent

Finally, here's what one literary agency looks for in the writers they represent.

James McGowan - literary agent, BookEnds Literary Agency

Happy agent hunting!

Dear O'Abby: How do I get the most out of my online publicity opportunities?

Dear O'Abby,

Thank you so much to Operation Awesome for featuring us in the Debut Author Spotlight. We’re so happy about it. Might you have any suggestions on how we can promote, share, etc., to get more exposure for the feature? 

Best,

New Authors

Dear New Authors,

When publishing the Debut Author Spotlights, Operation Awesome schedules a number of social media posts about the feature, each highlighting one of the questions asked in the interview or something interesting in one of the answers.  One of the best ways to promote an interview or review online is to share these social posts so a new circle of people see them or write new social posts linking to the interview.

If, in the interview, you mention other authors, book review bloggers or anyone else in the industry, you can tag them when you share or post and hopefully they will then share with their circles too.  

Using the most effective hashtags when sharing or posting is also a way to extend the reach of any publicity opportunity by making the post searchable for people looking for something specific.  For example, if, in your interview, you talk about diversity in your books, you may want to use a hashtag that indicates you're talking about diversity so people searching for diverse books will find it more easily.  There is a site that will help you find the best hashtags for your posts.

You can also mention your interview in other interviews if it's relevant.  If an interviewer asks something you have already answered in depth elsewhere, in your reply to that question, you can say something like "I actually already spoke at length about this very topic here" and link to the interview.

The most important thing to remember about social media is that it's social.  Your feed should not be just a constant litany of "read my book, read my book, read my book".  Share other writers' interviews too, if they are relevant or you find them fascinating.  Engage with other writers and readers on the platform by sharing their posts or commenting on them. Social media is about building a community and you don't build anything worthwhile by constantly spamming people with ads for your own work.

Another thing to think about is using images in your posts.  People scrolling through screes and screes of social posts are more likely to stop and look at something with an eye-catching image than a post which is just a bunch of text. 

This is by no means a comprehensive lesson on how best to utilize social media, but hopefully it will help you in making existing information about you and your book work harder for you.

X O'Abby

Operation Awesome #20Questions in #2020 of #NewBook Debut Author Kari Veenstra

The Rescuer by Kari Veenstra

1- 1- Do you have a #NewYearsResolution you care to share?

My #NewYearsResolution for 2020 is to draft, write, and edit the sequel to my debut. I think this will be both a challenge for me and an excellent goal to work toward.

2- Would you please, in 160 characters or less, give a #WriteTip ?

Knowing how to write well and knowing how to tell a great story are two different things. Seek to improve at both, and your writing will blossom.

3- What is the best piece of writing advice you've received?

That you don’t have to write every day to be a great writer. There are great writers who do write every day, and there are great writers who don’t. You improve as a writer every time you sit down to write. The more you do it, the faster you improve, but don’t beat yourself up if you can’t or don’t put words on the page every single day.

4- Is your book similar to the Kevin Costner movie "The Guardian" and in what ways?

As far as character, plot, and setting, my book is completely different from The Guardian. However, I’ve heard there are anywhere from 1 to 3 to 7 basic stories in all the world, so if you compare the two works in that light, you will definitely find some definite similarities in regards to story and theme. The biggest similarity is sacrifice. Costner’s character in The Guardian is willing to sacrifice his hopes, dreams, relationships, and even his life to save others. In The Rescuer, Prok Zandin (the main character) is also willing to make these kinds of sacrifices and in doing so drives the entire plot.

5- Would you share a picture with us of your book near water or a liquid?



6- You completed your 2019 Reading Challenge on Goodreads! How many books are on you challenging yourself to read in 2020?

In 2019 I pledged to read 40 books. I’m proud to say I read 45. This year, 45 is my pledge. I’m hoping to not only hit it, but exceed it by a couple. Whatever number I do read will be my goal for 2021.

7- What's your Twitter handle, and do you have two or three writer friends on there to shout-out to for #WriterWednesday ?

You can find me on Twitter @KariVeenstra_
In a round-about way, being on Twitter got me my publication deal. @StuartWhiteWM had a lot to do with it as did AM Dassu @a_reflective . And I’ve met so many wonderful writing friends thanks to @kristen_kieffer ’s #StorySocial chats.

8- What’s one writing goal you hope to accomplish before you die?

Hitting the New York Times Best Seller List is at the top of my writing bucket list.

9- What most motivates you to read a new book?

Cover, tag-lines, and back cover copy are probably the biggest reasons I pick up a book. If it looks interesting and sounds interesting, I’m hooked. I’m less likely to read based on word-of-mouth because I find that my tastes vary vastly from so many other readers.

10- It's our tenth anniversary! How far has your writing come in the past ten years and where do you see your writing career ten years from now?

My writing has improved by leaps and bounds in the last 10 years. I went from writing news articles and web copy to writing fiction. I used to be so self-conscious of my fiction that I did all my writing in secret and didn’t try to connect with other writers at all. Needless to say, that didn’t work out.

My own personal writing style has improved over the last decade as I’ve found and developed my writing voice. I’ve learned so much about writing craft and what makes a great story. I understand why some novels succeed and why others end up as a DNF.. I’ve also learned that Twitter is a great place to build real writing friendships.

In another 10 years, I would love to have my entire Krador Kronicles series published. I have a few other books in the works that I would love to write and get published as well. At least 5 published works over the next decade seems like a great goal to shoot for.

11- What is your favorite book by someone else, what's the author's Twitter handle, and what do you love most about that book? #FridayReads book recommendation time!

Author name: Eoin Colfer @EoinColfer
Title: Artemis Fowl
Love because: The story is just so good! I LOVE this book (and the whole series). The characters and the world sucked me in from page 1 and made me want to be a part of their world. I’ve had my very battered copy for nearly 20 years and have re-read it many times. In addition to being a fun and fantastic fantasy, this book is *the* book that made me want to become a writer.


12- What emotions do you hope your book will evoke for the reader?

In my book, the two core themes are friendship and sacrifice. I want readers to experience loyalty as deeply as my main character Prok Zandin does. I’d love for them to feel the same excitement, fear, exhilaration, and trepidation that he feels throughout the story.

13- What kind of impact do you hope your book will have?

I want my book to inspire my readers with the courage to make tough choices and the willingness to sacrificially give of themselves to help someone else.

14- What is the best writing tool, program, or reference book you've ever bought?

Story Genius by Lisa Cron taught me so much about writing and story. The tagline of that book is “How to use brain science to go beyond outlining and write a riveting novel … before you waste three years writing 327 pages that go nowhere.”

I’ve been working on The Rescuer for YEARS. I rewrote it several times, and while it did get better with each pass, I still wasn’t satisfied; I couldn’t put my finger on what was wrong. Then I read Story Genius and had a lightbulb moment. I completely re-worked the book AGAIN - but this time I did it the Story Genius way, and now I feel confident that I have a complete and compelling story that flows organically from start to finish.

15- diversebooks.org #WeNeedDiverseBooks What's your favorite book with a diverse main character?

One of my favorite reads of 2019 was Front Desk by Kelly Yang. The story is so unique and poignant. It is a fantastic diverse book that gives a clear window into the lives of Chinese immigrants to America and some of the struggles they and their children faced.


16- Who is your favorite book review blogger?

I love Ana and Thea over at The Book Smugglers. Their reviews are easy and fun to read, and I always get good insight from their reviews.

17- What was the deciding factor in your publication route?

I always knew I wanted to be traditionally published. For me, it’s the validation of knowing that someone - a gatekeeper, if you will - liked my book enough to publish it. I also am really looking forward to seeing my book in major bookstores - that was definitely a factor in choosing my publication route.

18- Which author, past or present, do you feel most resembles your work?

My book is very similar to the Adventures Guild by Zack Loren Clark and Nick Eliopulos. It features four unique characters that comes together for an epic adventure and have to work together to reach a common goal.

19- Would you please ask our audience a question to answer in the comments?

I’m always interested in growing my TBR (To Be Read) list, so what is the best book you read last year or what book that you’re currently reading would you recommend for me to add to my list?

20- Anything else you would care to share about your book and yourself?

500 feet below the surface of a drowned planet, an underdog gambles his family’s future to help a missing friend. But the price may be more than he’s able to pay, and choice comes with permanent consequences. THE RESCUER, YA SFF - Coming Feb 21 from INtense Publications. Pre-Order here: The Rescuer
KARI VEENSTRA grew up climbing trees in the remote jungles of Papua New Guinea until the day she stuffed all her belongings in a suitcase and traveled to America for college. In the process of studying to become a crack defense attorney, Kari discovered writing was her true passion. This led to a journalism internship and a career in copywriting until Kari switched to writing fiction so she could spend more time with her family. Kari now lives in the deserts of El Paso, Texas, with her husband and two children, and is always on the lookout for a good tree to climb. To connect with Kari online, visit http://kariveenstra.com

Twitter: @KariVeenstra_

Facebook: @KariVeenstra.Author


The Rescuer by Kari Veenstra

On the Merits of Audiobooks

Oh, audiobooks. I used to have such a contentious relationship with them. Does listening to an audiobook really count as having read the book? Is it really the same? Are you a true fan if you haven’t read the book?

I mean, the answer to all of those is yes, but I was a real book snob as a teenager.

I’ve recently begun listening to a lot of audiobooks. Like many people, I’ve found my job to be…uh…kind of tedious sometimes (nobody tell my boss). I’m a research scientist, so a good deal of my day consists of following protocols that have become second nature by now, or working with spreadsheets, or otherwise carrying out lab maintenance and cleaning. I bought a cheap pair of Bluetooth headphones and started listening to music at work. But the thing is, I get tired of music eventually, and when I want to change songs, I have to take my lab gloves off and that’s a waste.

So, I switched to audiobooks. I finally set up my Overdrive account and got their app, Libby, for my phone. (The Bluetooth connectivity distance of my desktop computer is…not great.) I’m fortunate enough that my local library has an extensive eAudio collection, so I checked out the entire SHATTERED REALMS series by Cinda Williams Chima and went at it.

At first, it was kind of a weird transition. While music is kind of mindless in the background, I had to at least sort of listen to the books. But slowly, I got used to it, and I’ve been ramping up the playback speed as I get more accustomed to the reader’s pace. Since I switched to audiobooks in the middle of December, I’ve listened to FLAMECASTER, SHADOWCASTER, STORMCASTER, DEATHCASTER, LIKE A LOVE STORY, WITH THE FIRE ON HIGH, and I’m less than an hour away from finishing THE DOWNSTAIRS GIRL. I get to listen to a bunch of books that I’ve been meaning to read as “research” for my NaNoWriMo revisions, my supervisor gets my hard work, and everybody’s happy. Win win!

Do you listen to audiobooks at work? (Don’t worry, I won’t tell!) If so, what have been some of your favorites? And what’s on your to-listen shelf?

Questions to ask your critique partners and/or beta readers

Reading nook - 1905

We did not receive any submissions for First 100 Critique last week.  It appears y'all are a little burned out on the First 50/100 Critique idea, so we'll let it sit for awhile.  Don't worry, we'll resurrect it a little later this year.

According to the OA About page, “We blog regularly, sharing writing tips and hosting contests (like #queryfriday and #PassOrPages).”  So during this break from First 50/100, let's talk about some writing tips.  This week – Questions to ask your critique partners and/or beta readers.

First question – what's the difference between critique partners and beta readers?  A critique partner is a writer who reads your work and gives you feedback from a writer's perspective.  You will usually “pay” for this help by doing the same thing in return.  A beta reader is a reader, usually one who reads in your genre and is a member of your target audience, who gives you feedback based on a reader's perspective, not a writer's perspective.

The types of questions and feedback you want from each one can be different, but can also be the same.

I trolled the internet and found several good lists of questions you can consider asking your critique partners and/or beta readers.

Writer's Digest

Helping Writers Become Authors

Beta Reader IO

Jami Gold

The Write Life

The Kill Zone

When I read someone's first chapter, I usually comment on (1) was the first line/paragraph good for the category/genre, (2) did the first line/paragraph hook me, (3) did I like the MC, (4) was the dialogue authentic and believable, (5) was the action believable, (6) was it exciting and/or fun, (7) can I visualize the setting, (8) does the timeline make sense, (9) were there parts where I wanted to read more of the MC's thoughts [this one is common], and (10) would I want to read this all the way to the end.

I also tend to leave "stream of consciousness" comments.  If I have a thought while I'm reading, I make a comment so the writer knows what's going through my mind at that point in the story.

When someone reads your manuscript, what kinds of questions to you ask your readers?  And when you read for someone, what kinds of comments do you give?  Let us know in the comments!

O'Abby's Vacation Flash Fiction Competition

O'Abby is on vacation this week here:

To keep you busy while she's away mountain biking, hiking, swimming and sunning herself, she challenges you to write a piece of flash fiction (no more than 500 words), inspired by this stunning view.

Post them in the comments, and when she's back next week, she'll pick a winner to receive a prize.

Have a fantastic week!

X O'Abby

2020 Writing Resolutions

It's a new year! A new decade! And, though some might say otherwise, it's not too late to decide on a new year's resolution.

I try to look at new year's resolutions more as guidelines than rules. Rather than saying, "I'm going to send 100 queries!" I tell myself "I'm going to work on my query more and get some feedback." Instead of pledging "I'm going to go to the gym every day!" I think "I'm going to be more active." This kind of thinking works for me - setting a broad goal that I can accomplish in any number of ways, instead of setting a very specific goal that requires one singular task.

For 2020, my goal is to revise the manuscript I wrote for NaNoWriMo last year, and really get the worldbuilding solid. If you haven't made a resolution yet, there are plenty of writing-focused topics that might be a good choice! Maybe you'd like to spend more time on writing, so you could resolve to write for 20 minutes a day or even just to spend more time thinking about your work. Maybe you'd like to focus on some specific goals, like finishing that one manuscript and meeting more fellow writers. Maybe your goal is to be less distracted when you're writing by using apps or timers. Whatever it is, if it gets you writing, it'll be a good one!

What's your resolution for 2020? Drop it in the comments below!

First 100 Words Critique

She writes with both hands!

Based on your input, you want more than 50 words and you want a broader category/genre.  This week we'll try the first 100 words of an ADULT HISTORICAL FANTASY.  We'll also open an entry period for ANY CATEGORY / GENRE YOU WANT TO SUBMIT.  You need to tell us what the category and genre is, so we can provide appropriate critique.

Here's the entry requirements.  If you want to enter, send us an email as follows:

Subject:  First 100 Critique – [name your category and genre]

The following 100 words are my own work and I give OA permission to post it on the OA blog for the life of the blog.

I commented on the entries posted on [date] and [date] as [your online ID].

My first 100 words:

[Copy/paste your first 100 words here.]

Send us your entry by Friday January 10, 2020.  We'll confirm receipt and let you know the date it will post on the blog.  Then, please invite your friends to read and critique.  The more the merrier!

If you don't receive a confirmation email by Sunday January 12, 2020, send us a DM on twitter and we'll figure it out.

We haven't chosen the category/genre for the first Pass or Pages yet, but if you want your first 250 to hook an agent, and you hope we choose YOUR category/genre, consider submitting your first 100 so you can get new eyes on your opening.

On to this week's entry!

Reminder:  Be nice, but be honest.  [Comments that are not polite/respectful will be deleted.]  What would YOU like to know if this was YOUR first 100 words?  Do you think it's a good opening line for the category/genre?  Does it have a hook?  Does it pull you into the story?  Do you want to read more?  Why or why not?  Be specific, so your critique helps the person who wrote the entry.

Adult, Historical Fantasy

Inside the Peach Orchard Inn, Lord Liu Jie expected to see ghosts. If the farmers knew that, they'd kill him.

They won’t if I don’t react. Besides, I don't see real ghosts. They're embarrassing hallucinations I want to see because two of them are my children.

Hallucinations or not, today will be difficult. Behind the bar, the yellow silk of an imperial call to war flickered in the lamplight.

Jie reread it.

"Yellow Turban rebels assault the people and threaten the capital. The Son of Heaven requires aid, as sons might come to their father.  All districts report."

Dear O'Abby, Is 2020 really the beginning of the decade?

Dear O'Abby,

I find myself having arguments with people all the time about things I find perfectly obvious (like Sunday, not Monday being the first day of the week - look at a calendar, people) so I thought I'd ask you if you had a definitive answer to this one:  Is 2020 the beginning of the decade, or is 2021?

I know it's not a writing question, but enquiring minds must know...

Best,

Decade-Confused

Dear Decade-Confused,

I too have that Sunday/Monday argument with various family members on a regular basis, and while some calendars do start the week on the right day (Sunday), rather maddeningly, some start the week on a Monday.  Which just gives those damn Monday people more ammunition for their argument.

But I digress...

Voices of authority say that because there was no 'year zero' when the current era began more than 2,000 years ago, all decades, centuries and millenia begin with 'year 1'.  Which means that technically, the new decade won't begin until 2021.  It also means we all celebrated the turn of the century and the beginning of the new millennium a year early.  Boy, do I feel foolish now.

But the popular voice has, for many decades past, said that the new decade begins the day that third digit changes.  So the 1960s ended as soon as the clock ticked to midnight on 1 January 1970 rather than struggling along for another year to the point the 1970s actually began.

Over half the population believes the new decade begins in 2020, so despite this not being technically correct, I doubt that's going to stop anyone celebrating this week.  But you will know the truth, and you can confuse the hell out of everyone next year when you throw your welcome to the '20's party on the true and actual date, feeling intellectually superior to all your friends.

Happy New Year to you all!  I hope 2020 is a great year for you, first year of the new decade or not!

X O'Abby.

Operation Awesome #20Questions in #2020 of #NewBook Debut Authors Jim Kroepfl and Stephanie Kroepfl

Merged by Jim Kroepfl and Stephanie Kroepfl

1- For you, what defines the difference between graffiti, street art, and murals?

The first big difference is that graffiti is illegal, while a mural is often commissioned, or at the least, the artist has approval to paint the mural. Even the small rural town of Granby, Colorado recently hired a number of artists to complete murals on a number of buildings in the town. Street art is more difficult to define in that it may have elements of both graffiti and murals. Some people say that street art is painted in daylight in view of the public, but Banksy is considered a street artist and he certainly does not create his art in view of the public. I think our feeling as to whether something is street art or graffiti has to do with the goal of the artist. Do they mean to create a piece of public art, or do they mean to just make a mark in the world through tagging or painting stylized words or pictures? Of course, the big question then becomes, who gets to decide what is art? Ultimately, that may be up to the person that owns the building and whether they want it gone or not.

2- Would you please, in 160 characters or less, give a #WriteTip ?

Create a gripping character who people can relate to or want to emulate, and put them in trouble. In other words, make the reader care!

3- What is the best piece of writing advice you've received?

The first reply we ever got from an agent was “The pacing seems off throughout.” That was it. Boy, we took it to heart. We spent months trying to understand pacing, since, at the time, we didn’t have a clue. Now, pacing is so important in our stories: how to make the story move, and yet, breathe. After twenty drafts, we will still cut entire chapters, just because they don’t have the right kind of pacing. The agent may have thought that was an off-the-cuff comment, but we have never forgotten it.

4- What lead to you two writing together?

We met when we were teenagers, and from our first conversation, we knew we would write together at some point. We had corporate careers in jobs that involved a lot of writing. At some point a few years ago, it became apparent that we were done working for other people, and the first thing we did was start writing fiction. It almost wasn’t a conscious decision, but something that happened because we knew it was inevitable, and it became a matter of “now or never.”

5- Would you share a picture with us of your book somewhere fun?

Here is one of us with a bull moose, which roam around our neighborhood at the edge of the Rocky Mountain Park all the time. The people around us (standing many, many yards back) thought we were crazy. Knowing how impertinent moose can be, they were probably right.

6- Would you two want your consciousnesses transferred into clone bodies after death, if that were an option?

We don’t think so. Life is precious, and we’re actually fascinated by what comes next. If John Lennon had been cloned, then wouldn’t he just be taking the place of who might be the next John Lennon? That being said, we really do think it’s going to happen, and probably sooner than we all think.

7- What's your Twitter handle, and do you have two or three writer friends on there to shout-out to for #WriterWednesday ?

@jimkroepfl
@JoshuaDBelin (author of the Ecosystem series) @DallasWoodburn (author of the upcoming “The Best Week that Never Happened”) @paulaertker (author of the Crime Travelers series)

8- Do you have a favorite #bookstagram image or account/ profile?

To be honest, my favorite is the profile of Brandy Vallance, a historical romance writer: brandyvallanceauthor. She fills her profile with fascinating photos of historical buildings and interesting settings. I get the feeling that I know what story she is working on when I browse her Instagram page.

9- What most motivates you to read a new book?

Is the character and the situation gripping to the point that we can’t stop reading? I think more than anything that has to do with the main character having a real goal. They must be proactive in a challenging situation, and that has to happen right away. This is true for both heroes and villains. Artemis Fowl wants to take over the world, and the reader loves him for it.

10- It's our tenth anniversary! How far has your writing come in the past ten years and where do you see your writing career ten years from now?

We have come from wanting to write a novel, to writing one, to getting an agent (actually, quite a few), to getting the right publisher, and finally seeing our first book in print. These sound like career goals, but they were also writing goals. We were very conscious of how we had to develop our writing all along the way, and winning awards, getting short stories published and responding to criticism from agents and editors were so important in becoming better writers. In ten years, it would be wonderful if we had ten published novels and a well-developed career. In fact, it’s hard to imagine anything else when we think ten years ahead.

11- What is your favorite book by someone else, what's the author's Twitter handle, and what do you love most about that book? #FridayReads book recommendation time!

Author name: Neal Shusterman @NealShusterman
Title: Unwind
Love because: It’s a great YA science fiction book that explores a unique solution to the pro-life vs. pro-choice debate. The story is not preachy and doesn’t take sides; instead, it shows that every answer creates heartache. Plus, it’s a fast-paced adventure story with a rich cast of characters you care about.


12- What emotions do you hope your book will evoke for the reader?

We would love the reader to walk away with a better understanding that everybody is smart in their own way, and the best ideas often come from including people who don’t think like you. Life is far more interesting when we don’t only hang out with clones of ourselves.

13- What kind of impact do you hope your book will have?

“Merged” indirectly explores the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) vs STEAM (the addition of art) debate in education. We would love our book to be influential in increasing the Arts in school curriculums, and giving kids more access to explore music, art, and creative writing.

14- What is the best writing tool, program, or reference book you've ever bought?

The best writing tool we’ve discovered is a very basic plotting device. We have a large cork board hanging on the wall, and we pin on it different colored index cards. Each card represents a chapter/scene. This has allowed us to visually see plotting snags such as whether the three act structure is sized correctly, how many chapters each point-of-view character has, a sagging middle, where the dark moment lies in the story, and it helps us see what needs to be changed when we move around scenes.

15- In what ways are the main characters in your book diverse? diversebooks.org #WeNeedDiverseBooks

One of the two protagonists in “Merged” is Orfyn, a mixed race sixteen-year-old boy who is raised by a nun in an orphanage. His skin color is not what causes him to be discriminated against, it’s the fact that he’s a street artist. But it’s his artistic ability that gives him the opportunity to change his life. Discrimination is not necessarily about the obvious.

16- Who is your favorite book review blogger?

Hannah, the Rainy Reader. It’s obvious that she takes the time to read the entire book. She always includes well thought out positive feedback and constructive criticism. Her input on our book has given us guidance on how to improve the sequel.

17- What was the deciding factor in your publication route?

We both have a marketing background, so we understood the difficulty in getting a wide distribution and reaching diverse audiences when self-publishing. This is our first published book, and it has always been our dream to experience all that the traditional route has to offer. “Merged” is traditionally published by Month9Books, a small publisher who specializes in YA and MG science fiction and fantasy.

18- Which author, past or present, do you feel most resembles your work?

We study John Green’s novels. We don’t presume that we’re as accomplished as him, but we try to follow his example in creating relatable characters with flaws, a story that includes smart humor, and to ask important questions that make the reader tackle their own assumptions about right and wrong.

19- Would you please ask our audience a question to answer in the comments?

So many people work for the money in jobs they’re not passionate about. If you didn’t have to worry about money, what is your dream job? Please remember your answer and don’t give up on it.

20- Anything else you would care to share about your book and yourself?

Our favorite type of science fiction is that which isn’t that far away from becoming a reality. We hope our readers have fun thinking about “what if.”


Merged by Jim Kroepfl and Stephanie Kroepfl