Saturday, October 7, 2017

Interview With World-Renowned TV and Film Writer Doug Sloan On His New Book




Doug Sloan, who has worked on more than 200 episodes of the mega-franchise Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers, as well as Dreamworks highly popular series Dragons: Riders of Berk, has a new book out. Here’s his interview about The Siren Chronicles: Book 1
  
1.      What really inspired you to write your book, to force you from taking an idea or experience and conveying it into a book? I have always been a lover of the ocean.  As a SCUBA diver most of my life, it has been my great fortune to have experienced that amazing world under the surface that most people never get to see up close.  I wanted to do something to help young readers understand ocean conservation and maybe motivate them to help clean up and save our oceans.  Also, coming from a family of brilliant and strong women, it has always been my desire to write a story with powerful female leads.  I thought that Mermaids might be the perfect way to do that.

2.      What is it about and whom do you believe is your targeted reader? The Siren Chronicles is a book series that follows three Mermaids, the smartest and strongest of their colony as they make their way to land to uncover the plot to pollute their ocean home and ultimately destroy the sirens.   When I write, I generally try not to think to hard about who the audience will be. I write a story that I think will be enjoyable for anyone who reads it.  It seems as though with The Siren Chronicles, the Younger teens and teens have really gravitated towards it, which is great!  I have spent my entire career trying to entertain this exact demographic.  So, it comes as no surprise that this is where my first novel landed. 

3.      What do you hope will be the everlasting thoughts for readers who finish your book? What should remain with them long after putting it down? My hope is that whoever reads this book is not only entertained, but perhaps feels compelled to explore ways to help in saving our precious marine resources.  In the next two books, I will be concentrating more on this theme, which was set up in the first.

4.      What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers? I feel as though I am just starting to get my bearings in this new and very different world.  My career has been in television for more than 25 years and I could give a person all the advice they could ever want with regards to succeeding in Hollywood.  As a novelist, I haven’t obtained the wisdom to offer anyone yet.  What I will say, is that if you are just getting started, be prepared, because it is NOT easy.  There are so many brilliant authors out there.  To get your book recognized and to generate sales is a really difficult thing to achieve.  I’m hoping to keep getting better at it with each one I write. 

5.      What trends in the book world do you see and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? I think that self-publishing is going to continue to grow as more and more writers find their voice and need a way to get it out there.  It’s basically the same thing that happened with the music industry.  It has become possible to record albums in your bedroom and as a result, the amount of music that is out there is astonishing.  Same for books.  The challenge will be getting reviewed and ultimately making sales.  I also think that the TV and movie industry will play a much larger part in the publishing world.  Studios are desperate for content and the book world is the first place they look.  If a piece of material catches on and sells, you can expect that there will be calls made to see if the rights are available to turn that book into a movie or TV series.

6.      What great challenges did you have in writing your book? I think self-discipline is important.  It’s not easy forcing yourself to get up every day and sit at your computer, churning out pages, keeping the story straight in your head.  It’s like a big jigsaw puzzle.  Fortunately, I have been blessed with a long career in television which has provided me with the work ethic I think it takes to be an author,

7.       If people can only buy one book this month, why should it be yours? The biggest reason, is that I am donating proceeds from the book to a Marine Conservation society.  This will help them stop illegal fishing, pollution and other problems our oceans are facing.  I really urge people to order the book online.  It’s for a great cause, and it’s probably not like anything they are used to.  That’s another great reason to read The Siren Chronicles.  I received a review the other day in which the writer described the journey of the three sirens, who get separated, and spends time with each one until the moment they are reunited.  This reviewer loved the fact that the book bounces back and forth between the three girls and their incredible stories and the way that they found each other in a really funny crazy way.  The reviewer could not remember reading anything with a similar style. It is a different way to tell a story. But if you let yourself get drawn in, and just go with it, it’s fun and funny and unpredictable.  

For more information, please see: http://www.douglasjsloan.com/

DON't MISS!

Could the media think your pitch about your book is bullshit?



How do authors generate article ideas to promote their books?



What does it really take to land on a best-seller list?



Can you sell 10 copies of your book every day?



Great book PR lessons from kids, clergy, women, contractors & sportscasters



How do authors get on TV?



Here’s the 2017 Author Book PR & Marketing Toolkit



Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog 2017©. Born and raised in Brooklyn, now resides in Westchester. Named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book 







No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.