Interview with Matthew Turner

Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?

TICK to the TOCK is a Coming-of-Age New Adult Novel about Dante King: a twenty-two-year-old who learns that he only has a few months to live.

Built upon a Love Story and lifelong friendship, it’s an emotional rollercoaster that forces Dante to reflect on his past and finally become the man he’s dreamed of. It’s a standalone novel, although I’ve fallen in love with a few of the characters, and may be tempted to write a few spin-off books along the way.

Watch this space…

Do you have a favorite character?

I love them all, because when you invent and lose yourself in characters like Dante, Wilbur, Ethan, and Danii, it’s hard not to reserve a special place in your heart.

However, I find Wilbur fascinating indeed, and his love/hate demeanour is one that kept me on my toes throughout the whole process. I’m excited to hear what people think of him, because I’m sure he’ll cause quite the stir.

What factors influenced your decision to self-publish your book(s)?

I like to have control, and I feel being at the mercy to the traditional model would drive me insane. It’s not to say I wouldn’t like an agent or publisher one day, but I’m driven and inspired by the likes of Hugh Howey and the hybrid model - which I think is the future way forward.

Self-Publishing is tough, but the freedom and creative control I have is brilliant. I feel I’ve learned a great deal by going it on my own, and some of the people I’ve met are amazing. It’s a tough, but invaluable process in my opinion.

What is your writing process? Do you listen to music or do you like silence?

I write mainly in coffee shops where the clatter of cups, grinding of beans, and hum of music plays strong. Silence haunts me and stresses me out when writing, but being surrounded by life inspires me to note away.

I often look up and know what the next sentence should be, what the characters should say, or how the scene should develop. Sitting in my room wouldn’t provide this.

Do you outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?

I do outline it, but not overly so. I like to have a direction to head in, but if my muse takes me one way or another, that’s fine.

The important thing is to get to where you need to get. The way you get there is part of the fun. I approach my writing in the same way, but to simply turn up and write is frightening to say the least. I’m not sure if I’ve got the balance right yet, but I’m getting there… hopefully :)

Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?

I did, and this is very important indeed. It sometimes creates a fairly fractious relationship, but my Editor, Proofreaders, and Beta Readers helped make TICK to the TOCK what it is. Had I remained in my own head, I wouldn’t be happy with the end result.

Writing is quite a lonely process, but publishing a book isn’t - at least, it shouldn’t be.

Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?

It will appear in some Yorkshire Stores, and then in as many Online Stores as possible (Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Libiro, etc…)

The full List of retail locations can be found at: http://bit.ly/1dSs9Qz

What kinds of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for promoting your book(s)?

I love Twitter & Facebook, and I try to Blog a great deal.

My background is in marketing, so I take a rather organised route with my communication. However, I limit it the best I can because it becomes overwhelming otherwise.

Saying that, I certainly need to do more and become better, but this is part of the process of growth and wisdom. Facebook, I find, is a fantastic platform for the creative mind, though. I’ve met and communicated with some great folk via my Facebook Pages and Profile.

Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book?

It is hard, yes. Life gets in the way, too, but so much of marketing is the little bits and pieces you do with your day. If you embrace marketing as part of life, you’ll market your book without even knowing it.

It’s a tough balance though, and anyone who says differently is lying. Either that or they don’t sleep… EVER.

What’s next for you?

It’s onto novel number three and numerous other projects, but the specifics are still somewhat hazy I’m afraid.

2014 is an exciting year, and I cannot wait for it to develop and take me on another great journey. If you would like to follow it, you are more than welcome, and the best way to do so is on Facebook (MatthewTurner.Writer)