Spring’s in full swing! It’s always an exciting time in self-publishing, with many self-published authors taking advantage of promotional opportunities such as spring book fairs and ramping up for a summer of selling.
Outskirts Press knows that stocking up for the big book-selling push can get pricey. We want to ease the burden so you make the most of a season of sales. So, through the end of May we’re giving all currently published authors FREE SHIPPING on orders of 50 or more within the continental U.S.
Chances are you’ll need extra books for upcoming promotional events. By combining free shipping with our bulk order discounts, you’ll be well-stocked for summer promotions – without depleting your bank account!
Here’s how free shipping works:
1. Login to your Publishing Center and place an order for 50 or more copies of your book(s) in a single format before May 31.
2. Select normal ground shipping with a delivery address in the continental United States.
No promotion code is necessary. You will see the free shipping reflected once you place your order. It’s a snap!
If you’re not sure how to approach marketing your self-published book and haven’t yet taken advantage of Outskirts Press’ many promotional services, consider contacting a Personal Marketing Assistant to come up with a solid action plan for this summer.
If you’re marketing a book through Amazon, you know that compelling marketing copy on your Amazon sales page is vital to capturing the imaginations of prospective book buyers. However, writing to appeal to calculating, non-human, Internet search engines is far more complex than artfully crafting frilly paragraphs. Search engines simply don’t react emotionally to riveting copy; they use complex algorithms to discover and index relevant content, and then present that content to humans who search for it on the Internet.
Amazon Listing Optimization by Outskirts Press is designed to tailor Amazon sales pages to both human tastes and those confusing search engine algorithms.
As an author, you’ve mastered the art of colorful, descriptive writing. You know just what to say to paint a vivid image in a reader’s mind. However, writing to sell and to attract potential book buyers via Internet search engines is a different animal entirely. It may be unfair, but when it comes to Internet marketing, it’s simply not enough to be a fantastic writer. To channel readers to your page and get them to follow through with a purchase, online copy must balance a number of vital components:
Relevant keywords and key phrases that get the page indexed appropriately by search engines such as Google or Yahoo! so that more potential buyers are directed to your sales page.
Correct keyword-to-content ratio. Too few keywords and your page won’t turn up in readers’ searches; too many – a technique called “keyword stuffing” – and your page could be rejected entirely by search engines and virtually invisible to book buyers!
Technically well-written text with spot-on grammar and punctuation.
Enticing language that Instantly grabs readers and compels them to continue reading.
Accurate representation of your book.
The power to convince potential buyers to make the leap from simply reading the sales page to making a purchase.
All the information a buyer needs to follow through with a purchase.
Information in an arrangement that makes it convenient and easy for buyers to act on the impulse to buy.
Content that is regularly refreshed to give your sales page a renewed bump up the search engine results page (SERP). It’s not sufficient to just write killer sales copy and leave it up in perpetuity; new content must be posted periodically to prevent the page from slowly dropping off the SERP.
In addition to all of these components, it’s also important that the content is produced with the product’s category or industry in mind – in this case, self-publishing — as well as the genre to which the self-published book belongs (fiction, nonfiction, self-help, reference, etc.). It’s enough to make your head spin!
Fortunately, Outskirts Press is uniquely positioned to fulfill all these requirements of Internet marketing copy through a new Amazon Listing Optimization service. As experts in the publishing industry, our staff understands what entices readers to buy. Additionally, our staff of professional marketers includes writers trained in SEO writing techniques, allowing us to improve how your sales page performs in Internet searches and attract more readers to your sales page.
We realize many of our authors, as talented as they are, may not have had the opportunity to train in marketing or SEO copywriting. Our Amazon Listing Optimization allows you to apply our expertise in these disciplines inexpensively and hassle-free, and reap the benefits: additional sales revenue.
We all know how important marketing is to the success of a self-published book. Part of achieving that efficacy is getting the most bank for the few bucks you have to spend on publicizing your works. One of the most vital elements of this is target marketing.
Bookmarks Magazine, a subscription magazine for lovers of literature, offers authors advertising that does just that. (You can purchase ad space conveniently through Outskirts Press.) Each full-color issue of Bookmarks includes a synopsis of a number of the latest and greatest literary works and is targeted specifically to avid readers looking for the next great tome. To date, Bookmarks has 40,000 subscribers.
Each ad page in Bookmarks spotlights several authors with a full-color book-cover image and synopsis, providing each author a cost-effective way to showcase his or her work before an appropriate and very specific audience. The magazine’s Co-op Advertising Program provides authors high-profile — and most importantly, inexpensive — ad space. It’s exceptional, targeted visibility at a fraction of the price of a full-page ad.
As an author in this economy, you have to come up with creative ways to market a self-published book. While book tours are a great way to connect with your readers, they aren’t the most affordable method of promotion. However, technology has made it possible for an alternative.
Take note from self-publishing Outskirts Press author, Charles L. Fields, who is taking his latest book, Tainted Dish, on tour – a virtual book tour, that is. He will be featured on several blogs over the weeks and months ahead so keep your eyes peeled to learn more about him and his book.
Luckily for us, Charles was kind enough to answer a few questions as the tour was getting started so that we can give you a sneak peek into the mind of the creator of Tainted Dish.
OP: Tell us a little bit about Tainted Dish. What is it about?
CLF: This is the fourth in the Charles Stone series and finds the protagonist involved in murder, military industrial espionage and a bounty hunt through the Canadian Maritimes, Ireland and Europe.
OP: Why did you decide to write this story?
CLF: I had left out a lot of my island experiences out of my memoirs and wanted to draw on personal travel adventures to create a dramatic fictional situation for my protagonist Charles Stone.
OP: What types of readers would be interested in this story?
CLF: My Charles Stone series will appeal to adult readers who enjoy travel, adventure and mystery.
OP: What is special about your book? What differentiates it from other books in the same category?
CLF: This book is different because it employees a duel genre of both travel and mystery. The reader will not only be fully informed but taken for a thrill ride as well.
OP: Have you published any other books? Do you plan to publish more?
CLF: Yes. Many Lands Many Hearts-More than a Memoir Sentimental Me- A travel mystery involving the murder of a Border Patrol Agent Canyons of the Soul- A travel mystery involving confrontation with a sadistic Polygamist Mormon Prophet Broken Spirit-A travel mystery which lays bare the turmoil under the surface of paradise(Hawaii).
OP: Thanks for your time, Charles! We look forward to learning more about you as you visit other bloggers!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Charles L. Fields grew up surrounded by the seaside beauty of Rockport, Massachusetts and the artists who attempted to depict it. His varied and bizarre careers went from banana boat engineer to lobster dealer to chicken hatchery manager and include being an author, poet, sculptor and world traveler. These lifetime experiences enriched his published memoir, Many Lands Many Hearts and add realism and depth to his fictional writing. He is married and divides his time between Massachusetts and Arizona. This book follows Sentimental Me, Canyons of the Soul and Broken Spirit in the Charles Stone travel mystery series.
This author purchased the Virtual Book Tour marketing option, which allows self-publishing authors to connect with bloggers and harness the power of the blogosphere by taking their book on the “virtual road”. Learn more about this service by visiting your Publishing Center and reviewing the available marketing options.
Are you an author looking for help to market your self-published book?
As an author in this economy, you have to come up with creative ways to market your self-published book. While book tours are a great way to connect with your readers, they aren’t the most affordable method of promotion. However, technology has made it possible for an alternative.
Take note from self-publishing Outskirts Press author, Whitney J. LeBlanc, who is taking his latest book, Bodacious Blues, on tour – a virtual book tour, that is. He will be featured on several blogs over the weeks and months ahead so keep your eyes peeled to learn more about him and his book.
Luckily for us, Whitney was kind enough to answer a few questions as the tour was getting started so that we can give you a sneak peek into the mind of the creator of Bodacious Blues.
OP: Tell us a little bit about Bodacious Blues. What is it about?
WJL: Three generations of a Creole family in Estilette, Louisiana. It is the final book of The Blues Trilogy about this family’s trials and tribulations with religion, racism, voodoo, lust, love, and murder against the background of the blues.
OP: Why did you decide to write this story?
WJL: Because there is very little written about Creoles. Bodacious Blues deals with all facets in the life of this gumbo flavored marginal group. They are the prototype of the average American—proud, independent, and racially mixed.
OP: What types of readers would be interested in this story?
WJL: Anyone over 18, who likes to be informed or entertained by sex, lust, adventure, mystery and conflict. Racial identity does not matter.
OP: What is special about your book? What differentiates it from other books in the same category?
WJL: This is Historical Fiction. The time line of history is very evident throughout. Although the characters are fictional they react to what we all remember of our past, in new and different ways. It brings history alive again.
OP: Have you published any other books? Do you plan to publish more?
WJL: Yes! Blues in the Wind, and Shadows of the Blues, are both part of the Trilogy of the Blues, as is Bodacious Blues. Yes! I plan to publish more!
OP: Thanks for your time, Whitney! We look forward to learning more about you as you visit other bloggers!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
A Louisiana native, Whitney J. LeBlanc has been a teacher, writer, producer, set designer, and award-winning theatre director. He spent more than half of his 50-year career in Hollywood as a director for television. LeBlanc is the author of Blues in the Wind and Shadows of the Blues. He holds a master’s in theatre arts production from the University of Iowa. LeBlanc lives with his physician wife in California’s Napa Valley, where he writes novels and creates stained-glass windows.
This author purchased the Virtual Book Tour marketing option, which allows self-publishing authors to connect with bloggers and harness the power of the blogosphere by taking their book on the “virtual road”. Learn more about this service by visiting your Publishing Center and reviewing the available marketing options.
Are you an author looking for help to market your self-published book?
As an author in this economy, you have to come up with creative ways to market your self-published book. While book tours are a great way to connect with your readers, they aren’t the most affordable method of promotion. However, technology has made it possible for an alternative.
Take note from self-publishing Outskirts Press author, Kevin Hollingsworth, who is taking his latest book, Romance With A Touch of Love, on tour – a virtual book tour, that is. He will be featured on several blogs over the weeks and months ahead so keep your eyes peeled to learn more about him and his book.
Luckily for us, Kevin was kind enough to answer a few questions as the tour was getting started so that we can give you a sneak peek into the mind of the creator of Romance With A Touch of Love.
OP: Tell us a little bit about Romance With A Touch of Love. What is it about?
KH: [It] is about romance, love, and tragedy. As you touch my words with your eyes they will tenderly touch your heart.
OP: Why did you decide to write this story?
KH: I met with pure chance later in life and began to express myself through prose poetry. I, hence, developed a natural affinity for writing. I wish,however, I would have started writing earlier in my life; but I guess destiny was not ready for me yet…
OP: What types of readers would be interested in this story?
KH: I think all types of people will be interested in my book because I believe love touches everyone’s soul and romance will find your heart.
OP: What is special about your book? What differentiates it from other books in the same category?
KH: I think people will appreciate my book’s tenderness. I also believe people will enjoy the style of language employed; Beauty and elegance surround my words…..What differentiates my book from other books in the same category is that my words work hand in hand with the reader’s imagination. The reader and my prose, together, will take an unchartered tour of human expression
OP: Have you published any other books? Do you plan to publish more?
KH: Yes. My first prose poetry book, Wonders, was published in 2009. I do plan to write more books.
OP: Thanks for your time, Kevin! We look forward to learning more about you as you visit other bloggers!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kevin Hollingsworth started writing later in his life just for fun in his spare time. He received some positive feedback on his writing from friends, acquaintances and family. He continued to write in his free time because he enjoyed it and he liked putting smiles on people’s faces; which was not an uncommon reaction after someone read a humble literary creation of his. As simple as it sounds, Kevin guesses people will never know they may have an aptitude for something unless they try it. If Kevin’s writing can bring a sparkle of joy, or happiness to someone’s life; if his writing can touch people in a meaningful way, then he knows at least he can feel good that he has done something right in this life for a moment in time.
This author purchased the Virtual Book Tour marketing option, which allows self-publishing authors to connect with bloggers and harness the power of the blogosphere by taking their book on the “virtual road”. Learn more about this service by visiting your Publishing Center and reviewing the available marketing options.
Are you an author looking for help to market your self-published book?
As an author in this economy, you have to come up with creative ways to market your self-published book. While book tours are a great way to connect with your readers, they aren’t the most affordable method of promotion. However, technology has made it possible for an alternative.
Take note from self-publishing Outskirts Press author, Odette B. Lezama Rodriguez, who is taking her latest book, The Last Golden Egg, on tour – a virtual book tour, that is. She will be featured on several blogs over the weeks and months ahead so keep your eyes peeled to learn more about her and her book.
Luckily for us, Odette was kind enough to answer a few questions as the tour was getting started so that we can give you a sneak peek into the mind of the creator of The Last Golden Egg.
OP: Tell us a little bit about The Last Golden Egg. What is it about?
OBLR: The story is set during medieval times in a kingdom that believes its prosperity results from the possession of a ‘Golden Egg.’ This egg has been passed down from generation to generation, believing the kingdom’s peace and safety is attributed to its presence. The kingdom population then treats each other with the highest regard, so as to retain the prosperity that emanates from the keeping of the egg. The king hires a local village boy to care for the egg, as he is now too old to perform the weekly ritual of dusting and cleaning the golden egg.
The egg is highly coveted by the rival kingdom, whose king eventually steals the egg. The peasant village boy is blamed for the disappearance of the egg and is jailed. The story evolves as the boy attempts to escape and retrieve the egg to prove his innocence. The boy elicits the help of his animal friends and they experience numerous adventures in finding the egg. In the end, the egg is forever lost, never to be found again. The king and his subjects come to the realization that it was their choice to treat each other respectfully, which resulted in their prosperity.
OP: Why did you decide to write this story?
OBLR: I enjoyed reading bedtime stories to my then six year old son and found it difficult to find wholesome children’s stories. I wrote the story to aid in teaching him such values as honesty, respect for elders and animals. I didn’t want to expose him to the prevalent children’s stories that deal with violence, sex, disrespect for parents and the occult.
OP: What types of readers would be interested in this story?
OBLR: All family members will appreciate the storyline and virtuous lessons contained therein. However, the book lends itself to younger aged children.
OP: What is special about your book? What differentiates it from other books in the same category?
OBLR: What made this book so special was the purpose for writing it. As already mentioned, I was inspired to write it for bedtime reading for my only son and also have it be a source of moral values instruction in an entertaining manner.
Though the book does not contain illustrations, my writing is descriptively detailed to where the readers can easily visualize the story. The book is perfectly suited for an animated motion picture.
Additionally, I was able to express my artistic creativity by using one of my oil paintings I specifically painted for the cover of the book. I’m now motivated to continue painting my own cover designs for my subsequent books.
Finally, I’m now the proud grandmother enjoying my seventeen month old grandson, for whom the main character of the book is named after. He appears on the author picture provided.
OP: Have you published any other books? Do you plan to publish more?
OBLR: The Last Golden Egg is my first published book. However, I have currently submitted a second manuscript and Outskirts Press has also agreed to publish it. I’m currently waiting on illustrations from my talented brother to finalize the printing. I also have numerous completed children’s stories, waiting for illustrations and submittal for publishing.
OP: Thanks for your time, Odette! We look forward to learning more about you as you visit other bloggers!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Born in Southern California, Odette B. Lezama Rodriguez, spent many hours as a child writing poems and adventure stories, just for fun. She was inspired to write this book for her six year old son. Now a grandmother, she has finally fulfilled her dream of becoming an author.
This author purchased the Virtual Book Tour marketing option, which allows self-publishing authors to connect with bloggers and harness the power of the blogosphere by taking their book on the “virtual road”. Learn more about this service by visiting your Publishing Center and reviewing the available marketing options.
Are you an author looking for help to market your self-published book?
As an author in this economy, you have to come up with creative ways to market your self-published book. While book tours are a great way to connect with your readers, they aren’t the most affordable method of promotion. However, technology has made it possible for an alternative.
Take note from self-publishing Outskirts Press author, A. L. Hatley, who is taking her latest book, Banking on Conundrums, on tour – a virtual book tour, that is. She will be featured on several blogs over the weeks and months ahead so keep your eyes peeled to learn more about her and her book.
Luckily for us, A.L. was kind enough to answer a few questions as the tour was getting started so that we can give you a sneak peek into the mind of the creator of Banking on Conundrums.
OP: Tell us a little bit about Banking on Conundrums. What is it about?
ALH: The story begins with the onset of a bank heist. The reader might think that’s the guts of the story considering the entire book only has meaning because of that one incident. However, the foundation of the story is Paul Byrnes: his past, his present, and how that fateful event altered his world permanently.
OP: Why did you decide to write this story?
ALH: In the kitchen one day, I was trying to channel Cate Blanchett in her role from the Indiana Jones movie, The Crystal Skull, and Checkov from the newer Star Trek movie. I kept speaking words out loud, using my interpretation of a Russian accent. Next, I asked myself, “What would a Russian say if she were a heist leader that would make her sound confidently arrogant and intriguing but definitely the bad guy?”
Once I cemented those verbal exchanges in my head, I decided the story would be better told from the perspective of the head of security.
As a side note, I wrote the book in less than a month. I would sit down at the laptop and just write. The story seemed to have a life of its own; I didn’t know what was going to happen until I wrote it. Characters that I thought I wanted to keep, suddenly met with an untimely demise, so I was just as surprised at the outcome as anyone else reading the book for the first time.
OP: What types of readers would be interested in this story?
ALH: Probably someone who enjoys a touch of who-done-it, filled with people a reader can relate to. However, I believe the story line will appeal to a variety of readers.
The basic plot is focused on a bank heist, but there are no gory shoot-em-up scenes or granular love scenes. Plus, I delved into the background of a couple of the characters. This gives the reader a better understanding of what motivates these people; makes them more likeable or hate-able, depending on the character and the readers’ perspective.
OP: What is special about your book? What differentiates it from other books in the same category?
ALH: I’ve tried to humanize the characters and give the reader people they can relate to and believe in. Fiction is a fantasy, but sometimes we need characters that sound like our next door neighbors or someone we grew up with. Sometimes, readers appreciate flaws over perfection.
OP: Have you published any other books? Do you plan to publish more?
ALH: I published a children’s story, Little Pinky’s Day. That was a labor of love and how it came to fruition is a story in itself, which I won’t bore you with now.
This book is geared to the 3-5 year old crowd who are just learning to read. The storyline is positive and uplifting; with examples that kids will want to emulate and parents will be happy to encourage. Plus, there’s a coloring book in the back. Sorry, you will have to provide your own crayons.
Banking on Conundrums is the first in a trilogy. At the end of the book, I’ve included the first chapter of the second book, Exhuming the Dead, as a teaser. This story picks up where the first story ended, but a different character is narrating. The book is pretty much finished; my sister is helping me edit it. When that part has been completed, I will move on to the publishing stage!
I can definitely envision more stories and more books in my future. I’ve been writing songs, poems, and stories since my teens. Now that I have stepped outside my comfort zone by offering two books for public consumption, I cannot imagine not continuing.
OP: Thanks for your time, A.L.! We look forward to learning more about you as you visit other bloggers!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Although having penned songs, poems, and unfinished stories for over 40 years for personal enjoyment, Banking on Conundrums is A. L. Hatley’s freshman attempt at publishing a novel for public consumption. Previously, the author wrote and published a children’s story, Little Pinky’s Day. A. L. Hatley has been working in the ITS field for over 20 years, with a B.S. in Information Technology. The author resides in Gaithersburg, MD.
This author purchased the Virtual Book Tour marketing option, which allows self-publishing authors to connect with bloggers and harness the power of the blogosphere by taking their book on the “virtual road”. Learn more about this service by visiting your Publishing Center and reviewing the available marketing options.
Are you an author looking for help to market your self-published book?
As an author in this economy, you have to come up with creative ways to market your self-published book. While book tours are a great way to connect with your readers, they aren’t the most affordable method of promotion. However, technology has made it possible for an alternative.
Take note from self-publishing Outskirts Press author, Allison Wynn, who is taking her latest book, A Journey from Anger to Peace, on tour – a virtual book tour, that is. She will be featured on several blogs over the weeks and months ahead so keep your eyes peeled to learn more about her and her book.
Luckily for us, Allison was kind enough to answer a few questions as the tour was getting started so that we can give you a sneak peek into the mind of the creator of A Journey from Anger to Peace.
OP: Tell us a little bit about A Journey from Anger to Peace. What is it about?
AW: The purpose for my book is to explore conflict in relationships and why we experience so much anger with certain types of interactions. It establishes the premise that when significance is absent in our relationships, we find conflict and anger. When it’s present, we find peace and the answer to the common question — what is the significance of my life.
OP: Why did you decide to write this story?
AW: I have a 30-year career in leadership effectiveness, personal empowerment coaching, and family and relationship development. The two questions I’ve been asked the most are, “How do I deal with the anger in either myself or others,” and, “How do I create more peace (feel more significant) in my life?” Building the awareness of how this works and why this happens is outlined in my coaching process called theSOFIprocess and became the inspiration for the book.
OP: What types of readers would be interested in this story?
AW: My book is intended to help people who are experiencing conflict find a solution that brings peace to those relationships. It will also benefit any person searching for an answer to the question — what is the significance of my life.
OP: What is special about your book? What differentiates it from other books in the same category?
AW: My book is a fresh and concise way of looking at the habits that cause a person to feel insignificant, and how this feeling creates conflict and anger in certain relationships. It outlines a basic framework to build awareness of why this happens, and offers a solution for the reader to make healthier choices about their relationships. It’s based on the premise that we all look for significance in our relationships (to matter, to be respected, etc.), and yet we somehow end up experiencing a lot of insignificance. Examining this dynamic will ultimately lead us to the real lesson from the book — that helping people create incredible lives (in other words helping them feel significant in their lives) will make our life significant (and give us more peace) at the end of our journey.
OP: Have you published any other books? Do you plan to publish more?
AW: This was my first book. I have a preliminary manuscript for a second book which will be a fictional thriller that builds on the habit of creating insignificance in our lives. It’ll expand on the destructive nature of this habit and how addictive it can be. It’s intended to illustrate the irony of this behavior, especially when you consider a person is really looking for significance.
OP: Thanks for your time, Allison! We look forward to learning more about you as you visit other bloggers!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Allison Wynn has spent 30 years helping people create more peaceful lives. The two questions she’s been asked the most are, “How do I deal with anger in either myself or others,” and, “How do I create a more peaceful life?” She lives in Mission Viejo, Calif.
This author purchased the Virtual Book Tour marketing option, which allows self-publishing authors to connect with bloggers and harness the power of the blogosphere by taking their book on the “virtual road”. Learn more about this service by visiting your Publishing Center and reviewing the available marketing options.
Are you an author looking for help to market your self-published book?
As an author in this economy, you have to come up with creative ways to market your self-published book. While book tours are a great way to connect with your readers, they aren’t the most affordable method of promotion. However, technology has made it possible for an alternative.
Take note from self-publishing Outskirts Press author, Paul H Deepan, who is taking his latest book, The Fruit of the Dendragon Tree, on tour – a virtual book tour, that is. He will be featured on several blogs over the weeks and months ahead so keep your eyes peeled to learn more about him and his book.
Luckily for us, Paul was kind enough to answer a few questions as the tour was getting started so that we can give you a sneak peek into the mind of the creator of The Fruit of the Dendragon Tree.
OP: Tell us a little bit about The Fruit of the Dendragon Tree. What is it about?
PHD: As the story opens, seventeen-year-old Jake Patel’s mother is dying of cancer. Jake is furious at his father David for accepting this fact, and bargains with the universe to save his mother’s life, “no matter who has to die.” Assisted by his schoolmate Jenny Blackwood, a well-intentioned but inexperienced witch, Jake is transported to the world of Tiramonde, a world which, like himself, is on the brink of catastrophe.
Guided upon his arrival by the witch Ureth, Jake learns that the only thing that can save his mother’s life is the fruit of the Dendragon Tree, a tree that has not bloomed in living memory. But legend holds that plucking the Dendragon fruit will release the dragon Kildraig from his thousand-year imprisonment, and Kildraig was imprisoned for very good reasons. Worse, when David also arrives in Tiramonde, looking for his son, both Ureth’s and Jake’s choices become excruciating. For Ureth must choose the true liberator of Tiramonde. And Jake must choose which parent, in the end, he will save.
Vibrant with magic both light and dark, and alive with centaurs, elves, werewolves and vampires (not to mention a deliciously evil dragon), The Fruit of the Dendragon Tree speaks to our fear of inevitable death, and to our hope for continued life. It is a story of premature loss and repaired love, of learning that there are worse things than dying, and that cancers, both real and metaphorical, usually require poisons to defeat them.
OP: Why did you decide to write this story?
PHD: I love the worlds created by C.S. Lewis, Tolkien, Frank Herbert, and Ursula K. Le Guin, and I also had an interest in portraying diverse and conflicting moral and spiritual perspectives in my work. I think a magical fantasy can help one do that without seeming “preachy.” Also, having grown up with Narnia, in particular, I wanted to ‘raise the stakes” somewhat in my own writing. What if Digory Kirk in The Magician’s Nephew faced the choices Jake did in Dendragon? What if the price of “success” was much steeper? So, in many ways The Fruit Of The Dendragon Tree is Narnia for adults.
OP: What types of readers would be interested in this story?
PHD: I truly think my book has wide appeal. Older Young Adult readers (8th Grade and above) will appreciate the coming of age elements, and adults will appreciate the story lines that touch upon the challenges of being a parent. The story has all the classic ingredients necessary to satisfy fantasy lovers, and certainly on the surface Dendragon is a fantasy quest novel. But many non-fantasy readers have told me they really like the story too, due to the underlying spiritual themes, which was exactly the outcome I wanted.
OP: What is special about your book? What differentiates it from other books in the same category?
PHD: Certainly the feedback I have received about the story and the quality of the writing has been very positive (and reviews on Amazon and my website support this). However, for me the difference in this particular work goes even further.
Does life imitate art? For me it certainly did. Shortly after I had finished the first draft, the fiction that I had created in many ways became reality. One month after my son, whose middle name is Jacob (Jake), turned 17 (the same age as Jake in my story) my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. That is one of the reasons that I am donating a portion of all sales of The Fruit of The Dendragon Tree to Cancer Research.
OP: Have you published any other books? Do you plan to publish more?
PHD: The Fruit of the Dendragon Tree is my first novel. I am currently writing a sequel, The King of Tiramonde. I am also planning a prequel, set almost entirely in our own world, and having to do with a haunted house in Trinidad, where I spent my early years. The working title of that project is 30 Queen’s Park West, the address of the house, now a government office building in Port of Spain.
OP: Thanks for your time, Paul! We look forward to learning more about you as you visit other bloggers!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Paul H Deepan was born in Port-of-Spain Trinidad, and was educated in England, Trinidad, and Canada. He spent most of his career in the pharmaceutical industry before becoming a writer.
He currently lives with his family near Nashville, Tennessee, and volunteers as a reading mentor in the Metropolitan Nashville school system via the PENCIL organization. The Fruit of the Dendragon Tree, which won an Editor’s Choice Award at the San Diego State University Writer’s Conference, is his first novel.
This author purchased the Virtual Book Tour marketing option, which allows self-publishing authors to connect with bloggers and harness the power of the blogosphere by taking their book on the “virtual road”. Learn more about this service by visiting your Publishing Center and reviewing the available marketing options.
Are you an author looking for help to market your self-published book?
