Why did you choose your particular genre?
Creative non-fiction allowed me the freedom to recount historic events while maintaining dramatic tension and continuity. The 15% portion of the accounting that is fictional provided the opportunity to get more creative and interweave fact with fiction in a way that allows for social satire and parody.
Do you write mainly by day or by night?
I write mainly by day, as I am task oriented and treat the process seriously, as I would any 9-5 job. I am also a night owl and tend to do my best work in the evenings. Often I'll come up with a new story arc or character in the evening then hammer out the details during the day.
Do you ever get writer’s block and what do you do when that happens?
I simply do not write during these periods. They typically don't last more than a day or two and are a result of exhaustion, tedium or need for a different creative cognitive perspective.
Can you tell us a little about the publisher who published your book? How have they been to work with?
Book Surge. A mid-sized print on demand publishing house wholly owned by Amazon. I looked at all prominent POD publishers out there, and Book Surge's product was far superior. Their rates are higher than the competition's, but you do see a return on your investment in the quality of work. Their editorial team is superb.
Do you blog? If so, what can you tell my readers about the advantages of blogging as a useful tool in book promotion?
I do. Both under the musings section of my website, www.VirtualVice.net, and on my blog, proper, www.VirtualVice.us. Blogs help the writer with the creative process, provide his fan base with insight into that process, and also allow for expression outside the confines of the more structured novel format. From a marketing perspective, blogs are one of the best tools to brand one's name and keep content current and indexed by the search engines.
Do you have a website? Do you manage it yourself or do you have someone run it for you?
I do. It can be found at http://www.VirtualVice.net. I contracted with professionals to design and mount the site — three coders and artists in total. Once the site was published, I have been responsible for its maintenance. The site was engineered so that updating content is streamlined, but I feel it's imperative that authors have some basic web skills, given this is at the core of all contemporary publishing PR work. This holds true regardless of how and with whom an author publishes. Even when published by conglomerate publishing houses, there is an expectation by the imprint that the author will be actively engaged in the marketing of his book.
Article comments
1 - Bubbles
I'd like to read more of your writing, book and more.
Where can I find more?