1. What inspired you to write this book? My book is a classic case of art imitating
life. For years, I had been trying to develop this protagonist named Eddie
Fitzgerald, named after the song The Wreck of the Edmund
Fitzgerald. I had the background for the character in my head for years,
but I didn't have a good story for him to tell. During COVID times, I made some
new friends through social media. We met after the pandemic and they have become
an integral part of my social life. One day, it just hit me that Eddie could
have a similar experience meeting new people and developing relationships with
them. The actual storyline just grew from there.
2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for?
The book is about a
failed minor league baseball player who seemingly finds love and settles into
an ordinary existence. One day, his life comes crashing down and he is forced
to pick up the pieces. In doing so, he realizes the kind of person he truly is
and the kind of life he wants to live. It is geared towards anyone who
loves sports and music, with a good love story to boot.
3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your
book? It's never too late to
do what you love and it's never too late to change.
4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design? My working title was 'The Legend Lives On,'
which is a direct line from the aforementioned song. However, I found that
there were too many titles or subtitles by that name. I wanted my book to stand
out, so I changed it to Eddie The Legend. My friend and fellow author, Samantha
Moran, turned me on to Canva, which is where I created my cover design.
5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow
writers – other than run!? Do not run. Keep plugging away. Find what motivates you and
focus on that. Writing is a long, arduous process, especially if you also work
full-time. However, it is worth it in the end.
6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do
you think the book publishing industry is heading? I've tried selling physical copies of Eddie
The Legend at local fairs. In doing so, I've noticed that even older
readers are more keen on using eBooks rather than maintaining paperbacks
or hardcovers. The latter formats are becoming like vinyl to the music
business. They are great for nostalgia, but ultimately, they take up
unnecessary space. Growing up, most writers dreamt of being surrounded by
physical books on bookshelves. As sad as it sounds, physical media is becoming
less practical and is slowly fading away. I wouldn't be surprised to see
publishers abandon traditional book printing altogether in twenty years.
7. Were there experiences in your personal life or
career that came in handy when writing this book? Definitely. I believe all authors draw from
their own personal experiences when writing a book. Sometimes the most
outlandish stories are true, or at least based on actual events. I believe when
in doubt, go with what you know.
8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers
or books is your writing similar to? Honestly, it's hard for me to describe or
categorize it. The most ironic part of all is that I'm not much of a
reader. I would much rather watch a movie or a ballgame in my free time.
That said, I can immerse myself in magazine articles and books about sports or
music history from time to time. I've read several books from current and
former sportswriters like Mitch Albom and Jeff Pearlman.
One in particular by Pearlman, The Bad Guys Won!,
struck a chord with me. Not only did it resonate because it was about my
beloved Mets, but it was the way he told the story. There were so many moving
parts that factored in and came together in the end. It wasn't just about a
team that kicked ass and won the World Series. It was the backstory
that gripped me, how they did it and everything that led up to that
moment. Fiction or not, I remember thinking to myself 'That's how you write a
good book.'
9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this
book? Writing the book was
the easy part, even with the time spent. As an independent author, the hard
part is trying to get it published. The leg work, so to speak, is a
process in itself. The marketing and the networking part is most challenging
for me. I'm not the most outgoing person, so it's difficult finding the right
audience. On a personal level, there has been the occasional panic attack
and battling "Imposter Syndrome." My first book, Being Made, went
largely unnoticed. I had delusions of grandeur when I wrote it. Over time, I've
surmised that the writing quality was not adequate. I could have done
better. Self-doubt starts to creep in even today. I stopped
writing altogether for five years after my first book. Ultimately, I
came to the realization that I have grown as a writer and that Eddie The Legend
is worthy of being published.
10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month,
why should it be yours? I believe Eddie The
Legend is a book that is easy to understand, yet profoundly interesting
and satisfying in the end.
About The Author: Brian Scala is a University of New Haven graduate with a
bachelor’s in Music Industry. In his free time, he enjoys watching baseball and
hockey, finding good burger joints and traveling to warm weather climates. He
resides on Long Island with his loving wife and two American Shorthair cats.For
more information about Brian Scala and his previous works, visit his website
at www.brianscala.com.
Need
Book Marketing Help?
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About Brian Feinblum
Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter
@theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2023. Born and
raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and
Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer
and IBPA’s The Independent. This
award-winning blog has generated over 3.3 million pageviews. With 4,400+ 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 two
jobs 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 recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo
America, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah
Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association,
Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, 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. He has been
featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald. For more
information, please consult: www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.
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