Q: Who are you, and why should
readers read the rest of this interview?
My name is John Abramowitz. I'm
an emerging indie author who, as you read this, will have just self-published
his third novel. I'm a long, tall Texan who has also adopted Iowa as a home
state. I'm a licensed lawyer in both Iowa and Texas. Most of all, I'm a huge
geek who loves to tell stories.
Why should folks read the rest of
this interview? Hmm... because they're hoping the girl with the vampire dreams
will be as cool as the one with the dragon tattoo? Because they heard I wrote a
book about lawyers who defend zombies and want to know what sort of twisted
mind could come up with such a thing? Because they want to show solidarity with
a fellow Joss Whedon fan? Because they're curious if I really do use as many
parentheses in my writing as they've heard?
Q: Tell us a little about the
work you are here promoting.
I'm here promoting The Void, Book 2 of The Weaver
Saga. The Weaver Saga is my Young Adult series, which was inspired by a
college friend of mine who had really vivid zombie dreams. Every morning she'd
regale all of us with last night's adventure -- it was like a free zombie movie
every day! The Weaver Saga is about a
girl who has similarly vivid dreams -- except that hers come true.
In some ways, Weaver, the first book in the Saga, is
almost like a prologue. Its purpose was to get the three main characters
working together and get them used to the idea that their lives weren't going
to be "normal" anymore. Each of them, through circumstances beyond
their control, has been thrust into the middle of a fight against soul-sucking
extra-dimensional beings. Weaver was
about them realizing that, and coming to terms with it. The Void is about what they do with the new responsibilities they
have, how they handle those obligations.
Oh, and it's about avoiding the
zombie apocalypse. That too.
Q: As a writer, do you have plans
for world domination, or do you have a day job, as well?
I do have a day job -- I'm a
lawyer, as I said above. As for world domination, the real question is, would I
tell you if I did?
Q: Self-published, traditional, indie or part of
an indie collective?
Indie. I do all my own writing
and all my own publicity, though I do outsource editing (I think every writer
should) and cover design (no one would buy my books if I didn't). I'm not
officially part of an "indie collective," though unofficially, I
don't think any writer can be successful without
the support of other authors. Certainly no indie, and I have my doubts about
the traditionally-published kind too.
I wouldn't call myself the most
successful author in the world, but to the extent that I have a following, a
large part of it has been built by networking with other authors, earning their
friendship and their respect. If I can convince them that I'm good at what I
do, they tell their friends and fans, and vice versa.
John Donne once said that
"No man is an island, entire of himself." That's especially true for
writers.
Q: How do you handle bad reviews? If you haven't
had one, would you be willing to grant me permission to trash your writing,
just to see if you cry?
Depends on the review. There are
all sorts of bad reviews. Some are just mean spirited, and those I ignore. Some
are from readers whose tastes simply don't match with mine -- what they want in
a book is different from what I want to put in a book. There's no sin in that,
on either side. Nothing is universally popular.
And then there are the readers
who are interested in what I'm
selling. If they give me a bad review, it means that something I'm doing is
misfiring for them. Something in my writing is keeping those readers from
investing in my story as much as they could. If I get a bad review from one of them, I'll read it. I try to detach my
ego and ask myself if what they're saying has any validity, if there's a way I
can use what they've said to do a better job next time. Often, those readers
are onto something, and I've grown as a writer from listening to their advice.
As for trashing my writing,
you're welcome to do so, as long as you do so honestly.
Q: Are you nervous yet and do you
prefer white or wheat bread?
How random. I like it.
Yes, I'm nervous. Of course I am.
But the quickest way to fail is by not trying -- at least this way, there's a
chance people will like my books.
As far as bread goes, white,
please.
Q: Do you blog? If so, don't you wish you were as
cool a blogger as I?
I do blog, and I absolutely wish
I was as cool a blogger as you. (I'm also well aware that flattery will get me
everywhere.)
Q: What is your favorite creature, monster, or
fantasy-based thing you write about?
An honorable lawyer.
In seriousness, I do like the
Xorda, the antagonists in The Weaver Saga,
an awful lot. I feel some pride in knowing that I didn't just copy them
straight from the mythology. If you read the Saga, you'll see that there are a
lot of similarities to vampires, but I definitely put my own imprint on them,
too.
I'm also a big fan of writing
about the fictional legal system that exists in the Atticus
world. As a lawyer, daydreaming about the types of laws and legal issues that
might arise if magic and the undead were real is just endless fun.
Q: Are you planning to give
something away and, if so, what are your demands for winning?
Yes -- I'm giving away two free
copies of The Void. To enter the
giveaway, just leave a comment on this post.
Q: Any advice for aspiring
writers?
First and foremost,
write good books. Second of all, get rid of your sense of pride/shame. Once you
finish writing, you're going to be writing to a lot of blogs to set up your
blog tours or ask for reviews. Some of them will say no. Some of them won't
even answer. That's normal. Don't get discouraged.
Don't be afraid to talk to random people on Facebook or Twitter and ask them if they'll read or review your book. Offer them free copies in exchange -- that way, it doesn't feel like you're doing a sales pitch to someone you've never met. That can turn people off.
Always be searching for articles or blog posts to leave comments on. Twitter is a good place to find those.
And lastly -- make friends with other indie authors. We're your best support network.
Don't be afraid to talk to random people on Facebook or Twitter and ask them if they'll read or review your book. Offer them free copies in exchange -- that way, it doesn't feel like you're doing a sales pitch to someone you've never met. That can turn people off.
Always be searching for articles or blog posts to leave comments on. Twitter is a good place to find those.
And lastly -- make friends with other indie authors. We're your best support network.
Q: Tick off a few indie authors
you look up to.
There are lots,
actually. Lindsay Buroker was incredibly helpful to me
at the start of my writing career, and she writes awesome steampunk novels. One
of the first authors who agreed to read Atticus and has been very
helpful to me in promoting it is Angela Scott, author of the upcoming Zombie West series. I'd be remiss if I
didn't mention Thea Isis Gregory,
an amazing horror writer. Also Christine Butler.
There are so many!
Q: Sell your book, right now, to your host
without once mentioning your book, blog, or Twitter handle.
Imagine that Buffy
was a psychic, not a Slayer. Then imagine that she was raised and trained by
the Bene Gesserit, not the Watchers. Then imagine she went and joined Fringe
Division (or started working on the X-Files). Sound cool yet?
Or, to put it more
simply and with less pop culture references: a superpowered blonde girl and a
badass FBI agent fight monsters. Oh, and occasionally have sexual tension with
people. That too.
Q: Alright, where can
readers find you on the web?
Twitter: @onthebird
Google+: As myself
The Giveaway:
The first two readers to leave a comment on this interview will win! Easy, right! The giveaway will end when I have two comments. Please include an e-mail address you can be reached at. Good luck!
