Fantastic news for Neil Gaiman fans!

Joe Wright to Direct Neil Gaiman's THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE http://geektyrant.com/news/2013/2/28/joe-wright-to-direct-neil-gaimans-the-ocean-at-the-end-of-th.html

10 Big Questions With Author Mike Wells

Mike Wells is a bestselling American thriller and suspense author who also teaches part-time in the Creative Writing program at Oxford. He’s known for his fast-paced, "unputdownable" novels.

1.  How might your life be different now if you would have agreed to add the 15,000 words to your first Young Adult novel Wild Child?

Well, I actually did add the extra words but it ruined the flow and pacing of the story.  This was not only my opinion but that of a few trusted friends who read the "padded" version.  I tried several variants--adding more plot, adding more description, etc. Probably what I would have eventually seen is that the only way to maintain the integrity of what I'd already written would be to write a sequel to this book and publish both books in one volume.  Which is what I basically did, with Wild Child 1 and 2.  I don't think any publisher or agent would have bothered working with me through that long and tedious learning process, but who knows?

2. As an author, you have been on the cutting edge of independent publishing and marketing techniques.  What do you see as the next major move for the publishing industry?

That's a tough question.  I don't think anyone can predict the future.  Ebooks and push-button publishing have certainly changed the game and allowed thousands of new writers' voices to be heard who may not have been heard otherwise, including mine.  I often think that books, as we know them today, are not fully taking advantage of ereaders and tablets, and that some new forms of entertainment will evolve.  To put it simply, it's like using a PC only as a typing machine and ignoring all its other capabilities.  Books may very well become much more interactive and dynamic, not just words on a page.

3. What does your writing process look like?  How do you begin a new project and when do you know it is finished?

Ideas just come to me, slowly, bit by bit.  Eventually I know I have a complete idea for a book.  I always have several books in my mind in various stages of mental development.  I do a lot of thinking and imagining before I ever write anything down on paper, daydreaming about various scenes that I think might be in the book.  Sometimes I have half or more of the book written in my mind before I actually sit down in front of the computer.  About knowing when a book is done, that is an artistic judgment that's pretty easy for me--it just doesn't FEEL done until it's done.   My "muse," if you will, is not satisfied until it's finished.  It's very much a matter of feeling, not thinking.  

4. When writing one of your famous trilogies do you map them all out before you begin, or just take one book at a time?  

This relates to (3) above.  I usually roughly lay out the whole book in my mind using a classical three-act structure: beginning, middle, end.  For example in my new book, my heroine is badly scammed (beginning), tracks down the scammer (middle), and tries to take revenge (end).  These three pieces are more or less equal in length, but not exactly--just depends on the particular story.

5. Does a new author need to write or read more in order to develop well-rounded storytelling skills?

Both.  First, I don't think merely reading a lot helps that much.  You have to read and analyze--you have to take in the story and then study what works and what doesn't work.  Watching movies is good way to learn story structure, because you take in a whole story in a relatively short amount of time and have a better bird's-eye view.  For language, description, etc., of course reading and studying great books is the way to learn.  That said, you have to write, too, just as much as you study.  You can't learn to ride a bicycle merely by studying other people who are doing it--you have to do it yourself to feel it and learn to balance, etc., experientially.  Writing is the same.

6. What part of crafting a new story do you find the most challenging and how do you overcome it?

The plotting usually gives me fits, as well as figuring out the motivation of the characters.  The two are tightly intertwined, like the strands of a DNA molecule.  You change one, you change the other.  This usually results in me jumping all over the first draft of my book, changing one thing and then necessarily changing another, seeing how the new way works, and then usually changing things again, and again, until the wrinkles get ironed out and it's all smooth and satisfying.

7. Would you advise a new writer to go the traditional path for publishing or would you recommend going the independent route?

This depends largely on how entrepreneurial the particular writer is.  Some people just want to write and have someone else worry about the rest of the details, such as crafting book jacket copy, coming up with cover illustrations, worrying about distribution channels, etc.  They aren't very interested in the business side and don't want to learn.  These types, I think, should try traditional publishing first.  For those who are entrepreneurial control freaks (like me), who very much want to be involved in all that, I think they should try the indie route first.  This is because I believe they will be frustrated trying to work with agents, editors, illustrators, publicists, and all the other various people involved when you are traditionally published.  It is very much a team effort and you have to accept that.  Those people are going to have a big influence on your overall product--what it looks like, what it is called (the title of the book), the selling price, where it is sold, etc.

8. Does a modern author also need to be an entrepreneur?

Back to 7, even if you go the traditional route, you usually have to do most of the promotion yourself at the beginning--the big marketing budgets are reserved for the proven moneymaking authors.  So, in a sense, if you want to sell significant numbers of books, I think the answer is yes, at least in terms of being able to promote yourself.

9. Can you share with us a few details about your new trilogy Passion, Power and Sin?

I don't want to spoil the surprise, but I can say that I believe Passion, Power & Sin will be a wild ride for most readers and will take them places they have never been before.  The style is similar to that of Lust, Money & Murder.  It features a young, female heroine, is blisteringly fast-paced, and covers a lot of international territory with lots of twists and turns and surprises.  As far as I know, there's no other novel that covers the exact subject matter that this book does, so it should be quite interesting for most readers.

10. You are both an acclaimed educator and best-selling author.  What is next for you?

Ha ha, I don't know about that, Christopher, but it's very kind of you to say.  Hopefully, someday, I would like to get into movie-making.  I would love to see some or all of my books made into films.  Eventually I would like to get involved in various aspects of that.  Perhaps writing the scripts, directing, even acting in cameo appearances as one of the minor characters in my books--who knows?

I want to thank Mike Wells for taking time from his busy schedule to answer my Ten Big Questions this week. If you want to know more about him or you’d love to read one of his heart pounding novels for free, and who doesn’t, you should check out the links below!

-   Follow Mike on Twitter: @MikeWellsAuthor

-   Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MikeWellsAuthor

-   Website: http://mikewellsblog.blogspot.com/

-   Website: http://lustmoneymurder.blogspot.com/

10 Big Questions With Author Scott Bartlett

1. You recently quit your job to focus on writing and blogging.  What made you give up a bit of security for the unknown?

I'd been planning to quit for a while. In fact, I was saving to do so since I first got the job. I also plan to apply for a grant from the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council--I was able to secure one before.

As for why, it's because writing is the only thing I can fathom making a career out of. Nothing else interests me enough to pursue with the necessary drive. So I might as well devote as much time to writing as I can.

2. You’ve done some very unconventional and creative things to market and promote your book Royal Flush.  What worked best for you and what method didn’t turn out so well?

It might be too early to say, but my ongoing Goodreads giveaway (it ends March 7th) seems to be the biggest leap in exposure for my book yet. I'm giving away 15 signed copies--here's the link: http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/43575-royal-flush

As for stuff I've tried that hasn't panned out...well, it's been overwhelming, actually. In fact, I'd largely consider the previous year an exercise in what not to do--which is actually pretty valuable experience! Again, it's too early to say with certain efforts, but if I had to pick one it would be creating a QR code with a crown in the middle, which links to my book's website. I put these up around my hometown and gave out stickers of them, but they've brought very little traffic to the site.

3. What was that process like creating your audio book? Would you recommend a similar method to other independent authors?

For me, the process involved a fairly steep learning curve and a lot of time invested in recording and editing. I'm glad to have done it, since it offers an extra incentive to sign up for my newsletter (I'm also giving away a signed copy to a random subscriber each month). But I'm not eager to do it again.

4. Royal Flush is a fresh and interesting story. Where did you find inspiration for the book?

The initial idea came to me in high school, while walking from the school bus to my house. A scene popped into my head, in which a man is lying on the ground, demanding that a nearby woman remove his heart with a scalpel, since she has broken it. I envisioned it as comedic melodrama. That scene became the climax for the novel's first part, "The King of Hearts".


But the book's about repeated romantic failure, and I also struck out a lot in high school.

5. Why did you choose the independent route for publishing?

Because the manuscript was lying around, I was proud of it, I wanted people to read it, and mainstream publishers had turned it down--though a couple did ask to look at the full manuscript. My Dad encouraged me to self-publish it, too.

6.  You used Book Baby to publish Royal Flush.  Would you recommend their services to other authors?

I would! They're affordable, and they take care of everything from file conversion to distribution to tracking sales. For a self-publisher, for whom almost everything is hands-on, it's nice to have someone else handle something now and then.

7. Can you give some details about your newest project Taking Stock?

With pleasure! It's about Sheldon Mason, a writer whose mother dies and who falls out with his only two friends, resulting in his reclusion for two years. This is where the novel begins--in the first scene, he's attempting to kill himself in his shed when the guy who lives above him (who he's never met) walks in.

The neighbor gets Sheldon help, and then puts in a good word for him at a local grocery store, where he's hired. Much of the conflict comes from power struggles in the grocery store, his finally beginning to process his mother's death, and his attempts to navigate his new social life. He gets into drugs, and his writing has negative social consequences when a piece (titled "The King of Diamonds", incidentally) gets sent from coworker to coworker via email.


I'm aiming to release Taking Stock in September.

8. Will you go the independent route this time or will you look to pair up with an agent and a traditional publisher?

Based on my research, it seems unless you're already a big name, nowadays publishers won't put much more money into promoting you than you would yourself. I like that self-publishing gives me full creative control, as well as increased flexibility regarding where and how long my book is available (online). I also plan to release Taking Stock under a Creative Commons license (as I did with Royal Flush), which many publishers are opposed to. Finally, from acceptance by an agent to publication by a mainstream publisher generally takes around two years, and I'm simply too impatient to wait that long.


So, despite that Taking Stock has already won two awards, I've decided not to bother approaching agents with it.

9.  Protecting the environment is a cause that is close to your heart.  Can you give a few small steps people can take to help out with this cause if they want to get involved?

First, don't get overwhelmed. Don't expect to overhaul your lifestyle overnight--focus on changing one thing to be more sustainable/environmentally-friendly, and once it's become a habit, focus on another. The great thing is, leading a more sustainable lifestyle isn't just a 'nice thing to do'--it will also save you money. When you think about it, you realize environmental concerns are very much in line with economic concerns.


Second, start following an environmental blog. Add it to your RSS reader, if you use one. (I like http://www.climateprogress.org.) And when you read a post that speaks to you, share it on Facebook/Twitter/your preferred social network. People poo-poo what they call 'clicktivism' or 'slacktivism', but the truth is that social media is an effective and unprecedented way to amplify the conversation. So use it.

10. What advice would you give a new author who recently left her job to start writing and blogging? 

You have an amazing opportunity that might not come again. Don't squander it. If you've left your job to write, you need to actually write--a lot!

- Follow Scott on Twitter @ScottTBartlett
- Website: http://www.batshite.com