Two Ends of the Pen: Interview with Randy Overbeck, CRUEL INTENTIONS

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

Cruel Lesson is an atmospheric, amateur sleuth mystery, the first in a new series set in schools called “Lessons in Peril.” The story involves a rogue, hallucinogenic drug being pushed in a middle school and, after it results in the death of four students, the rush to stop the drug pusher before more children die. The narrative takes place in a small district in a rural Midwest town during October, 1994 and all the characters (heroes and villains) come from the school arena. The story is told primarily from the perspective of two protagonists, Assistant Superintendent Ken Parks, and fourth grade teacher Stacy Thompson, two ordinary educators caught in the middle of a life and death crisis.

Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?

For the first book in my “Haunted Shores Mysteries,” Blood on the Chesapeake, I went the traditional route, querying almost 100 agents who listed mysteries as one of their priorities. About a dozen agents asked for partial or full manuscripts but, in the end, none of them took on the manuscript. Then I vetted small presses and pitched the manuscript to three. Two of the three offered me a contract. After reviewing the two, I chose the Wild Rose Press and have been there since, quite satisfied with the publisher-to-author relationship there.

Do you have an ARC review team? How did you recruit your reviewers? BookFunnel? Readerlinks? Booksprout?

I haven’t used these resources yet, though I plan to add some of these to my marketing strategy. Rather, I have a team of beta readers. These readers support my writing rather than my marketing efforts. The team of about ten readers receive my work in process, each one third of the manuscript at a time and give me feedback on the WIP. Their insights help me make my novel the best it can be.

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

I’m lucky that I can compose in a range of environments, but I prefer to listen to music, though it has to be without words. I have very eclectic musical tastes—classical, new age, smooth jazz, movie themes—but playing some quiet tunes in the background helps the words flow.

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

I’ve found I’m somewhere between a plotter and a pantser. By the time I start my story, I’ve developed some basic structure points that I’ve “outlined” in a very loose manner, determined main characters (for which I created a character board) and some other plot details. Since creating accurate settings is critical to my storytelling, I also have copious notes on these. From there, I let the muse take over.

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

Of course. I’m an English teacher—or at least used to be—so I take great pains to make sure my writing is as error free as possible before I’m ready to take it to the next level. But there are always things I don’t catch, words or phrases I misread or other miscues that a skilled editor will notice and help me to correct. But more often, I found a skilled editor can see things in the manuscripts—omissions, possibilities, alternate routes—that an author might not be able to see. An talented editor can make a real difference in a manuscript.

Is your book available in audio format? Briefly describe how your narrator was chosen?

I went through ACX and auditioned several narrators before selecting the one I chose, who rendered a powered, nuanced and even appropriately humorous narration of all three entries in the Haunted Shores Mysteries. I’m working now on selecting a narrator for my new novel, CRUEL LESSONS.

Do you find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and writing your next book? Do you try to write everyday or carve out certain times during the week?

It kills me. I found you can never do enough marketing—there are always more avenues to pursue, more contacts to make, most posts to release—but what I want to do, like most writers is, write. Although I found, with my life, it’s not practical to carve out a time everyday to write as much as I want to. I do my best to write a few hours most days and then work on marketing about every other day or so. I always have a goal, a target for writing projects to keep me focused.

Besides writing, do you have any other passions?

Family. I have a great extended family with brothers in three states and my own children living in three different states. When I can, I travel to spend time with the family I love.

What’s next for you?

My latest project is a new writing direction for me. I’m putting the finishing touches on a historical suspense about the Culper Ring, Washington’s spy organization during the Revolutionary War.

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Dr. Randy Overbeck is a best-selling author of the award-winning series, The Haunted Shores Mysteries, the three entries earning such national awards as the Gold Award from Literary Titan, Mystery of the Year from ReaderViews, Best Book from Chanticleer and Crowned Heart of Excellence from InD’tale Magazine. He hosts a new podcast, “Great Stories about Great Storytellers,” which reveals the unusual backstories of famous authors, directors and poets. He is also a speaker in much demand, sharing his multi-media presentations, “Thanks Still Go Bump in the Night” and “A Few Favorite Haunts” with audiences all over the country. More info about his novels, programs and podcast can be found at his website www.authorrandyoverbeck.com .

randyoverbeck@authorrandyoverbeck.com

513-633-2838

SOCIAL MEDIA CONTACTS

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BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/randy-overbeck

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Randy-Overbeck/e/B07QQHW7DM

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4825632.Randy_Overbeck

Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1924616/10983135

SERIES PURCHASE LINKS

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09B5TGPX9