1.
What inspired you
to write this book? One gray January day in The Hague, I found someone’s
bag discarded by a thief after they took everything of value from it. The bag
was carelessly thrown into a secluded corner between two buildings, spilling
what remained of its contents on the frozen ground: a notebook and a pack of
paper handkerchiefs. This notebook is by far the most precious object I’ve ever
found – it holds a beautiful story. Someone’s story, real and touching,
entrusted to paper so that to never forget. A story that deeply moved me, that
made me laugh and cry. It compelled me to start a new “quest”, a journey filled
with hopes, disappointments, excitement and inspiration that made me meet a lot
of wonderful people and discover just as many incredible stories. A quest of
looking for Casey Adams. Someone said
that it is important to keep giving it yet another try, “you quit, you lose”.
And I agree with that. So, as yet another try, I decided to publish Casey’s
original and unchanged story desperately hoping that it will help me find him.
2. What exactly is it about and who is
it written for? The Hague Hostel is more than a book.
This is a unique immersive experience that starts with a hand-written diary and
takes you on a journey throughout The Hague. The author of the diary, Casey
Adams, is a US Master’s student who ended up in The Hague by coincidence, because
of bad weather. He details his trip, his stay in a hostel, and his encounter
with his roommate that he will hardly ever forget. If you are looking for more than just a
conventional read, for an immersive, intimate, thought-provoking, and
emotionally rich experience, The Hague Hostel is the right choice for
you.
3.
What do you hope
readers will get out of reading your book? The Hague Hostel is a
very tangible immersive experience – I want for readers to touch it, to feel
it, to live it, and of course to enjoy it! I hope it will inspire people to
live their life in the fullest way possible, to travel the world, to discover
new places and new people, but also to go after their dreams no matter what.
4.
How did you decide on
your book’s title and cover design? The title came to my mind immediately when
I started thinking about publishing this story: The Hague Hostel, the place
where the story began and took place, but also a hostel, the word that
represents a unique traveling experience with bunk beds, roommates of all sorts
and backgrounds, shared spaces, connections and conversations… Just this one
word is so evocative to everyone who ever traveled, that I knew it was the
right one for what The Hague Hostel really is: an experience ;)
As for the cover, it was
a long process. I was at a loss for ideas. I tried to find a graphic designer,
but the odds were against it – because of unexpected personal circumstances
none of them was able to do the job on time. So, I decided to let the chance
give me an idea – I opened the diary at random and read the first sentence that
caught my eyes. I drew it with a pencil and colored with the aquarelles that I
found in the depth of a cardboard box with my childhood books. It ended up
working just fine ;)
5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for
fellow writers – other than run!? Put your own pleasure first! Forget about
everything else and get a kick out of it! Then it will come from your heart,
you will love it and when you do, someone else will unavoidably fall in love
with it as well! In addition, it will help you ignore mean criticism ;)
6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and
where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? The world is
transforming and evolving all the time and so is the publishing industry. New
things tend to seem scary, but it’s always the question of our own perception.
Opportunities are always here for those who want to see them. I believe that
the publishing industry will be all right. People will keep enjoying reading
and writing no matter what.
7. Were there experiences in your personal life
or career that came in handy when writing this book? The Hague Hostel is an experience, and
part of this experience is mine. I found the diary and I went on a quest to
find its author – I went to The Hague, stayed in the same hostel, met some of
the people he met, retraced his steps in the city... (see the full story on my
website). It was so unforgettable and magical, that I cannot help but share it
with everyone and invite them to do it too!
8. How would you describe your writing style? Which
writers or books is your writing similar to? That’s a difficult question. I hope I
sound unique, but it’s always a question of perception, and I feel honored if
someone finds my style similar to an author I like.
9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of
this book? The challenge with cover design! That’s the first time when something like
that happens to me. It ended up being a fun story to tell, but at some point I
felt really panicky.
10. If people can buy or read one book this week or
month, why should it be yours? Because I promise you, you have never had
anything like that before! This alone is enough to make you want to get it! The
Hague Hostel is a one-of-a-kind artistic project that not only immerses you
into someone else’s story, but also allows you to create your own story/stories
if you wish. Different, inspiring, thought-provoking and emotionally deep… what
else can you wish for?
About The Author: I am an artist, a
traveler and a dreamer. I love stories, black tea and chocolate. In every city
I visit, I go to a bookstore. Bookstores have that very special energy that I
love experiencing even when I don't speak the local language. I’ve been writing fiction since I was 12. Raven
Boy is my first published book and the first in a fantasy series for
children. In 2022, I have published my
unique immersive experience The Hague Hostel for the 18+ audience. For more
info, please see: www.katerynakei.com
BookCAMP Is Coming – Get
Half Off!
I am
speaking at BookCAMP June 23rd!
BOOKCamp 2024 is June 23-25, 2024 in New Jersey.
The business of publishing, marketing, & craft:
Register at https://www.independentpressaward.com/ipabookcamp
Here is a discount link for a three-day pass
to BookCAMP
https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/WDLJNRK87864Y that you can share/post.
*$251 off a three day pass $299
(instead of $550)
Need PR Help?
Brian
Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over 3.9 million page
views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com He is available to help authors promote their story,
sell their book, and grow their brand. He has over 30 years of experience in
successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your
advocate, teacher, and motivator!
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.
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