An Interview with Author Randall Hoover

 

 

1. What inspired you to write this book? During everyday life, I run into unusual situations. Then I try to imagine them from different points of view. Eventually, a storyline emerges.  Until now (this first novel) I’ve always just done this for my own amusement. 

2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for? The story is just a fun twist on life. I ask the reader to believe that just one thing is possible “ghosts exist.” This is easy – half the world already believes this.  After that, everything else falls in place. 

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book? The setting for the book takes place in Okinawa Japan, and offers the reader a small glimpse of military life (not a wartime novel) 

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design? Page publishing asked for my idea and they were able to create a cover that aligned with my idea. 

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!? After working on the initial manuscript for nearly two years, I sat on it for eight years.  I would open and tweak it from time to time, but was reluctant to try and publish. My advice is, your manuscript will never be good enough in your own eyes.  Eventually, one must take a leap of faith and hope others will enjoy your story.  

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? I’m not sure the world has as many readers today as it did thirty years ago. I believe more people want to see the movie. I think audio books have a future, but I read faster than most people speak, so I prefer reading a story than listening to one. I suspect that the movie industry e.g. Netflix will start making more original movies based on books that do not follow typical storylines.     

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book? After spending many years in the Marine Corps and having been stationed on Okinawa, I wanted to include these elements into the storyline.  

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to? I’d like to think I write in the style of Thomas Perry only with a Science Fiction twist.  

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book? I have a hard time with the character development for the antagonist.  While I can imagine the settings, I have a hard time visualizing the villains.   

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? A good book is like a vacation – it can take the reader to exotic places and share new experiences. While this story could take place anywhere, it takes the reader to Okinawa Japan and lets them experience a small taste of military life.  These are two cultures the average reader has very little experience with.   

About The Author: Randall Hoover was born and grew up in upstate New York.  He won the draft lottery in 1973. Before being drafted, he elected to join the United States Marine Corps. Though Randall only enlisted for three years, he remained on active duty for twenty years, earning degrees from the University of Maryland and the University of Southern California during that time. Since retiring from the Marine Corps, he has worked as a government contractor, leading information technology projects and programs. He currently supports technical writers on bid proposals. Randall lives with his wife near Quantico Virginia and has three adult sons who are each finding success in their chosen fields.

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on LinkedIn. 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, 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 3.4 million pageviews. With 4,600+ 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.