Monday, March 18, 2024

Why Great Authors Are Lousy Book Marketers

 


What holds authors back from not marketing their books, aside from the obvious: lack of knowledge, skills, resources, connections, or time, or money? 

It is you, dear author, and your mental approach to your book marketing, maybe even your life, needs to be readjusted. 

Do any of these statements sound familiar?

  • Believing you're just not good enough. You lack confidence. 
  • Feeling you don't have the energy it takes. No pep on your step. You need better nutrition/sleep/exercise. 
  • Mistaking rules — whether set by you or another — for absolute truths. You can find workarounds and make exceptions for new circumstances. 
  • Not really wanting to do the work. Laziness won’t be rewarded. 
  • Not pushing yourself to the highest level. You lack inspiration or motivation. 
  • You set such ambitious goals that you don’t know where to begin. Don’t burden or overwhelm yourself, crippling and undermining your dream. 
  • Holding out for optimal conditions to get going or to expand. You can’t wait for the perfect storm to strike. Acting now often beats all strategy.  
  • Requiring specific tools or resources to get the job done. Stop stalling or making excuses — go to war with the soldiers you have available. 
  • Abandoning things as soon as they get difficult. Show some resilience and nerve. Stick with it. 
  • Feeling as if you need permission or someone’s authorization to move forward. You don’t.  
  • You perceive problems or shortcomings that don’t exist or can be overcome and dealt with. Choose optimism. See possibilities not dead-ends.  
  • Failing to stay informed and up-to-date about successful and strategic ways to sell your book. 
  • Not acting on all of the good advice you were given. 
  • Expecting or demanding results without sacrificing some of your time. 
  • Believing that you can’t or won’t market your book, but failing to hire others who could help you. 
  • Having too many ideas and not knowing where to start, feeling overburdened and unfocused. 
  • Procrastinating, making excuses, and avoiding your reality. 
  • Prioritizing other activities over your commitment to marketing your book. 

Stop being your own worst enemy. Don’t be the bottleneck to your book marketing success.

Need PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with 3.6 million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.7 million pageviews. With 4,900+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

Sunday, March 17, 2024

Authors Must Act On To-Do Lists

 

 

With so much organizational technology, so many bestselling self-help books, and lots of time management resources at our disposal, we still have a ton of authors who procrastinate, forget to do things, or truly manage their days poorly. This is unacceptable if writers are serious about wanting their books to be bought, read, talked about, and given recognition. 

Authors fail to gain readership because they simply do not market enough. Plain and simple. There is no mystery to this. Books don’t sell themselves. Authors can’t just hope and pray for discovery, the way seven people merely wish to get rescued from Gilligan’s Island. 

So, regardless of what marketing approach you take, you need to make a list, check it twice, and make a point of executing your plan. But if you refuse to set goals, map out a strategy, and construct daily lists of tasks to be performed, you will wake up tomorrow a day older and no closer to your dreams. 

Not sure where to get some advice about how to punch through a to-do list, allocate your time efficiently, and be more productive? 

Try searching these resources: 

* Time-Tracking Apps

* Alarms On Phones

* Self-Help Books

* Time Management YouTube Videos

* Social Media Backs

* Informative Blogs

* Instructional Podcasts

* Inspiring Seminars

* Resourceful Webinars

* Motivational Coaches

* Organizational Therapists 

Folks, the solution is too simple to believe. Make a list. Do those things. Sleep. Wake up and repeat the process. This is a basic life skill. You are your own boss. You set the agenda. It is in your hands  

Just try:

* Pen and paper

* Your phone’s notes section

* Post-its

* Calendars

* An accountability buddy

* Anything and everything

Just do it. Now. Tomorrow. Every day.  

The thing about to-do lists is they push us. We never find enough time in the day to finish what is on our list. The more we accomplish the more likely we will add to our list some new things that we want to accomplish. That’s ok. Setting some goals leads to setting new or bigger ones. That is how we get stuff done.  

Most of us spend time fearing and ignoring our list, whether it is written down or in our head. We avoid what we have to do by tending to secondary things or areas that leave us at a deficit, some escapist, addictive behavior that puts us further in a hole. We then make excuses, to others and ourselves as to why we didn’t accomplish anything. Or worse, we stop shifting blame because we simply stopped thinking about what should be done.   

Look, it is up to you. I don’t care if you don’t enjoy marketing. Either you do it or outsource it -- or do both. But not doing anything is simply a plan to achieve nothing.  

Need PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with 3.6 million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.6 million pageviews. With 4,800+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

Friday, March 15, 2024

Interview With Author Eva Dietrich

  

1. What inspired you to write this book? My love for the written word, its very origins and the importance of imagination  

1.      What exactly is it about and who is it written for? It's a middle-grade fantasy novel, although it's been well received by many adult readers, so I think in a broader sense it's for lovers of fantasy, books and libraries.  

Here's the teaser for the book:  

If you were about to embark on an epic adventure where would you go?
Do you possess similar magical powers as our warlock hero does? Read this middle-grade fantasy adventure brimming with mythological creatures, wizards, magicians and stories of ancient Middle East civilizations, to find out.

Follow a 12-year old mage with powers to invent new words and create new worlds, on a high-stakes quest to save his father and beloved grandma. They are captured by a dark, word-feeding creature in the magical realm of Mesopo, a mystical land where stories are born. In this story of magic realism, time is at the essence since Mesopo’s word count is slowly diminishing as its citizens are dying. The hourglass is nearly empty. Will our hero's converted power be sufficient to save his land and his family, or will they be lost forever? Meet the fantastical world of Mesopo packed with heart-pounding peril, mysterious atmosphere, intriguing scribes, princes, magicians, storm-birds and creepy River People... and be sure to discover your own magical powers.
 

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book? I hope the book will help them  discover their own powers, namely their own power of imagination and their love of reading and writing. 

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design? Mesopo is short for Mesopotamia, the place where the written word originated in cuneiform and clay tablets. The book is loosely based on Mesopotamian mythology. As for the cover design, I saw some of Ingrid Kallick's earlier illustrations which I absolutely loved and asked her if she would be willing to do the cover design and illustrations. 

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!? Write. Write. Write. Write every day, even if it's just 15 minutes or half an hour, but write. 

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? Books and reading are paramount to our personal development and mental wellbeing, so even if sales of children's books were down last year, children's books will always be a fundamental building block in the development of a child's mind and soul. It's like the stock market, it has its ups and downs, but it's the long-term investment that counts. 

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book? I love magical realism, even as a child I loved authors like Michael Ende, and Gabriel García Marquez is one of my all-time favorite authors.  

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to? It has been described as original and even metaphysical, yet well-grounded in the whimsical adventures of a boy who loves words.  

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book? The biggest challenge is always to keep writing, to consciously make space for your own writing and to put your to-do list aside for a while. 

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? It's a book that will hopefully encourage the reader to discover their own powers, the impact of their own words and the freedom their own imagination can convey to them. 

About The Author: Eva Dietrich is the author of The Great Rainbow Hug (Le gros câlin arc-en-ciel, from Samir Editeur, 2011), recognized by La Revue Des Livres Pour Enfants in 2011 as their annual selection. Eva holds Masters’ Degrees in Children’s Literature from the University of Surrey, London and Creative Writing from the Metropolitan University of Manchester, UK, and is the founder and director of Aladdin Books. She is equal parts Spanish and German, and currently resides in Madrid with her three kids, her dog, three cats, and lots of hens. Doe more information, please see: www.evadietrich.org 

Need PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with 3.6 million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.6 million pageviews. With 4,800+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

 

Interview With Author Thomas Blackshear



1. What inspired you to write this book?
We have a broken child support system. Each state has its own set of rules for establishing support based on the parents' income. At the end of my story, I present a resolution that can be used uniformly nationwide to establish responsibilities to be shared by both parents based on the child's needs, instead of the current income based orders that vary from state-to-state. These laws may cause more parents to defy the laws than to comply.

2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for?
The book is about what I went through dealing with the court, and the mother of my two youngest children. I was fighting a judgment that was not in line with the state guidelines, and I refused to pay what was ordered until it was modified to fit the state's guidelines. While my story is based on what happened to me in one state, parents in every state have similar stories. The book is written for all parents, including those that are in same sex relationships. You never know when that day will come and you have to part ways. I want parents to fight to establish a uniform support system based on the children's needs. These needs can be taken care of without any money being exchanged between parents, thus taking the court out of the picture, unless one parent isn't taking care of their responsibilities. It also keeps both parents actively in the lives of their children.

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book?
I hope they will understand what some parents go through trying to be a part of their children's lives and the obstacles they may face dealing with a court that doesn't take into account the children's need of having both parents in their lives. I also hope that they understand that you have to fight for your rights when an injustice has occurred. Some say that I left my children without their father when I went to jail and prison. I agree, but it was because I wasn't scared of the system. It shouldn't have taken so long to correct the injustice that had been done. I hope there will be more parents who step up to change the system.

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design?
I became "The Child Support Felon" when I refused to pay the illegal amount ordered by the court for my youngest two children. At first, I wanted my picture that appeared on a wanted poster for "Deadbeat Dads" on the cover, but when I couldn't obtain a copy of it, I chose the design of the children looking hopelessly at their father in a jail cell. I think it shows how both the children and the parent feel about the situation.

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!?
If you are not picked up by a traditional publisher, which rarely happens if you are a first-time author, then self-publish your book. Do your research, locate a good editor, and plan on how to market your book. Going with a vanity publisher robs you of your royalties. Beware of the many scams before and after you publish.

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?
I am amazed at the many scams there are that target new authors.

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book?
Well, since this book was about my personal life, it was quite easy for me to be able to share my experience on this subject.

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to?
I would say my writing style is straight and to the point. I do not use a lot of big words that you need a dictionary for, which makes for an easy read.

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book?
The fact that this was a life experience that brought me much pain, I had to overcome a lot of hurt that I suffered fighting this case. I also had to overcome the hurt that family members, including my kids, had to endure also. While parents fight over money, kids care more about spending time with both parents, and a lot of times they don't realize how hard one parent may be working to keep the other from being a part of their lives, or how hard another is fighting to be in their lives. So it took me years to be able to accept some of the blame for my actions and mistakes.

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours?
I provide an honest insight into the fight between two parents who are both stubborn and made mistakes. We both let our personal feelings supersede the needs of our children. This is not a topic that many people care enough about. I feel when some people see the topic of this book, they automatically pass over it because they may feel that I am only complaining about how I got screwed by the system. Let this be a guide on being a better parent if you are not together. You have to approach each situation with the mindset of what would we be doing for the children if we were still together. I know that I'm on the right track because the reviews posted seem to all come from women. That says a lot. 

About The Author: I am just an ordinary citizen who suffered an injustice because I wanted to be a father to my children. None of these children asked to come into this world and none came here by mistake. I looked forward to raising and teaching them about the world and also providing everything they would need to be successful. Unfortunately, my relationship with the mothers led us to part ways. That did not mean that we were relieved of our responsibility to raise the children.For more information, please see: https://www.newmansprings.com/release/?book=thechildsupportfelon

Need PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with 3.6 million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.6 million pageviews. With 4,800+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

 

Interview With Author TG Trouper

  

1. What inspired you to write this book? 

I wanted to write a war story that featured females in lead roles but was not just another shoot-em-up with the gender flipped. There had to be more depth to the story.  

2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for? 

The story follows Astrid, an aspiring actress who gets her big break in a film, but on that day war breaks out. A series of events that she witnesses makes her give up on her dreams in order to serve her country. She joins the military and uses her acting skills to carry out missions behind enemy lines, becoming different characters and hiding in plain sight. 

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book? 

An understanding of the way conflict can lead people to do things that they never thought they were capable of. 

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design? 

Once I had the story, the title was obvious to me and should lead the reader into the story. The cover design was created by my publisher, and I have to say that if a picture is worth 1000 words, this is worth 2500 as it perfectly sums up the first chapter.  

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!? 

Write what your character would say, even if it is the opposite of what you would say. If your character is a vile homophobic racist, then you have to use vile homophobic racist language. Do it right and you should feel uncomfortable. The other thing is to read dialogue aloud, then you know if it flows or sounds silly.  

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? 

There’s so much wrong and I could write pages about it. Celebrity novels! In the UK over 50% of books in shops are ‘written’ (and I use the word in the loosest possible sense) by celebrities. It seems that you only have to be a D list actor in the background of a daytime soap in order to get a book published and featured prominently in bookstores – or worse, go on TV and get free advertising. The other thing is the looming menace of AI generated novels.   

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book? 

Conversations over the years with ex-military personnel have been handy. Plus I’ve always been an observer of the absurdities and contradictions of human behaviour, in particular those things that go unnoticed by the people doing them.  

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to? 

Fast paced, gritty and frequently dark. I’ve just signed a contract for a horror novel that gets a bit Dan Brown.  

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book? 

Self-doubt!  

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? 

It is concurrent with the zeitgeist of female led action stories, though this was not the intention when I wrote it. It also uncannily reflects on current geopolitics. However, this was also unintentional as the book was written before the current war in Ukraine.  

About The Author: TG Trouper lives with his wife in Essex, England. They have one son that works in America. TG worked in live music production for many years, dealing with the technical requirements of some of the biggest artists in the world, before retiring to look after ailing parents. He is also  guitarist and singer in a couple of club bands. TG took up writing after reading some disappointing books and thought that he could do a better job. For more information, please see: www.tgtrouper.ampbk.com

 

Need PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with 3.6 million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.6 million pageviews. With 4,800+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.

Interview With Author Brian Starr

  

1.      What inspired you to write this book? 

My daughter is the one who inspired me to brave the journey. I have always dreamed of becoming a writer, and until now, that's exactly all it has been-a dream. When my daughter was born, I went to my father to express that I was finally ready to take writing seriously and chase after that dream, but while holding my newborn (and in front of my wife, no less), he quickly discouraged me by saying I'd never be successful at it and I would be foolish to think anything else. In the kindest words he could find at the time to express his true feelings on the subject, he basically told me I did not have the talent. Deep down, I knew I needed the experience to learn and grow, and I knew I would make mistakes along the way, but it was still a shot to the gut to hear that from a parent. I guess I expected support, at the very least, and hoped for it. But that was not what I received. That was twelve years ago, and he still has nothing nice to say- nothing to say at all, really, not a single comment. He hasn't even read my book. So, while my daughter remains my inspiration, my father's negative words and lack of support sure helped to light a fire. : ) 

 2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for? 

Martha May McKenzie and The Magic Cake Big Mistake was written solely for entertainment. With everything going on in the world today, I didn't want to focus on anything too serious, so I came up with a fun page-turning adventure I thought my daughter would enjoy and kept it lighthearted and fun-though the second book of Martha is delving into a more serious tone, with more magic and adventure and new characters and new twists-BIG TWISTS-involving Mr. Fergusson of the Tasty Treat and Lucas and Trinity's Father.  

I wrote this book for my daughter. She is the inspiration behind everything I do. She was also a part of the writing process, and she even helped me with some of the illustrations. I love her creative feedback. When writing for kids, I find that their feedback is gold.  

I lost my best friend at a young age, and I still think about him to this day. I tell my daughter of our adventures as young children and all the mischief we would get into and worry we would cause our parents, but I don't have anything of his to remind me of him, only memories. As a writer, whether I make it big or not or am able to turn my writing into a full-time paying job, I want my daughter to have more than just memories of me. I want her to be able to have something that I created, something that was all me so that when she is having a bad day or feeling blue or even wants to remember something good, she can grab one of my books and hold it close and know that she is and will always be loved dearly. I want her to always have a piece of me. My next book, (The Missing Children Of Blackwood) is told by a little girl named DaPhne Planter, and I actually based the character %100 on her. My daughter even came up with the title of my third book (in the works now) titled, The Own Meister. 

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book?

Honestly, I simply hope it entertains and makes whoever is reading feel something while they read-a smile, a chuckle, a laugh-anything positive will be a win for me. And if a child reads my book and is inspired to become a writer, storyteller, or illustrator because of it or finds inspiration of any kind-well, then wow, I knocked it out of the park!  

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design? 

I went through so many ideas until, for whatever reason, I thought about someone I went to high school with and how his name, first, middle, and last, began with all M's, and it sounded fun to do as a title. So I just had fun with it until it sounded right. As far as the cover goes, I had an image in my head of how I wanted it to look, and I reached out to very talented artists on Fiverr (Dee Nugraha @neosalamana), and she brought it to life. She is amazing! I have used her for all three of my book covers thus far. 

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!?

I am nobody to give advice. I am still learning myself. But if I were to say anything, I would say stay true to yourself and write what makes you happy (otherwise, it will feel like a job). 

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? 

I don't really follow any trends, and I have even managed to stay off of social media (against everyone's suggestion that I should absolutely be on social media). 

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book? 

My imagination and sense of fun came in handy when writing this book. My next book, The Missing Children of Blackwood, is told in the first person and written for an older age group than Martha May McKenzie (not much older, but older). And while I enjoyed every minute I put into creating, writing, and developing the book, it wasn't the same as my first. My wife thinks it will garner a bigger audience because of its horror genre and that young kids and older kids alike can read it. But writing Martha May McKenzie was simply pure fun. It was almost as if I, myself, got to be a kid again with every word I typed.  

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to?

I almost feel like I would be insulting other writers if I compared myself to them. There are so many talents in the world that I don't even feel I compare. That being said, I thought it was beyond a marvelous dream come true that the US Review of Books compared my work to that of none other than Roald Dahl. What an honor!  

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book?

Honestly, the only challenges I had to face, and still face, were my own self-doubts (Am I good enough? Will readers like it? Will critics like it? Will I get a publisher or agent?). I grew up in a time when having Tourette syndrome was like having leprosy. I myself have always found it to be my superpower, but to my teachers and others who didn't understand or didn't want to understand, I was nothing more than a problem or a weird kid. So, I've never really had anyone in my corner until I met my wife, and we had our daughter. But even with both of their full support, it is hard to get a lifetime of negative voices out of your head and see any worth within yourself. Writing helps. 

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours?

Why not? : )  

About The Author: Growing up, I had a BIG imagination! I enjoyed telling stories and drawing pictures, and I absolutely loved to make people laugh. That often got me into trouble because I couldn't make everyone laugh. In the eighth grade, one of my teachers found me to be too distracting. She never laughed once. You can bet I was surprised when I walked into class one morning to find that my desk had been completely boxed in, using a large cardboard refrigerator box. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess. Seems that teacher thought it would be a quick fix just to separate me from my "audience." True story. But it didn't work . . . I escaped! For more information, please see: www.BrianStarr.com  

Need PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with 3.6 million page views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com  He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.6 million pageviews. With 4,800+ posts over the past dozen years, it was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs  and recognized by Feedspot in 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and director of publicity positions at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. His first published book was The Florida homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.