Monday, September 30, 2013

Author Spotlight - Bradley Convissar


What books have most influenced your life? Neil Gaiman's American Gods, Tad Williams War of the Flowers, Koontz's Watchers, Midnight, House of Thunder, Door to December, and Life Expectancy, almost everything by King, almost everything by Clive Barker, Peter Straub's Lost Boy, Lost Girl and In the Night Room

Have you ever considered anyone as a mentor? No. That was easy. No one has ever shown enough interest in me. I am alone in this large, lonely publishing world.

Who is your favorite author and why? King because he is the master storyteller and Barker because he is a master of language. But Gaiman is right up there.

Can we expect any more books from you in the future? God, I hope so. Once I've finished with the serial, I want to start on an introductory novel in an open-ended series and get back to work on another of my stand-alone projects.

Have you started another book yet? Bloodlines: A Serial. Part 1- Abomination, Part 2-Brutalization, Part 3- Corruption, Part 4- Damnation, Part 5 (if I need one)- Extinction. It is shaping up to be four 20K word episodes with a possible 5th.

Where do you see yourself in five years? Still practicing dentistry, hopefully less than now so I can dedicate another hour a day to writing, but we'll see. I don’t look to the future too much. The day-to-day is enough to keep my mind occupied.

Are you reading any interesting books at the moment? I'm always reading 2-3 books, one traditionally published books by one of my favorite authors and one or two Indie/small press books. Right now, I am reading XO by Jeffery Deaver and Long Black Coffin by Tim Curran. Once I am done with XO, I am going to be moving on to The Bride Wore Black Leaver, a Nightside book by one of my favorites, Simon Green, and when I am done with Tim Curran... well, I'll decide when I get there.  My Kindle is full of great books.

Are there any new authors that have sparked your interest and why? I'm always reading Indie and small press authors, and I've found some new fun ones, especially some of the horror authors from Dark Fuse and Nightscape Press. I'll be honest, I am MUCH more inclined to try out a new Indie author than a new traditionally published author these days because I refuse to pay $9.99 for an eBook or $10 for a paperback. Now $2.99-$4.99 for an Indie book that is usually AS good as a traditionally published book, that's what I am investing in now with new authors.

What are some of the best tools available today for writers, especially those just starting out? The internet for research and Facebook groups for advice. What more can you ask for? The good writers out there are happy to share their expertise and knowledge with those just starting out. The good writers don't view new writers as competition.

What contributes to making a writer successful? Having a professional cover done, paying for professional editing. It isn't cheap, but if you want people to take you seriously, you need to view it as an investment and put out a professional product.  Also, discipline.  Can’t worry about selling a book unless you sit and write one.

Do you have any advice for writers? Don't give up. Don't get distracted. Give yourself deadlines! Write at the same time every day. Make sure that spouses or significant others respect your writing time. Even if it is a second job, it is a job and you need to treat it like a job. Set up a space. Ask questions on Facebook. The resources are there, use them.

What do you do to unwind and relax? Go to the gym. Play video games. Read. Watch TV. I'm a simple man.
 Buy Now @ Amazon
Genre - Thriller / Horror
Rating – PG13 bordering on R
(Horror with some violence / Some sex, not overly graphic)
More details about the author & the book
Connect with Bradley Convissar on Facebook & Twitter

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