Indie Author Interview with Dennis Waller - Author of the Contemporary Romance Reflections - A Love Story.
Dennis Waller, author of several best selling books including "Tao Te Ching- A Translation," is recognized as an expert on spiritual experience, self-discovery, and exploring the human consciousness.
Interview with Dennis Waller
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| Author Dennis Waller |
Dennis Waller: I read a lot of non-fiction but I do enjoy fiction. When it comes to contemporary authors, I really love David Mitchell, Henning Mankell, and Dan Brown. The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet by David Mitchell is one of my favorites along with Cloud Atlas. The Kurt Wallander series by Mankell is a great read too. Now, for a frightening read, Dan Brown's The Deception Point is unbelievable. I still have flashbacks to some of the scenes from that book. The research that Dan Brown puts into his books is amazing.
In addition to being an author, I am a Top 500 reviewer on Amazon and have opportunities to read works from up and coming authors. I have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of writing by these new authors, Christoph Fischer, Oleg Medvedkov, Brandt Legg, William O'Brien, and Charity Parkerson are a few that are phenomenally gifted.
For old school, Ernest Hemmingway, William Faulkner, Richard Matheson, and Kurt Vonnegut. There is a quote by Hemmingway that I use, "Writing is easy, just sit down at a typewriter and bleed." I get that, I know what he meant, it's a deep statement. I mean, if you can't be honest to yourself in your writing, you have no business writing. For Faulkner, in an interview once he was asked what is the key to writing. He replied, "Just do it, get out there and write. You'll learn from your mistakes."
As far as an influence, there is one that is always in the back of my mind, one that keeps me going and that would be Hank Moody. For those who don't get that one, feel free to contact me and we'll discuss. For those that do, let's get together.
Tell us about your writing process. Do you have a writing routine?
I have shared this with other authors and since I am not alone in this, I'll share it with you. When I do settle down to write, I need silence and to be left alone, no distractions. By now the folks around me know better to bother me when I am writing. I have a place where I can lay out my notes and get organized and work. I might listen to music but mostly I prefer silence. There isn't a particular time of day or night that I have reserved, rather when I feel it.
"Once I get going, it just flows."
What do you find easiest about writing? What the hardest?
Sometimes, the hardest part about writing is just getting started. Once I get going, it just flows. That is the easy part, just enjoying the ride and letting it flow onto the paper. When you are in the zone, time seems to stop and you're caught up in the moment. Hours can pass before you even realize it.
Dennis, please tell us a little about your Book 'Reflections – A Love Story.’
It's a romance story, albeit an unusual one . You'll be taken on a rollercoaster ride as you discover the depths of love and the lines that will be cross to protect and preserve that love. As you read the book, you'll be drawn into the life of Daniel as the book opens with his wife's funeral, lost in despair and feeling defeated. Will he be able to accept the turn of events or will his conviction and love to Vanna be strong enough to overcome death?
With Vanna's return, their love becomes a forbidden love. There was an obvious violation to the order and balance of the universe and a chain of events are set in motion. The question being, "Is it possible to have a love so strong that not even death can intervene?" Can it defy logic and the laws of physics or will some sinister force try to reset the balance?
Besides being a touching love story, there is so much more with the esoteric layering of eastern philosophy and mythology. This story will cause you to think as you feel the strength and love between Daniel and Vanna.
Is there such a thing as a dom soul? The concept being that souls are separated at birth into two parts and if those two parts come together, it's a reunion of divine love that transcends even Heaven or Hell. This tale explores that belief.
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| Click to Read an Excerpt |
What inspired you to write the book?
The inspiration came from letting the best thing that ever happen to me slip through my fingers, with the opening funeral scene being an allegorical metaphor for having the relationship end, with the coming back from the dead as a hopeful fantasy that in some way it can be brought back and rekindled. Life is funny in how some memories stick with you and become a constant companion. Like taillights fading into the twilight, leaving you wondering what life could have been.
I read once that fiction is nothing more than life disguised. This is very personal tale and I challenge the readers to pick up on the aspects that really happen. It's interesting the emails I have received from readers, commenting on scenes they connected with. The amazing thing to come out of those emails is how that guttural emotion can pass through words and into the hearts of the readers. I must admit, I have been surprised at the emotional investment readers have made with Daniel and Vanna. There is a yearning, a longing that exist in all of us, a subconscious desire to discover a love like this. It shows in the questions I receive on the hope that the tale continues with these two lovers. Very intriguing in seeing how the story speaks directly to the reader. If there was ever an example of Hemmingway's quote of writing is easy, just sit down and bleed, this is it.
Who do you see as your target audience and where can we buy the book?
This is for the hopeless romantics out there who enjoy getting lost for a few hours in a good read. There is a sense of spiritualness to the book that appeals to readers of new age and metaphysics.
One thing I have noticed that surprised me is the percentage of men that are reading books in this genre. That is welcoming even if they don't admit it. But still, the primary audience will be women.
The book is available through Amazon as a print book and an eBook. The book is currently being converted into an audio book that should be released by the end of the year. I am excited to hear this story told by Sam R Jones, a extremely gifted voice artist. He did the audio for my 9 Keys book and is my best selling audio book to date.
How would you describe the success of your book so far?
The reviews I have received for the book have been beyond any expectations I could have had. I have had incredible feedback from authors who write in this genre. It is satisfying to be accepted and acknowledged by one's peers.
How long did it take it to write the book?
I had the concept bouncing around in my head for months but once I started writing, it took about a month. Then it was the editing and the rewrites to correct the flow and structure. That took longer than the actual writing.
Please, tell us where you self-published the book.
I use Createspace for the print books and for the distribution. Another aspect to Createspace is I buy copies for my book signings and for my own sales. The great thing about Createspace is the price structure for ordering your own books is favorable for authors who are on a budget.
For eBooks, it's Kindle, I love their KDP program, keeping track of sales is easy and the royalties are simple.
"The technical aspects of this process went as smooth as silk."
How smooth went the self-publishing process? Any issues?
My first book was a complete nightmare that cost more than I am willing to admit. I didn't have a clue what I was doing and I paid the price for my ignorance. I was bound to learn the ropes and get it figured out and by the third book I was on my way. Since then, I have learn about formatting, cover design, editing, and knowing how to use the tools offered to authors on Createspace and Kindle. The technical aspects of this project went as smooth as silk.
"Build a peer group and listen to their feedback on your manuscript."
What are things to look for when self-publishing a book?
I would get some good software and learn how to use it. You can save a lot of money by doing your own formatting. Plus I believe it helps in giving you a feel of the finished product. I have a great software system for formatting Kindle books that exports into Word doc that makes formatting a print book a breeze. Utilize the tools out there and learn them, even if you don't do it yourself, you'll be better informed on the process and more likely to catch any mistakes.
Build a peer group and listen to their feedback on your manuscript. I have a small group of authors I work with and we all are always sending back and forth scripts to get each other's feedback. The feedback helps in identifying any issues with the plot, characters, flow, etc. On editing, I like to have at least three people do an edit looking for grammatical errors, sentence structure and so on. My experience is no matter how good someone is, there is always the chance of an error slipping through. That is a problem that plagues even the big publishing houses, just take a look at Adele's book.
Did you hire an editor and/or Cover Designer for your book?
Yes, since this is my first real attempt at a work on fiction, I had the help of two editors. Non-fiction and fiction are two completely different types of writing. This project was very challenging for me as there are elements to fiction that you don't have in non-fiction.
Yes, I had a graphic artist in Germany do the cover for me. I have used him on other books before. What I like about him is I give him the idea of the book and let him run with it. It's interesting to see what he creates. I am pleased with his work.
"A good writer writes with the reader in mind [...]"
Can you give some tips for other Indie Authors regarding the writing and self-publishing process?
The first thing I would do is go out and buy a copy of "Writing to Sell" by Scott Meredith. Read it from cover to cover then read it again. Meredith was a literary agent and got fed up with the scripts that were coming across his desk, prompting him to write this book. One of the best investments you can make.
The second thing I would do is find a few writers that are where you want to be and reach out to them. It is easier to model after someone's success than try to create your own. It took till my third book to figure this out. The quantum leap for me was coming across a couple of books written by Ryan Deiss. The seven dollars I spent for that one little eBook by him has been a game changer for me. It is responsible for my first number one book. The funny thing was, it was already written and published, but didn't know how to go about getting it out there. It goes back to modeling after successful writers and learning from their mistakes.
Lastly, you need to get honest with yourself. A good writer writes with the reader in mind, ensuring that the plot, characters, and the storyline are going to be to their liking. I think we can all agree on that. However, a great writer writes from the soul without regard for anything other than freeing themselves from whatever is pouring out. If you plan on writing safe, then maybe you need to reconsider your motives. Write from the heart and soul, connect with your readers at that primeval level.
Are you working on another book project? Can you tell us a little about it?
Yes, I have a couple of projects in the works. I am working on the second installment to Reflections. Then there is another project that I have been working on for most of the year called "Musings of a Snow Leopard" It's a translation of a Zen text.
"[...] self publishing is the way to go and the future of book publishing."
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?
You know, that is the question. As for me, after talking to the traditional publishers, I'll stay where I am with being self published. There are too many success stories out there about those who made it big self publishing. I have weigh the pros and cons and unless you are a James Patterson or a Stephanie Myers, self publishing is the way to go and the future of book publishing.
Where do you see the book market in 5 or 10 years? Will there be only eBooks and will book stores disappear like record stores disappeared?
I don't think that book stores with completely disappear but it will get harder and harder to get a book on the shelves in the remaining stores. Funny though, I do think that there will be an increase in used book stores. I believe there will be a shift from the "new" book stores to used book stores. It has already started. Just this past weekend, a local used book store hosted an "Indie Author" signing event with over 12 authors. That is something that would have never happened 10 years ago and doubtful it would happen in the big chain book stores.
On eBooks, I believe that the eBook market is still in its infancy. There is so much growth in the eBook market to come. I am excited about the prospects. It is the wave of the future for sure.
"Writing is a full time job, part of writing is reading."
Do you write full-time or do you have a day job?
Writing is a full time job, part of writing is reading. My work in non-fiction requires exhaustive hours of research. If I am not writing, then I am reading and there are the book reviews I do. Doing those reviews is great practice in writing on different subjects and it breaks things up.
How can readers connect with you?
The easiest way is by email at dennismwaller@yahoo.com. Then there is Facebook along with the other social media sites. The best way to keep up with my ramblings and misguided adventures would be through Facebook. www.facebook.com/dennis.waller.581
Thank you very much for the Interview, Dennis.
About the Book Reflections - A Love Story
.jpg "Reflections - A Love Story (Dennis Waller)")
The love between Daniel and Vanna was so strong that they could not wait until the next life to be reunited again. Yet, death would not give up easy on the soul once it claimed it.
Would the love these eternal lovers share be strong enough to fight against the inevitable?
Is there an existence outside of the cycle of reincarnation?
Are our lives written in stone or can we write our own destiny?
The answers lie in The Tao of Love: Reflections
Link to the Book
Link to the Paperback Reflections - A Love Story with Excerpt on Amazon
Link to the eBook Reflections - A Love Story with Excerpt on Amazon
1 comment:
I'm humbled by your comments, Dennis. Awesome interview :-D
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