Can you give us a brief overview of your
latest book? Is it part of a series?
Del Corwyn hasn’t had a hit film since his Academy
Award nomination 40 years ago. He’s desperate to return to the spotlight but
teeters on bankruptcy. Del is a forgotten legend—until, while combing through
personal memorabilia, he discovers an original screenplay written by his
once-close friend, Marilyn Monroe, who named Del as its legal guardian. The
news goes viral. Suddenly, Del skyrockets to the A-list and has a chance to
revive his career—if he’s willing to sacrifice his friend’s memory and
reputation along the way.
Beautiful
Mess is a humorous coming-of-age story about a
78-year-old man who lives in his own fictional world. The novel incorporates
lesser-known facts about Marilyn Monroe and imagines the further impact she
might have made on pop culture if her life hadn’t reached an abrupt end.
Have you ever had a minor character
evolve into a major one? Did that change the direction of the novel at all?
I’ve had a minor issue evolve into a
major one. My novel From the Dead
centered around Jesse Barlow, a preacher’s son who left home to pursue a career
in California. Things go south for Jesse, and after a suicide attempt, he
returns home to make amends, conduct some serious self-reflection, and find a
way to emerge from his father’s shadow. When I first identified the concept,
the preacher’s son aspect was just a fact, the launching point for the novel. I
didn’t plan to dig into the details of Jesse’s faith. But as I planned the
book, I realized I couldn’t do his story justice without introducing a faith
element to it, because it would have represented such a significant part of who
he is. So From the Dead became
mainstream fiction with a strong religious bent. That made marketing the book
much more difficult because people will attack you from both sides, but many
other readers recognize the intended balance.
What factors influenced your decision to
go with a particular agent or publisher?
I would never be opposed to a major press. However, I love the benefits of the
small indie route I’m on right now. I have the opportunity not only to write,
but to stay involved in all aspects of the project, from creative to marketing
to analytics. In a way, I get to be a creative director, but I’m surrounded by
people who are much better at making particular aspects happen. You can’t beat
experience like that. So if I ever sign with a New York house, I have a working
knowledge of each team member’s role, which will help me collaborate and
communicate. When your team fires on all cylinders and you collaborate well,
the product ends up so much stronger. Many people underestimate the value of
recognizing their strengths and weaknesses, and their end-product suffers for
it.
How
involved were you during the creative process for your cover?
One of the benefits of working with a smaller indie press is that your
involvement is welcome. My professional background is a blend of creative, IT,
analytics, project management, and marketing, so I tend to collaborate well.
Although my involvement with the Beautiful
Mess cover design was limited, I’ve found the artwork for all my past books
myself. I think that’s because, as the writer, I know not only what the novel
contains, but what it doesn’t
contain—the “why” factors that motivate the characters but don’t get included
in the manuscript. So I can sense when an image resonates with the story. But
to date, I have written all the copy for my books—years ago, I wrote ad copy
for radio, which helped prepare me for that. Nothing goes to waste.
Do you belong to a critique group? Have
they helped improve your writing?
You know, I’ve never tried a critique group. I’m wary of getting input on a
novel until the first draft is complete, because well-intended comments at the
wrong time can dishearten a writer. You NEED criticism—you can’t improve as a
writer without it—but you don’t need it too early. You can always make your
draft better, so I focus on planning the story and getting the words on the
page. Once the first draft is completed, I have a few people who read the
drafts and are willing to give me honest feedback, even if it’s harsh.
What is your writing process? Do you
listen to music or do you like silence?
I usually have a playlist going. For Beautiful
Mess, I listened to several film scores, which was a first for me. Since
it’s a romantic comedy, most of the scores were lighthearted and fun, such as The Intern, Finding Neverland, It’s
Complicated, and The Best Exotic
Marigold Hotel.
Do you outline your story or just go
where your muse takes you?
I need a detailed plan. Most of my stories begin with a 50-100 page sketch, a
miniature version of the novel. In fact, it’s so detailed, I lift some dialogue
blocks from it verbatim! But it’s the only way I’ve found I can complete a
project. I need a road map. That’s where my years working in the IT world
helped—I developed discipline, troubleshooting skills, and project management
experience. The key to my first novel was pretending the book was a 9-month
software implementation project, and creating a project plan, including time
estimates and milestones. Whatever works!
What advice would you give a new author
just entering into the publishing arena?
Never give up! Ever. The best things in life, the most substantive
achievements, take YEARS (not months) to come to fruition. So if you want to
develop a high-quality reputation as a writer, determine to put in the years of
effort. You won’t regret it, I promise.
Besides writing, do you have any other
passions?
Oh my word, I adore my little niece and nephews. Perhaps the greatest honor of
my life is being Uncle John, and one of the greatest privileges is getting to
treasure those kids. We have so much fun together, and it’s amazing to watch
their personalities develop year by year.
What’s next for you?
I have another romantic comedy ready to go in late 2018. For the latest on my
work, feel free to check out my website, www.johnherrick.net.
You’ll find my Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads links there, too. Hearing from
people is such a privilege. I read and try to reply to everything I receive.
Thanks so much for letting me stop by!
BLURB:
A fallen star. Four Los Angeles misfits.
And
the Marilyn Monroe you only thought you knew.
Del
Corwyn is an aging relic. An actor who advanced from errand boy to Academy
Award nominee, Del kept company with the elite of Hollywood’s golden era and
shared a close friendship with Marilyn Monroe. Today, however, he faces
bankruptcy.
Humiliated,
Del is forced to downgrade his lifestyle, sell the home he's long cherished,
and fade into a history of forgotten legends—unless he can revive his career.
All he needs is one last chance. While searching through memorabilia from his
beloved past, Del rediscovers a mysterious envelope, dated 1962, containing an
original screenplay by Marilyn Monroe—and proof that she named him its legal
guardian.
Del
surges to the top of Hollywood’s A-list overnight. But the opportunity to
reclaim his fame and fortune brings a choice: Is Del willing to sacrifice
newfound love, self-respect and his most cherished friendship to achieve his
greatest dream?
A
story of warmth, humor and honesty, Beautiful
Mess follows one man's journey toward love and relevance where he least
expects it—and proves coming-of-age isn't just for the young.
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