Interview With Author Ian Ingleby

 

 

1.      What inspired you to write this book? My own observation, assessment and some experience. 

2.      What exactly is it about and who is it written for? There are two parts. One is about three sisters' childhood in a remote WA township, their adolescence and scholarship in SA and their recruitment as young, extraordinarily qualified adults to a small task-force charged with counteracting PRC coercion and terrorist actions in the Indo-Pacific, particularly in South-east Asia. The other part is about the tasks they undertake in dangerous circumstances. It is for readers who may enjoy and perhaps relate to certain uncomfortable realities of our time. The paragraph on page 7 headed "Construct" outlines it well I believe. 

3.      What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book? Some information about this part of the world, as well as enjoyment, even though the subject reflects hard reality. A reader will not find the story pursues psychological, ideological, racial causes or focus on the softer themes of romance, gardening, cooking etc. all which seem to dominate book sales these days. 

4.      How did you decide on your book's title and cover design? The title seems self-evident. The cover design could have been better representative of the story (my fault). The book is not a war story. 

5.      What advice or words of wisdom for fellow writers -- other than run!? Research. Don't lose track if not writing to a schedule. Be simple (use The Fog Index, if necessary). Enjoy. Discipline, if money is the sole object. 

6.      What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you see the book publishing industry is heading? Paper books don't seem to hold market interest for as long as they used to. Disappointingly, some worthy books sell by weight in news-agencies in Australia. Book stores here tend to discount books, sometimes up to 80%. Of course, library readers replace many buyers so launches at libraries can be questionable. Books published overseas have a cost problem -- postage. In my case postage is about the same as the purchase price wiping out an Australian market. Some promotion could be used to value content, rather than sellers focusing on pretty pictures and subject advertising, but this would be a very difficult proposition for the industry, if not impossible. 

7.      Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book? Yes: strategies and tactics.  But I do not admit to the mandatory sexy bits! 

8.      How do you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to? Unfortunately, my style mirrors an ingrained newspaper and an economic report style, but it helps somewhat with clarity and brevity. Actually, I like my style and do not wish to change because it would be somewhat false. 

9.      What challengers did you overcome in the writing of this book? In a family there can be a de-socialisation effect when a degree of isolation is necessary to complete a work. Otherwise, simply discipline. 

10.  If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? There are two stories in one -- character development and counter-terrorism action. Hopefully easy reading, despite the topic, may attract a reader. But I do not regard my book as "competing" with others. 

About The Author: I was a metropolitan newspaper journalist in Sydney (four years), a Commonwealth senior information officer and press secretary to two Administrators in Papua New Guinea immediately prior to self-government (two years), a public relations consultant in Hong Kong (two years), managing director of a joint Australian-US public relations consultancy -- the US firm the largest in the world, outside government controlled establishments -- (four years), and seconded senior adviser and speech-writer for several Cabinet Ministers in the Suharto Government in Indonesia (one year). Intermittently, I was in these public relations roles in Australia (11 years) during which I undertook several overseas assignments in Indonesia, Hong Kong and Malaysia, some lasting up three months.

 

Overall, I was in public relations roles for nearly 20 years. All overseas postings were with my wife and daughters. On returning I set up my own consultancy and escorted private and government clients to Indonesia to investigate joint-venture and agency prospects, some involving Indonesian government and military contacts. Client interests included cadastral mapping and medical equipment. I also conducted brief lecture programs for the Commonwealth in Indonesia and The Solomon Islands, mainly in government information services and sometimes in response techniques to hostile media and other interviewers.

 

My writing experience is mainly in foreign investment promotion and corporate citizenship, none of which had anything to do with fiction. I am 86, retired, healthy and regularly engage with recognised dialogues on Australian defence and security but, unlike my colleagues, have no ADF experience. I have had two fiction books published and have a manuscript of a third partially finished. Facts are based on observation, assessment and reliable sources.

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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 3.9 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.