Today's Interview is with Indie Author B Kent, Author of the YA Fiction 'And So It Happened' and four other books. The short novel (80 pages) has been self-published via Lulu and CreateSpace.
Interview with B Kent
Interview with B Kent
B Kent: I didn’t grow up dreaming I would be a writer. I discovered it. As a writer I would describe it as, “discovering the something that was in my heart all along.”
I have been a writer for years in the business world including: technical writer, instructional designer, curriculum designer, and a marketing communications writer/designer.
I’ve been fiction writing since 2000, so that makes twelve years. I spent 5 years on my first book; writing and learning and making all the common mistakes. My best writing is always my most recent writing because I get better every day—as every writer should. I’ve written 5 books to date (Majee Legends, Hidden Magics, Snow Boy, And So It Happened, & Afraid), but only have recently begun publishing them. All but Afraid are currently available.
Who are your favorite writers, your favorite book, and who or what are your writing influences?
My favorite writer/author is C.S. Lewis although I have several past, classic, and contemporary writers that I love. But he is my favorite because of his versatility, vision, and candor. C.S. Lewis is also my greatest on-going inspiration, but I have been equally inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien, Terry Brooks, Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein, Jane Austin, David Eddings, R.A. Salvatore, Robert Jordan, Anne McCaffrey and other past and current greats whom are too numerous to list. Plus, I am daily inspired by the new writers I meet and edit for, and most of all, by my family.
My favorite fiction book would have to be The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. Between great themes, incredibly entertaining life metaphors, and numerous word plays, I read it once almost every year—even though it’s a children’s book.
Tell us about your writing process. Do you have a writing routine?
My writing process always begins with an inspiration which can come from a dream, a thought, a discussion with a friend, a sermon, all the way to spending an afternoon with a niece or nephew. Then it usually happens as follows:
1. Write a few pages of unbridled brainstorming
2. Make notes for a possible outline and story conclusion
3. Do some initial research (if required)
4. Tweak the premise of the story for uniqueness
5. Write some more to push imagination and reinforce premise
6. Make final outline and complete a world building scenario (if alternate fiction world)
7. Write until finished…completely finished
8. Read through and edit voraciously
9. Parcel out to willing and critical friends for comments
10. Make revisions, edit, publish
What do you find easiest about writing? What the hardest?
The easiest thing about writing is the escape. It’s easy to write anything and live there for a moment. It is also easy to brainstorm. But immediately thereafter it becomes very hard. The hardest thing to do is take an inspiration and turn it into a full-fledged story. It’s like finding the pinky toe of a dinosaur and reconstructing its whole skeleton and life history from that one pinky toe. The energy and brain power required takes extensive though, creativity, time, patience, and love. It’s like discovering a new world one bone, one piece of flesh, one relic at a time. Then comes the very hardest part—figuring out how to make that new world and story interesting to others.
When did you first know that you wanted to be a writer?
The seeds of wanting to write began to grow the more I began to read fiction; about age 19 and thereafter. I was exposed to fiction during a time in my life when I needed an escape and opening a book was like diving into medicine. It was my only savior (since I don’t drink or smoke and I’m an introvert).
It might sound cliché, but since books were keeping me going, when I saw the first Lord of the Rings movie on the screen (after having read the books years before, of course), the impact was so incredible. It wasn’t “just the movie”. It was the power that the story itself created. I wanted to have that same power to impact the lives of people. I wanted to provide that same escape; the kind of escape that had always saved me. Walking out of that movie that night, at half past midnight, I knew that I wanted to write. It had nothing to do with being famous or making money. It was simply about having an impact; about helping others. I started writing the next day.
Tell us a little about your novel 'And so it Happened'.
And So It Happened is a book about a girl who, while beautiful and talented, has a normal teen response to reading—she doesn’t want to. Reese is good at rolling her eyes and saying “whatever” to anything that is good for her. However, in this story she learns an important lesson about reading. It all begins when she makes a flippant remark…a little phrase that ends up being a magical curse. This curse puts her into a deep sleep and sends her on a nightmare journey through the portals that exist between fictional books. [Didn’t you know that they exist? They do.] The journey starts out very bad, but as Reese learns more about the characters and places she visits, horrific characters turn into friends. By the end of the book [which is fairly short, ten chapters] Reese gains a new perspective on life and reading.
What inspired you to write the book?
Last year (during the 2010-2011 school year) there was a need to home-school one of my nieces. I spent nearly six solid months being her teacher. She is a bright and very beautiful girl, but she has always been very flippant about reading. Time and again, I would give her a hard time about reading. But she always said, “I’m never going to read more than I have to.” It only took a few repetitions of that for me to think, “What if that phrase were a bad magical spell?”
Who do you see as your target audience and where can we buy the book?
I write mostly YA and up, but this book can be read very easily by eight year-olds with good reading skills. The target audience is probably 8-16 years of age. The book can be found on Amazon.com, Createspace.com, and Lulu.com. It will soon be available on Kindle as well.
How would you describe the success of your book? (Sales, Awards, Reviews)
How does anyone judge the success of a book? I judge it by my readers’ responses. So far, anyone from age 8 to 63 who has picked up And So It Happened has sat down and read it nearly cover to cover. That tells me the story (and by default, the book) is going to do exactly what I hope it will do…provide an escape for readers of all ages. It is very newly published and so far I’m getting great reviews from all readers.
What did you do to promote yourself and your book?
I’ve been writing for years, but this is the first time (2012) that I’ve decided to try and promote my books heavily through wide channels. I use social media quite a bit and word of mouth, but my biggest focus now is on thebooktimes.com and an all books radio show coming in April run by Paul the Book Guy (@PaulTheBookGuy). On thebooktimes.com I’m promoting myself and other authors by providing several excerpts of poetry collections and books, up to three chapters, online for readers to read. I think most readers want to fall in love with a book before they buy it. There’s nothing more disappointing than getting grabbed by page one of a book at the store (or online), buying it, and finding that by chapter two it wasn’t something you would have bought.
I also believe that writing is about the reader. I want readers to get value from what they read. By providing things for them to read free and up front, it gives them value even if they never buy. But, if they choose to buy, then it will be because they want more. That is my goal with thebooktimes.com. The site is new this year, but I hope in time to have not only indie authors promoting and providing books excerpts, but traditionally published authors as well.
How long did it take it to write the book?
And So It Happened took me perhaps two months if I add up all the time and scrunch it together. However, it is not a long book. The story came quickly, but it took time to polish. Most of my books take at least a year.
Please, tell us where you self-published the book.
And So It Happened has been self-published via Lulu and Amazon-CreateSpace.
"When self-publishing a book, the only real issue is not to rush it."
How smooth went the self-publishing process? Any issues? What are things to look for when self-publishing a book?
I have traditionally used Lulu to publish my books. However, though both Lulu and CreateSpace have excellent platforms, I find that CreateSpace’s platform is more user friendly, allows for greater control of quality, and has more quality checks along the way. Distribution channels are also established faster through CreateSpace and an expanded distribution is available for a small fee.
When self-publishing a book, the only real issue is not to rush it. It’s exciting to see a book come to fruition. But, rushing the distribution without taking time to review the proof copies and double-check pagination and formatting, can lead to an author distributing a book that looks good on first glance, but ends up presenting an amateur and sub-par appearance. (Most Indie authors can validate this from experience, so we hope others will not do as we’ve done).
Did you hire an editor and/or Cover Designer for your book?
Since I have a business and graphics background due to my education and work experience, I provided the graphics and formatting for my own book (and do so for all my books). I am also lucky in my friends because a friend/photographer of mine has helped with the cover of a new book coming out soon, titled Afraid. For those that don’t have graphic and formatting experience, I do not recommend they do their own work. Hire someone. I have helped a lot of people format and I’ve seen very sub-par attempts at graphics and formatting. The intent is not sub-par, but the end result is.
As far as editing, I used to pay to have it done, but, to be honest the quality of work I got back on those edits was pretty terrible. Three separate services/sources, too. A few classes in English Grammar and lots of writing experience have been more than sufficient to help me bypass the paid services I have received in the past. Therefore, over the years I have learned so much that I have begun editing my own works and the works of others. I always get a little help on my own work though because authors rarely see their own mistakes/faults.
Can you give some tips for other Indie Authors regarding the writing and self-publishing process?
Here are the steps I have posted on my writing blog.(bkwritersblock.blogspot.com)
- Finish your book (don't even worry about self-publishing until it's completely finished)
- Have at least 10 people read your book and give you honest feedback
- Weigh feedback and make appropriate changes (if 3 or more people have the same comment, whether positive or negative, it's safe to say it's probably valid and should be taken into strong consideration)
- Use an automated spell check for blatant writing errors
- Have at least 5 people read/re-read your book and help you eliminate inconsistencies (Make sure Jane has blue eyes throughout the entire book and that they don't somehow change to green by the end), grammar, and spelling errors
- Consider paying to have your book professionally edited or prevail upon a fellow author or college English professor (few can self-edit, but if you are one of those few, do it well and do it right the first time)
- Choose a self-publisher (You shouldn’t have to pay unless you are not qualified to do your own cover and formatting…then, it’s worth paying for help)
- Format your book according to the guidelines of the publisher you have chosen
- Consider what you want your book to look like (Again, if you are qualified, determine the graphics guidelines. If you are not, pay for this service).
- Upload and publish your book (keep it published private until step 12)
- Order a copy of your book and read it through extensively to look for final errors and fix them
- Upload the finished file and make it public and TELL EVERYONE to go check it out!
Are you working on another book project? Can you tell us a little about it?
I have a new book coming out shortly; spring release, called Afraid. Here is a snippet about it.
What if everything you were ever afraid of came true? What if a thought, a feeling, a moment of fright became real-every time? For Malley Jordan, calamity and evil have sought her out since the day she was born. She is not a super hero. She is cursed…and she is alone. At age eighteen, Malley’s life is anything but happy, but a whole year has passed curse-free. At first it’s a good thing, but Malley soon learns it’s only the calm before the real storm of her life is about to begin. Join Malley in overcoming her fears…and maybe you’ll overcome some of your own too.
I’ve also written three other books available on Amazon.com: Snow Boy, Majee Legends (book 1 of epic fantasy series) and Hidden Magics (book 2 of epic fantasy series). Afraid will be released soon and books 3 and 4 of the fantasy series will come out end of year, beginning of next (’13).
"I respect traditional publishing, but I truly believe that traditional publishing is disappearing."
Are you planning to move forward as an Indie author or are you looking forward to have one of your next books to be traditionally published?
I am an indie author through and through. I have no plans to ever pursue traditional publishing. If they come to me (kind of like an honorary gifted degree from Harvard) and want to work with me, that’s different, but I have no desire to run after them. I respect traditional publishing, but I truly believe that traditional publishing is disappearing. I think traditional publishers used to be the money, the promotion, but then they turned into the “authority” on what was “worth publishing”. There is no way traditional publishers can be counted on to discover all the best new talent or to keep out the bad. Bad writing gets published all the time and good writing goes unnoticed. I don’t think traditional or indie publishers have the secret to success. I think good writing is good writing and it will eventually speak for itself. Also, with the power of marketing turning to social media, I think indie authors will eventually wrestle an equal share. People are tired of paying so much money for books. ebooks and online reading are changing the world…one book at a time.
Where do you see the book market in 5 or 10 years? Will there be only 99cent eBooks or do you see this just as a marketing phase of the book sellers to move readers into the digital book market in a fight for future market shares?
I think 99cent books will be a big thing for a bit. However, there are also those of us, that while we appreciate convenience, we also like to hold a real book in our hands, flip the pages, admire the artwork... I think eBooks will change the world. But I think it will only serve to put traditional publishers in their place again and eventually things will balance out. I think there will always be some need for traditional publishers as distributors. I think people have a need for real books and eBooks. With computers and phones, we still all use paper. We still have paper records and always will. Some things must be tangible and some things are better electronic. In 10 years I hope to see balance and a more balanced credibility on the side of indie publishing.
Do you write full-time or do you have a day job?
I have always written part-time for 12 years. Right now, it’s my full-time endeavor and I’m trying to keep it that way. I hope it works!
How can readers connect with you?
Readers can connect with me by visiting my website: authorbkent.com, reading thebooktimes.com, or following me on Facebook (B Kent or Bethany Kent), Google+ (B Kent, authorbkent) and twitter (@vesdyn).
Thank you so much for the Interview, Bethany. Good Luck with your future book projects.
About the Book And So It Happened
Like most fourteen-year old girls, Reese is good at rolling her eyes and saying "whatever." But she is about to learn an important lesson. It all begins when she makes a flippant remark...a little phrase that ends up being a magical curse.
Follow Reese as a nightmare of learning turns into a dream of realization. Horrific characters turn into friends, and the sometimes flippant teenager gains a new perspective on life and reading.
Follow Reese as a nightmare of learning turns into a dream of realization. Horrific characters turn into friends, and the sometimes flippant teenager gains a new perspective on life and reading.
Connect with B Kent via Twitter: @vesdyn
1 comment:
I really enjoy all of B Kent's writing. And So It Happened I love as well and so do my kids!
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