Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Interview with Mike Meyer



Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book?
I have published two novels on Amazon Kindle. THE SURVIVAL OF MARVIN BAINES is a short novel about real life and whimsy, as they collide head on with a man's midlife crisis. The book is fast paced and filled with colorful characters. Marvin Baines' humorous adventures take him on a journey through which he finally realizes what is really important in life. Funny at times and yet serious too, a winning combination about life, marriage, and coming to terms with one's own quandaries and foibles as midlife suddenly rears its head. THE FAMOUS UNION is a tongue-in-cheek look at the dismal economic situation currently taking place on a small California college campus, where tough financial decisions bring about severe disruption and hilarity to a once very proud institution of higher learning, the home of the Famous Union Fighting Orchids, whose motto is and always has been, "Just wait until next year." It is a rollicking romp through the halls of academia.

Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?
My wife recently purchased me a Kindle, and I thought it would be great to get my work our there immediately and see what happens. I am 64 years old. Traditional publishing could take a long time to see my work in print.

Do you belong to a critique group? Have they helped improve your writing?
No, I don’t, but I spent 40 years teaching writing on the college level. I am recently retired. I am now able to show rather than to tell.

What factors influenced your decision to self-publish to Amazon?
I had read that Kindle sales were quite a bit stronger than those of opposing e-readers.

Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?
As a retired English professor, I did all my own editing.

What have you’ve learned during your self-publishing journey?
Writing is fun, but marketing is work.

Besides Amazon, are there any other sites where your books are for sale?
Presently, my two books are only at Amazon Kindle.

What’s next for you?
I have just published a thriller set in both Germany and Saudi Arabia, two of the many place in the world where I have lived.


No comments:

Post a Comment

Your post will be published after administrator approval.