Lulu.com Author Interview

This is what we call an interesting turn in the road...

Lulu.com Author Interview: Bob McDonald | Lulu Blog

This is also one of those occasions where spending an inordinate amount of time on Twitter will eventually net some feedback. A simple tweet reply to Lulu.com's Dan London was all it took.

And this was only the second-most interesting thing I saw on Twitter today. I also found out that Shaquille O'Neal's on Twitter no. Really, it's him!

The Book Tour - Plotting and Scheming

Now that I've finally gotten an ISBN for Flagrant Foul, I figured it would probably be the best thing to spend the six weeks that it will probably take for it to appear on online stores like Amazon (though you can buy it on flagrantfoul.com now!) drumming up some publicity...again.

I know what you're saying, fellow Questers. I already did all of this already. True, I was on Pete Klein's Adirondack Book House radio show in July and received a good review from Shannon Yarbrough, but really, was that enough?

Nope. Not even close. So, with the leaves turning and the time to promote more appropriate (Flagrant Foul, of course, takes place during basketball season), it's time to begin plotting anew, and maybe this time, someone will actually buy a copy (as opposed to the copies I've given away).

Where do I start this time around?

Good question.

First, there's the Quickest Blog Book Tour Guide Ever, a great site that details the 10 steps every Quester should take to plan and execute and effective blog book tour. So, where am I at on the list?

Let's see...

1. Start your own blog - Well, that's an obvious check.
2. RSS feed and bookmark link - Check (And while I have your attention, be sure to Digg this entry!)
   
3. Cyber-schmooze - Yep. As a matter of fact, if you're not already following me on Twitter, Facebook or MySpace, go ahead and do so!

So now, I'm at Step 4, choosing my tour hosts. Now, this has always been the stumbling block for your hero, so I'm going to have to get creative on this one.

Now, I've also posed the question, why not a Twitter Book Tour? Sure, people can throw questions at me and I can answer them. Create some publicity that way.

As you can see, I'm still thinking about that one...

Chapter 1 of the New Book, Unwritten!

As I start getting back into the swing of promoting Flagrant Foul, I thought it might be good to start putting up some previews of the future of the Stories from the Forester series. With Dilemma also written (and also available for sale, I might add, goofy picture or not), I'm moving on to the next book in the series, Unwritten. Set in early 2001, it picks up where Dilemma left off. When finished, Dilemma and Unwritten will comprise Volume I of the series that will be available in one book, which had been my original plan.

Here's the first of four chapters that I will be posting here, a chapter every Friday. Feel free to post up your comments. I'm always looking for feedback!

Chapter 1 - Business As Usual

CRASH!

The thundering sound of chairs being thrown around the Forester offices could only mean one thing: Production Night was in full swing. On this cold Sunday night in the middle of February, it was the same problems Editor-in-Chief Jim Case had constantly run into, which were computer problems and more computer problems.

“Why is it every time I turn around, this damned scanner freezes!?!” Jim bellowed. “How am I supposed to get anything done around here?”

As had been the case then entire school year, there was only one true voice of sanity in these situations, and it came from Jim’s right-hand man and Sports Editor, Reggie McCaffrey. However, it was nights like this that made him wonder why he ever thought it was a good idea to come back to Forest State.

“Jim, how many times do I have to tell you that you have to let this equipment warm up before you start getting all angry at it?” Reggie said in a vain attempt to try and calm his friend and boss down.

“Reg, how can you stay calm in all of this?” Jim boomed. “The driver’s going to be here any minute now to pick up the print, and we still don’t have a front-page graphic!”

This prompted another voice in the office, Brenda Alvarez, the News Editor, who said, as she had been the entire school year, “Jim, we really could have solved this problem a long time ago by putting articles on the front page, like a real newspaper?”

A statement like this that was intended to create a solution always ended up causing more problems.

“Are you telling me that we’re not a real newspaper, Alvarez?” Jim thundered.

“Once again, you’re reading too much into what I’m saying,” Brenda shouted back. “I’m saying that if you got your head out of your ass and listened to what I had to say once in a while, you wouldn’t be screwed like you are now!”

“Are you trying to get yourself fired?” Jim screamed.

“Now, you know that’s never going to happen, right,” Reggie chimed in. “Brenda’s the best journalist you’ve got in the outfit, and that includes both you and me.”

“Is that so?” Jim demanded.

“Hey, neither of us are up for Society of College Journalists awards this year, are we?”

As much as he tried to come up with a good counter-argument, Jim knew that Reggie was right. It wasn’t surprising to Reggie, of course. He knew that writing was in Brenda’s DNA, given that her mother, Lucinda, had been a Forester contributor back in the 70s.

None of his opinions, of course, had anything to do with the fact that he had been in a serious relationship with Brenda for more than six months.

By the time Jim had relented that he once again flew off the handle, as Reggie had predicted, the scanner was warm enough to starting working again, and as had been the case all year, the paper was ready for the driver to pick it up and deliver it to the printer.

After things had died down considerably, Jim retreated to his office, where he found solace in his Editor’s desk, his cigarettes and his bottle of Jim Beam, which had become tradition at the Forester since the summer. Reggie and Brenda, as they had as well, entered moments later for a post-mortem and a swig of booze.

“You’re going to work yourself into an early grave,” Reggie said as he put the paper cup of liquor to his lips. “Remember, Jim, you’re not a spring chicken anymore, man. What are you now, like 45?”

“And like you’re not getting out of here until you’re collecting Social Security,” Jim retorted.

“I’ll have you know, Case, that this is, in fact, my final semester,” Reggie proudly stated.
“After slacking off for far too many years, I am a mere 14 hours away from being all the way done!”

“And how, pray tell, do you plan to only take that many hours and proceed to return to slacking off?” Jim challenged.

“Well, I haven’t been able to in Dr. Gresh’s Political Communication,” Reggie admitted.
“However, since this is my last semester, it’s time for that five-semester Seminar, and guess who’s teaching it?”

Jim rolled his eyes. “Dr. Melch.”

“While certainly a good teacher, he is a, how shall I say this, lenient grader. I should also mention I am also enrolled in three credits of independent study with his guidance, of course.”

“That still leaves two hours left.”

“Four, as it turns out,” Reggie corrected. “And for that? I get Far Eastern Art.”

“Far Eastern what?”

“I need a non-Western civilization class, and Third World Politics was booked. Besides, I got a helluva study buddy out of it.”

“And who is that?”

Brenda slyly raised her hand. “I’m not ending up like Reggie. I plan to get out of here in four years.”

“Hey, thanks a lot,” Reggie grumbled mockingly.

Jim grabbed the bottle of Jim Beam and poured another cup. “You know, Reg, you really don’t drink as much as you used to.”

Reggie’s eyes narrowed. “Just because I’m not sucking down booze doesn’t make me a lightweight, pal! You know I’ve always been a beer drinker.”

“It’s true, Jim” Brenda affirmed. “As a matter of fact, I’d rather he not get too stuck in that liquor bottle. He’s got to get out of here.”

“Wow,” Jim said, surprised. “I’ve gotta admit, when you two first got together, I didn’t think it was going to work out very well. But look at you now. You’ve got a girlfriend, who also doubles as your conscience.”

“Don’t forget academic advisor,” Reggie added. “She is the one who came up with the Eastern Art idea.”

Jim rolled his eyes and took another drink. Reggie and Brenda excused themselves and left the office, walking towards Brenda’s multi-colored Ford Escort hand-in-hand. As they got to the car, Brenda wrapped her arms around Reggie.

“I really think Jim need to find a girlfriend,” Brenda said as she fiddled with the back of Reggie’s neck.

“That would be a rough gig,” he joked. “Can you imagine the kind of crap she’d have to put up with from him? I wonder if Cleveland’s got a roller derby team. Those chicks seem tough enough to take Jim on.”

“You know what I think? I think he’s freaked that he’s going to be graduating soon.”
Reggie nodded. “Yeah, I guess I would be, too, if I had to adjust my work habit to refrain from throwing chairs. Sure, there are a couple of jobs where he wouldn’t have to worry about it, but he’s too small to be a wrestler, and I really don’t think they pay extras on the Jerry Springer Show that much.”

Brenda laughed lightly, then looked Reggie directly in the eye. “What about you? Aren’t you a little worried about graduating?”

Reggie, who tried to keep from getting lost in Brenda’s deep, dark eyes, replied, “Not really. I left once already. I’m pretty sure I can do it again, except this time, I’m better the degree will help.”

“Do you even know what you’re going to do after school?” Brenda asked.

“Not in the slightest. Writing’s out of the question. I’ll tell you that much. No way I can find a writing job around here that would pay the bills, that’s for sure.”

“I thought we talked about this, Reggie. I don’t mind if you look for a writing job out of town. You know I’d follow you anywhere.”

Reggie smiled and shook his head. “I know you would. But you’ve got a bright enough future without me screwing it up. We can leave after you graduate. In the meantime, I’ll get a 9-to-5 somewhere around here.”

Brenda reached up to Reggie and kissed him. “Did I ever tell you how wonderful you are?”

“Don’t let that get out,” he dead-panned. “I do have a reputation to uphold.”

After five more minutes, Brenda took off for home, leaving Reggie standing in the parking lot unsure about a lot, but sure about at least one thing.

The Quest Has Ended...For Now...

After careful deliberation, I finally took the plunge and got the Published by Lulu distribution package for Flagrant Foul. As always, I wonder why I take so long to do what's right in front of me.

So, if you visit Lulu.com, you can get a copy of Flagrant Foul for $25.99, plus shipping. However, if you visit the Stories from the Forester site, http://www.flagrantfoul.com, you can buy a copy for $19.99, with free shipping!

What does this all mean? Will this spell the end of Quest for an ISBN? Not really. After all, there are other Quests to be had. Not to mention, if I'm going to get anyone to buy this edition of Flagrant Foul, I'm going to have to market the hell out of it! And for free! No easy feat, especially in these economic times.

We'll be seeing you on the blog tour circuit, and best you believe with basketball season here, it's a good time for it!

Writing Rule No. 1 - Keep On Writing

All Questers probably have this in their memory banks already, but it does bear repeating.

Just keep writing.

And it doesn't really matter where. And it also doesn't matter if you're getting paid or not, though I'm sure some money would be nice (Yes, I saw Almost Famous recently). And, if you are writing pieces for blogs, you may get noticed even more. The Lulu Blog has a good story about blog promotion that's worth a read.

But the most important thing for Questers is this - No matter if you're writing to the masses, putting the finishing touches on your next book or even scribbling a short story that only you will ever see, you're still writing. You're still practicing your craft.

I'm sure I don't have to tell you that writing is a labor of love. We aspire to make it our full-time profession because we love doing it so much. And if it doesn't happen, we can always take comfort in the fact that nobody can tell us we can't write anymore.

That's what I'm doing right now. Despite not really getting too far with Flagrant Foul or Dilemma at the moment, it hasn't stopped me from pressing on with the next book, Unwritten. It also hasn't stopped me from posting more Quest entries, or even the new blog I am working on, the Crossroads Career Transition Blog.

And it shouldn't stop you. In fact, I'm sure it hasn't stopped you.

The Lauren Conrad Book Deal (Because I HAD to Say Something!)

Even as I posted my last entry about the New York Magazine article and how the publishing business is fixing to change around, I had this in the back of my head. And I'm sure it also sticks in the craw of some of you other Questers.

About a week and a half ago, alleged celebrity Lauren Conrad, whose mere presence is endemic of what's truly wrong with television these days and who, to noone's knowledge, has ever wrote a story in her life, got a three-book deal from HarperCollins. This is an odd move by a publisher that, according the the New York Magazine article, is trying to reinvent itself with its HarperStudio imprint.

Her subject matter? The L.A. Candy series, as it's been dubbed, is loosely based on her "transition from regular gal to recognizable face."

Meh.

While I personally do not write in the particular genre, I feel badly for those Questers who were already going up against Gossip Girl and Clique books and other YA items of that ilk. And with a publishing industry already tightening up ship after a ton of bombs, was this really what YA Questers wanted to hear about?

If these books can be considered literary junk food, then that would make the upcoming Lauren Conrad series Hardee's (or Carl's Jr., depending on your location).

iSoap on NewFiction.com - The Future?

This is the textbook definition of early adoption, especially when Questers are hearing the worst of news.

While trolling around Twitter, I came across this gem from New York Magazine, openly wondering about the demise of publishing as we know it. As many Questers can attest to, the publishing business was already tough to break into. Now, if the pundits are right, the business will be dead and buried before long.

But it probably won't. Like the first rule of chemistry, matter is neither created nor destroyed, just changing form. With the advent of e-books and readers from Amazon, Sony and soon, Plastic Logic, those of us trying to get our writing out there will have just as many places to go as ever. And, as in the case of Amazon Digital Text Platform, with a little bit of tech savvy, we, as writers, can cut out the middleman altogether.

That's not all. While making my regular stop on LinkedIn, I can across a question in one of my groups from a gentleman named Tom Lopilato seeking fiction stories for his venture, NewFiction.com. Out of sheer curiosity, I took a look at the site.

What I saw could very well be the future of publishing. NewFiction is the creator of the iSoap, a publishing hybrid that marries the format of old-school weekly radio shows and the technology behind podcasting. Throw in a e-book PDF text format for good measure, and they really could be onto something.

Needless to say, I've already sent them Flagrant Foul. If ever there was a book to have in this format, this would be it.

Then again, perhaps I should have went with Dilemma...