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.
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.
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Read
This!
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The
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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.
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