JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to “Conversations on the Bench” getting out to the public?
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DC: It’s all about creating awareness of your book. There’s something like two million books getting published each year either in print or digital format, so it’s real easy to get lost among the sea of new works out there. My team has established a good following among our readers and fans via social media and traditional online outlets.
You just have to get the book in front of people, get it in their hands. Sometimes that’s easier said than done. With “Conversations on the Bench”, the book has something for everyone. It doesn’t matter your age or gender or religion or education or position in life or how much money you have.
There’s something in “Conversations on the Bench” that each person who reads it can relate to or take away from it. This book probably has a broader appeal to people for that very reason than perhaps my mystery novels, so “Conversations on the Bench” is simply appealing to the motivational or inspirational need in people’s lives and encouraging them to pick it up and see if Sebastian’s wisdom helps them.
When it comes to other books, like my mystery “Murder at the Ocean Forest” or my western “The Maynwarings” for example, success is largely a function of building a presence, awareness, and reputation. Anyone can write a book. That doesn’t mean that it’s good or commercially marketable, but just about anyone can write a book if they take the time and inclination.
Fewer people are going to write a second book or a third or a fourth and so on. I think the more you write the more credibility as a serious indie author that you gain. I think that plays a big role in making an indie book successful, as it gives readers and fans a sort of stability and confidence in your writing endeavors. And you’ve got to communicate with your readers and fans, make them aware of your books and keep your name in front of them. Social media and the online world make that a lot easier.