Beyond the Books would like to extend to you a very happy holiday.  May peace and happiness find your way this joyous holiday season and we wish you a prosperous new year!

Beyond the Books will return on January 1, 2010 with more author interviews and guest posts.

Happy Holiday!

Beyond the Books

 

About the Author

Jacqueline Klosek is an attorney in New York. Her practice focuses on advising clients on various issues related to data privacy and security. She also drafts and negotiates various technology agreements and advises on different aspects of the law related to intellectual property and technology. Jacqueline is a frequent writer and lecturer. Her most recent book is The Right to Know: Your Guide to Using and Defending Freedom of Information Law in the United States. Her prior books include: War on Privacy (Praeger, 2006); The Legal Guide to e-Business (Greenwood Publishing, 2003) and Data Privacy in the Information Age (Greenwood Publishing, 2000). She is presently working on Your Health Privacy, a book focused on privacy and data sector in healthcare. Jacqueline (along with James R. Silkenat and Jeffrey M. Aresty) is also an editor of the recently released 3rd edition of the ABA Guide to International Business Negotiations: A Comparison of Cross-Cultural Issues and Successful Approaches. Jacqueline is a Certified Information Privacy Professional. She has been recognized for her professional expertise. In 2004, Ms. Klosek received NJBiz magazine’s “40 Under 40” award, given annually to the top 40 achievers in New Jersey with an established record of leadership who have taken on key decision-making roles at an earlier-than-usual stage in their lives. She was also the recipient of the Telford-Taylor Fellowship in Public International Law. She is a graduate of the Vrije Universiteit in Brussels (LLM, European and International Law); Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law (JD, Law) and New York University (BA, Psychology).

Her web site is: www.jacquelineklosek.com and she may be reached at jacquelineklosek@gmail.com.

The Interview

Q: Welcome to Beyond the Books, Jacqueline. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?

A: I am the author of four books: (1) The Right to Know: Your Guide to Using and Defending Freedom of Information Law in the United States; (2) War on Privacy (Praeger, 2006); (3) The Legal Guide to e-Business (Greenwood Publishing, 2003) and (4) Data Privacy in the Information Age (Greenwood Publishing, 2000). I am presently working on Your Health Privacy: A Guide to Protecting the Privacy and Security of your Medical Information, a book focused on privacy and data sector in healthcare.

In addition to my own full-length books, I also edited a number of publications, including the recently released 3rd edition of the ABA Guide to International Business Negotiations: A Comparison of Cross-Cultural Issues and Successful Approaches, which I edited with James R. Silkenat and Jeffrey M. Aresty.

Q: What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?

A: My first book was, “My Puppy’s Big Adventure.” I wrote it in the first grade and it was never published. It concerned the fictional puppy of my dreams going on a bunch of grand adventures, such as to the beach, the amusement park and to a party with friends.

Q: For your first published book, how many rejections did you go through before you either found a mainstream publisher, self-published it, or paid a vanity press to publish it?

A: My first book was published with a mainstream publisher and I feel I was pretty lucky with the whole process. I submitted my idea for the book to a single publisher (Greenwood Publishing) and they offered me a contract to write the book, which I gladly accepted.

Q: When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?

A: My first book, Data Privacy in the Information Age, was published in 2000. This book examines the impact of technological advancements on individual privacy rights and explores the differences between American and European approaches to privacy. I first conceived of this book in 1998 when I was working for a multinational consulting firm in Brussels, Belgium. I was one of a few Americans on a team that was providing advice to American and other multinational corporations seeking to do business in Europe and encountering difficulties in complying with the European privacy laws. Spending a lot of time working in this area, my interest in the topic grew and I became determined to write a more in-depth book on the issue.

While determined to write this book, I had no idea as to how I could do that. Unsure of what to do next and conducted an Internet search to find publishers that were involved in my chosen area. I encountered the web site of Greenwood (the parent company of Praeger) at the time and found helpful details about submitting proposals for new books. I wrote up a proposal for Data Privacy in the Information Age and a few weeks later I had my first publishing contract in hand.

Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?

A: I was traveling in Spain when I received notice of the great news that Greenwood would be offering me a contract to write, Data Privacy in the Information Age, based upon the proposal that I had submitted. This was something that I had wanted for a long time and I was truly ecstatic. I believe I jumped up and down a few dozen times, yelping in glee and then went out for a nice celebratory dinner. Of course, after my celebration, I had to drill down and get to work to actually write the book.

Q: What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?

A: For the first and second books, I am sad to say that I did not undertake any efforts at self-promotion. A brand new writer in my twenties, I was completely inexperienced and unknowledgeable about the role that the author has to take in promoting his or her own work. I have learned a lot since then and with each new book, I try to do more in terms of promotion.

Q: If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?

A: No, I do not believe that I would have chosen another route. Overall, I was very pleased with the whole experienced. That said, I do believe that I would have had a more favorable experienced if I had been more knowledgeable about the process and the need to take an active role in promoting one’s own work. Over the years, I have relied upon supportive mentors to assist me with my legal career. I do wish that I had sought out and secured a mentor or two in the fields of publishing and/or writing. This is something that I would recommend to all new writers.

Q: Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?

A: Yes, since Data Privacy In the Information Age, I published three additional books with Praeger. My second, A Legal Guide to eBusiness, is a guidebook for entrepreneurs and small business owners seeking to expand their presences online. It advises on key legal issues involved with Internet business. Next in 2006, I published War on Privacy. This book explores the impact that the terrorist attacks of 2001 and the resulting “war on terror” have had on privacy rights worldwide.

Most recently, in 2009, I published, The Right to Know: Your Guide to Using and Defending Freedom of Information Law in the United States. In this book, I examine the role of freedom of information laws, including, primarily, the federal Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”). I explore the provisions of the FOIA and examine its application, showing how the FOIA has and can be used to uncover information in the following main areas: (i) protecting the environment; (ii) protecting human health; (iii) protecting safety; (iv) fighting corruption and government waste; and (v) protecting human rights and civil liberties. In addition to exploring these examples, I offer information and tips as to how people may use the FOIA and similar state laws to obtain information from the government about issues that are important to them.

I believe that I have been growing as a writer (and hope to continue to do so). As an attorney, at first, I wrote about what I knew best. Accordingly, my first two books were really legal guidebooks. Since then, I have tried to branch out a bit and tackle more pressing social issues in a way that is accessible to people outside of the legal profession. This is something that I wish to continue – and expand upon – in the future.

At present, I am working on Your Health Privacy: A Guide to Protecting the Privacy and Security of your Medical Information. After teaching a course on HIPAA and health privacy at Seton Hall University law school, I became even more interested in the importance of privacy in medical information and wished to write a guide for citizens on this very important issue. This book, to be released in 2010 will explore the features and limitations of current legal mechanisms to protect the privacy and security of medical information. It also aims to empower individuals to take control of their own medical information.

Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?

A: First, a caveat. I am most experienced in the world of non-fiction, so I feel my advice may be limited to that genre. For many authors, one of the most challenging tasks of writing is getting that first publishing deal. With deep awareness of this reality, I am very grateful of the relatively smooth road to publishing that I have enjoyed. I have published four books, each with the same publisher, and am currently under contract to write my fifth and six books.

Looking back at my first publishing opportunity, I do believe that luck was involved. I was fortuitous to be in the right field at the right time. I was specializing in an issue that was a very hot topic at the time and I had the expertise and experience to write about it. I also worked diligently to understand the other writers and works in the market so that I would be able to explain how my proposed book was different, thereby making the case for my book to the publisher. For authors seeking to be published, I would suggest that they undertake similar activities. For example, make yourself an expert in your chosen field. Also, understand the market and be prepared to explain why your book is likely to be a commercial success. Above all, persevere and keep writing. Good luck!

About War on Privacy

In today’s globalized society, the war on terror has negatively affected privacy rights not just in the United States, but everywhere. When privacy rights are curtailed around the world, American efforts to spread freedom and democracy are hindered, and as a consequence, Americans are less secure in the world. Ironically, the erosion of individual privacy rights, here and abroad, has been happening in the name of enhancing national security. This book sheds light on this apparent contradiction, and argues that governments must do more to preserve privacy rights while endeavoring to protect their citizens against future terrorist attacks. It is easy to forget that prior to 9/11, privacy rights were on the march. Plans were in the works, in the areas of legislation and regulation, to protect personal privacy from both governmental intrusion and corporate penetration. The need for such protections arose from the swift advances in information technology of the 1990s. But the attacks of 9/11, and the responses of governments to this new level of the terrorist threat, put an end to all that. Not only is privacy no longer emphasized in legislation, it is being eroded steadily, raising significant questions about the handling of personal information, surveillance, and other invasions into the private lives of ordinary citizens.

Lady Colin Campbell – Georgie to her friends – was born in St Andrew, Jamaica into a privileged family and well-connected family, her father being a descendant of the Emperor Charlemagne and various European kings such as Willliam the Conqueror, and her mother a well-known ‘Society’ beauty. Beneath the veneer of upper-class civility and graciousness, however, lay a cauldron of dysfunctionalism, largely as a result of her mother Gloria’s narcissistic personality disorder. This would have a lifelong impact upon her life, with the result that her success as a writer and socialite was coloured, sometimes for the better, by her familial experiences. She is divorced from the Queen’s cousin Lord Colin Campbell, son of the 11th Duke of Argyll, and is the mother of two sixteen year old sons. They live in London but also have a chateau in France.

Q:  Welcome to Beyond the Books,  Georgie. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?

A: I have written several books.

Q: What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?

A: The title of my first book was The Substance and the Shadow, which I wrote in 1973. It as a philosophical treatise and I pulled the plug on it to protect my privacy. Howard Kaminsky, then the head of Warner Books, was interested in publishing it, but needed me to include personal material as a ‘hook’. I felt that doing so would violate my privacy and, rather than do that, decided not to allow publication to go forward. Ironically, within months of that decision, my privacy was violated in a quite inglorious manner, since when I have had rather less privacy than the average person.

Q: For your first published book, how many rejections did you go through before you either found a mainstream publisher, self-published it, or paid a vanity press to publish it?

A: It took another twelve years for me to consider publishing another book, but in 1985 I wrote Guide to being a Modern Lady, which incorporated some of the philosophical elements of The Substance and the Shadow, but in a more commercial way. I was fortunate enough to have the first publisher approached accept the work. Heterodox was not a vanity publisher nor was the book self-published.

Q: When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?

A: It was published by Heterodox, who had a good reputation for putting their all into their writers, which seemed a good ting to me. Although much smaller than Warner Books, I liked Graham Lea as much as I had liked Howard Kaminsky, and felt I would be in safe hands – which turned out to be the case. Sadly, he later on developed serious health problems and had to retire. I for one sadly missed him.

Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?

A: It felt delicious to be published for the first time and I celebrated by opening up my address book to Heterdox, who threw me a splendid party at the Foreign Press Association headquarters off Pall Mall – a most elegant building which, if I remember correctly, had once belonged to William Gladstone; the Victorian Prime Minister.

Q: What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?

A: I allowed myself to be interviewed at home by a variety of journalists, which might not seem like a big deal but believe me, it was, because my20experience of the English press had, up to that time, been consistently awful. I had had to sue three of the largest newspaper companies in the UK for libel, and, despite them giving undertaking not to repeat lies about me, they had done so ad nauseum. However, I took the view that a professional writer has a duty to her publisher and to herself to promote her work, so bit the bullet. To my surprise, much of the publicity was favourable.

Q: If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?

A: No.

Q: Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?

A: I have been published repeatedly since, by publishers of varying sizes, from small publishers such as Arcadia (winner of the Sunday Times Small Publisher of the Year) to large publishers such as Little Brown in the UK and St Martin’s Press in the US. I have also been published in many different foreign territories such as Japan, Korea, Poland, France, Germany and Spain, to name some but not all. I hope I have grown in ability, and certainly have found the process of promotion far less arduous the older and more established I have become. Although I have always been treated with respect abroad, in the UK it has taken years for journalists to accept that someone can be upper-class and capable – the prevailing view being that all privileged 0Apeople need to be cut down to size, irrespective of their merits – a stupid class-prejudiced viewpoint that has one would have found laughable, had it not been so mean-spirited and senseless. My one saving grace was that, being foreign by birth and upbringing, I was not tempted to take the British class-consciousness personally, and, rather than become angered by it, I treated it with the compassion it deserved. But it really is a pity when otherwise intelligent people view life from a prism of distorting class-consciousness, which, I fear, is something the British do.

Q: Looking back since the early days when you were trying to get published, what do you think you could have done differently to speed things up? What kind of mistakes could you have avoided?

A: Since I was fortunate enough to have my first two books accepted by reputable publishers, I do not think I could have sped up the process.

Q: What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?

A: Being on the New York and London Times bestsellers list.

Q: If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?

A: I chose the profession I wanted.

Q: How do you see yourself in ten years?

A: I see myself continuing to write until the grave. I have several books in me that I would like to get out – and that does not take into account the books that I will want to write in the future. I do not believe in retirement. Death is retirement enough – why retire from life and what you love doing?

Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?

A: I would encourage anyone who wants to write to do so; not to give up if they find it difficult at first; and to continue honing their craft until they can no longer tap the computer keyboard. Writing is a wonderful career, and those of us who are privileged enough to have it as one, should count our blessings.

Dynasty’s website is available from www.dynastypress.co.uk and my blog can be accessed through http://ladycolincampbell.blogspot.com/.

Novelist/playwright Gary Morgenstein is the author of four novels. In addition to Jesse’s Girl, a thriller about a widowed father’s search for his adopted teenage son who has run away from a drug treatment program to find his biological sister, his books include the romantic triangle Loving Rabbi Thalia Kleinman, the political thriller Take Me Out to the Ballgame, and the baseball Rocky The Man Who Wanted to Play Center Field for the New York Yankees. His prophetic play Ponzi Man performed to sell-out crowds at a recent New York Fringe Festival. His other full-length work, You Can’t Grow Tomatoes in the Bronx, is in development. He can be reached at www.facebook.com/people/Gary-Morgenstein/1011217889 or visit Gary at Red Room at http://redroom.com/member/garymorg.

Welcome to Beyond the Books, Gary. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?

Including Jesse’s Girl, I’ve published four novels: Loving Rabbi Thalia Kleinman, Take Me Out to the Ballgame and The Man Who Wanted to Play Center Field for the New York Yankees.

What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?

Oh boy, I haven’t thought of this one for a long time. When I was a senior in college at SUNY at Stony Brook, I wrote a sci-fi novel A Giant Step Back. It was about the discovery of precious indestructible metals on the Moon, which solves humanity’s mineral crisis – but comes at a possibly fearsome price. I came close at Doubleday but never published it.

For your first published book, how many rejections did you go through before you either found a mainstream publisher, self-published it, or paid a vanity press to publish it?

St. Martin’s Press published my first novel Take Me Out to the Ballgame. Actually I was pretty lucky here and got accepted by the second agent, who sold it to the first house.

How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?

Rejection is so very painful because it goes straight to your heart and your soul. A writer opens himself up, in varying degrees, of self-honesty so more often than not, it’s difficult if not impossible to separate rejection of your work from rejection of you. “Oh, honey, it’s not about you, it’s about me.” Uh-huh, right. All you can do is not sulk (sure) or get depressed (course not) or wallow in self-pity (never). You just have to get off the canvas and keep writing and keep plugging. If you’re not like Rocky Balboa, you won’t make it as a writer.

When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?

St. Martin’s published my first book and I choose them because I was a first-time author and the editor took me out to lunch and I felt like a big shot.

How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?

I was so ecstatic that I was almost beyond the need to celebrate. I just sat there and enjoyed the feeling of enormous achievement. I was only 26 when it was sold, 27 when it was published.

What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?

Well I was sitting around waiting for The Tonight Show to call. Which they didn’t, lol. So I promoted myself and got an interview in the Long Island weekly section (now defunct) of the Sunday New York Times. I was living in Northport then, now I live in Brooklyn, the Center of the Known Universe.

If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?

Oh no, that worked since it was the only alternative other than vanity publishing. Now there are other options, such as Amazon and e-books, which is great for writers since it is all about getting out there and getting your work before the public.

Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?

I’ve now published a total of four novels. I think I’ve learned so much about myself and how to create characters and how to build a story. But the wonderful thing about writing is the learning and the growing never stops.

Looking back since the early days when you were trying to get published, what do you think you could have done differently to speed things up? What kind of mistakes could you have avoided?

I think earlier in my career, I tried to write too quickly and that became problematic. I should’ve taken deep breaths more.

What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?

Reaching people with my words. When I get feedback about my new novel Jesse’s Girl, about a troubled father-son relationship, it really means an enormous amount. At the end of the day, it’s about touching people, perfect strangers, folks you will never meet. Talk about magic, huh?

If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?

You mean if I had talent to play center field for the New York Yankees? Otherwise, I would’ve liked to been a college history professor. History is a huge passion for me, especially the era of the 1930s and 1940s.

Would you give up being an author for that profession or have you combined the best of both worlds?

Combined the two. Maybe have written historical thrillers! Hmm, maybe it’s not too late

How do you see yourself in ten years?

Writing and enjoying life and waking up every morning with the hope for the best.

Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?

To never give up. Keep working at your craft. Someone once said, a novel is never finished, it is simply abandoned. Remember that one book is really an extension of the previous and that is what being a writer is all about, traveling along on the constant creativity, constant growth, constant search.

Randall Lang grew up in the tough coalfields of southwestern Pennsylvania where nothing comes easily. It is a world of limited opportunity and few roles to follow. Dreams are quickly vanquished in the shadows of necessity and creativity is usually buried beneath an avalanche of cynicism.  However, epiphanies come in all shapes, sizes, and in a wide range of locations. In the dark and quiet world of the underground worksite, the stories within him began to take form. Years later, Randall Lang is the author of eight books of erotic stories published by Renaissance E Books, has contributed to two erotic anthologies, and the recently released Magnificent Man, an erotic romance published by Midnight Showcase. Randall’s erotic works include the five volume Trailer Park Nights series and three books of erotic short stories. These are available at http://shop.renebooks.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=120. His newest release, Magnificent Man, is available from Midnight Showcase at http://www.midnightshowcase.com/MagniMan.htm. Visit Randall’s website, The Worlds of Randall Lang, www.randalllang.com. Or his blog, The Mind of Randall Lang, www.randalllang.blogspot.com. It’s a strange place to be.  Randall now lives historically on an historic island in historic Wheeling, West Virginia.

Welcome to Beyond the Books, Randall.  Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?

Thank you for inviting me, it is a pleasure to be here. Although I never thought that I would be able to say this, I AM multi-published. I have books with three different publishers

What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?

More than ten years ago, I wrote the first of what would become the Trailer Park Nights series of five books. Trailer Park Nights 1 is an erotic novel of a naive young man who grows under the tutelage of an older lover and mentor.

For your first published book, how many rejections did you go through before you either found a mainstream publisher, self-published it, or paid a vanity press to publish it?

I was extremely lucky! Whether it was by careful reading of the submission guidelines and book list; or, by twist of fate, the first publisher to whom I submitted accepted my book. I had looked at vanity publishing but that seemed to be little more than an ego-feeding process. Anyone can buy a trophy and have their name engraved upon it, but that would be meaningless. It is actually winning the award that is meaningful. That is how it was with me. I needed to know if I had the skills to produce a story that people wanted to read.

How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?

I actually did submit a couple of short stories to publishers who rejected them. The rejections were courteous and matter-of-fact and I recognized them for what they were rather than taking it personally. It was a strange feeling to hit what I call the “pink ceiling” where the publisher would only accept stories written by women or GLBT authors. I simply moved on.

When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?

Renaissance E Books accepted and published Trailer Park Nights 1, and the next seven books I wrote. Before I submitted to them, I carefully read their submission guidelines and looked at the books that they had for sale. In retrospect, I believe that the company was quite new back then and was in need of authors. That was my good fortune.

How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?

It was a completely stunning feeling! To look at that website and see MY book with MY name on it was the most incredible ego boost. I did not really celebrate as such, but I began to make plans for additional books. I wanted a full bookshelf of my works.

What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?

At that time, I did not even know what promotion was. I (very) simply thought that people went to the website and picked out a book as they would in a brick and mortar store. It was not until later that I would learn the necessity of promotion.

If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?

I fear that if I had, I would have found myself buried under a mountain of disappointment. Had I gone another route I doubt that I would have had the encouragement that the initial publication gave me. In my mind, it is better to have eight or ten published books than to have one work of art that publishers keep rejecting.

Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?

My growth has been tremendous! Jean Marie Stine of Renaissance E Books is a very unconventional publisher who skips editing and several other traditional steps in the publishing process. She expects a well-written book and if it is not ‘shelf-ready’ when she reads it, it gets tossed aside or there is a simple and blunt ‘clean it up’ e-mail to the author. Minimal communication, high-speed scheduling. As I became more involved with internet book chat groups and book websites, I learned about queries, edits, galleys, three-chapter submittals, contract work, promotion, and many other realities of the publishing world. Working with the (patient) staffs of Logical-Lust Publications and Midnight Showcase helped me to learn the ‘system’. After publishing Magnificent Man, I have learned the essential necessity of promotion.

Looking back since the early days when you were trying to get published, what do you think you could have done differently to speed things up?  What kind of mistakes could you have avoided?

If it were possible to go back ten years, I would learn more about promotion and marketing. At that time, I had no clue about either and just assumed that the publisher ‘handled it’. One thing I would definitely do is insist upon my own cover design. The covers on my early books are far from great.

What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?

Without a doubt, the release of Magnificent Man is my biggest accomplishment. I started out writing erotica and continued for years writing erotica. While there is nothing wrong with that, it ‘labels’ you. If I were to sit down and write “The Di Vinci Code, Part 2”, people would think it was erotica because of my history. That is a difficult hurdle to overcome and I hope that Magnificent Man, a romance novel, will demonstrate that I can write more than erotica. I hope some day to write a humorous book.

If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?

I have had other professions; mining, engineering, and real estate. Writing enables me to step back from the high-pressure workplace and be the introvert that I am.

Would you give up being an author for that profession or have you combined the best of both worlds?

I have the best of any worlds, I am retired. I am able to do that most Holy of Holies for a writer, and that is to write full time. If the ideas are flowing at 3 AM, I can get up and work until the muse leaves, then sleep until the afternoon. Sweet!

How do you see yourself in ten years?

As a memory, after my assets have been distributed to my children. Seriously, I have no long-term plans or goals. As long as the stories keep coming, I will keep writing.

Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?

FINAL WORDS? Yes. WARDEN! Leave that switch alone! Sorry, couldn’t resist. For writers who wish to be published. The opportunities for writers to be published have never been better. The Internet and e-books have opened up tremendous opportunities for writers and there IS a place for you. Spend the time to search publishers thoroughly and carefully. Do NOT waste their time and yours by firing out your manuscript to publishers whose market is incompatible with what you write. Study the publisher’s submission guidelines and look at their target market. When you find some potential publishers who line up with what you write, make sure your manuscript is formatted to their requirements, otherwise it can be an automatic rejection. Make sure your manuscript is free of spelling, grammatical, and typographical errors (sloppy is certain death). Finally, PERSIST! A rejection is not a condemnation of your writing ability, it is simply that the publisher cannot use your story now. New publishers are popping up every day, so keep searching and reading guidelines.

Thank you for inviting me here today. I am,

Your most humble and obedient servant,

Randall Lang

Jill Jepson is a writer, writing coach, college professor, and linguistic anthropologist. She is the author of Writing as a Sacred Path: A Practical Guide to Writing With Passion & Purpose, published by Ten Speed Press. She runs Writing the Whirlwind, a business that offers workshops and coaching for writers, activists, caretakers, and others (www.writingthewhirlwind.net). Her personal website can be found at www.jilljepson.com.

Q: Welcome to Beyond the Books, Jill. Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?

A: In addition to my new book Writing as a Sacred Path, I have two books out: No Walls of Stone: An Anthology of Literature by Deaf and Hard of Hearing Writers and Women’s Concerns: Twelve Women Entrepreneurs of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries. I was a free-lance magazine writer for years, and I published around seventy articles in magazines and newspapers, and my work also appears in A Woman’s Path: The Best Women’s Spiritual Travel Writing. I was also a columnist for The Modesto Bee for more than two years. So my writing career has been quite varied.

Q: What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?

A: My first book was No Walls of Stone. It is a collection of essays, stories, and poetry by deaf and hard of hearing writers, and was published by Gallaudet University Press.

Q: For your first published book, how many rejections did you go through before you either found a mainstream publisher, self-published it, or paid a vanity press to publish it?

A: Actually, none. In fact,I never even went through the process of looking for a publisher for that book. My publisher heard about my book before it was finished and asked to see it. It was in the days before the Internet, and I’d placed advertisements in various magazines asking for deaf writers to submit their work for an anthology. An editor at Gallaudet saw one of the advertisements and wrote me asking to see the manuscript. They accepted it, so I didn’t even try to find a publisher—they found me.

Q: How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?

A: Although my first book was published very quickly, I have had many articles and stories rejected during my years free lancing. The rejections can feel very bad, but I believe it’s important for writers to accept them as part of the writing life. All writers get them, and if you can’t handle them, you need to find a different profession. I think I’ve been lucky in having work published early in my career, so I could always think, “Maybe this didn’t sell yet, but that other book or article did—so I must be doing something right.” When I was doing a lot of magazine work, I’d get enough acceptances mixed in with the rejections to keep me going. Just when I felt like the rejections were getting me down, I’d get an acceptance and feel buoyed up again.

Q: When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?

A: As I mentioned, my first book was published by Gallaudet University Press. Gallaudet University is the only institute of higher education for deaf people in the world, and the press is the largest publisher of books on deafness and the deaf community. When they came to me, I was delighted. I felt they were the perfect place for my book.

Q: How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?

A: It felt very validating. It made me feel that I really had something to offer the world, and that I was appreciated for the hard work I do.

Q: What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?

A: I did very little promotion on my first book. My publisher took care of that. No Walls of Stone was reviewed by several major newspapers, and got good word of mouth, and I had little need to do anything.

Q: If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?

A: No. It worked out very well for me.

Q: Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?

A: My most recent book, Writing as a Sacred Path, is a vastly different work from anything else I’ve written. It is the culmination of a lifetime of exploration, and it combines the two major threads of my life: spirituality and writing. I spent many years in a spiritual quest that took me all over the world, including Japan, India, China, the Middle East, Central America. Everywhere I went, I delved into the spiritual traditions of the culture. I spoke with practitioners of different religions, read the sacred texts, studied, and, when appropriate, engaged in the spiritual practices myself. I also wrote my entire life—I began to make up stories at three and have never stopped. At some point, I began to realize that my spiritual journey and my writing were part of the same process—that writing really was my spiritual path. That was the birth of my book, Writing as a Sacred Path. More than anything else I’ve done, the book is an expression of who I am and what I want to say.

Q: Looking back since the early days when you were trying to get published, what do you think you could have done differently to speed things up? What kind of mistakes could you have avoided?

A: In terms of publishing my shorter work—magazine articles and stories, for example—I probably made every mistake in the book, from not taking the process seriously enough to getting too wrapped up in getting published fast, rather than taking the time to develop. But those mistakes were really a gift: I learned a tremendous amount from them, and every step I took contributed to my understanding of the writing process. I use that understanding both in my work as a writing coach and in Writing as a Sacred Path. So I don’t actually think I’d change anything from the past. I treasure my early mistakes.

Q: What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?

A: One of my greatest accomplishments, other than publishing my books and articles, is building my business, Writing the Whirlwind. I offer coaching to writers, activists, caretakers and others, and I also offer online writing and journaling workshops. Turning my love for helping writers into a business was an enormous challenge, but it was worth every minute of work. It is really the work of my soul.

Q: If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?

A: My work as a writing and life coach is my other profession. It is work I love and find tremendously fulfilling. It is so closely tied to my work as a writer that it is hard to separate them.

Q: Would you give up being an author for that profession or have you combined the best of both worlds?

A: I couldn’t give up writing for anything. It is too much a part of who I am. But I don’t have to make that choice. I’ve been able to combine writing with coaching and teaching. Although it keeps me a little too busy sometimes, I’ve been very lucky in being able to fulfill many of my dreams.

Q: How do you see yourself in ten years?

A: If I could be doing exactly what I’m doing now—writing and helping other writers reach their full potential through my books, workshops, and coaching—then I would be blissfully happy.

Q: Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?

A: Two words: just write. What I mean by that is to write for the sake of writing itself, write because you love it, and keep writing no matter what. It’s the most important thing you can do as a writer. Talent is important. Training helps. Learning—from teachers, editors, other writers—focus and discipline, all of that is important. But if you want to succeed as a writer—succeed both in the sense of getting published and in a deeper, more personal way, the absolutely most essential thing any writer can do is to write out of the sheer love of writing, even when it seems like you’re going nowhere. It should be every writer’s mantra: just write, just write, just write.

David Liss is the author of five novels, with more on the way. His debut novel, A Conspiracy of Paper (2000) with its hero, the pugilist turned private investigator Benjamin Weaver, was named a New York Times Notable Book and won him the 2001 Barry, MacAvity and Edgar awards for Best First Novel.

David’s second novel, The Coffee Trader (2003) was also named a New York Times Notable Book and was selected by the New York Public Library as one of the year’s 25 Books to Remember.

His third novel A Spectacle of Corruption (2004) the sequel to A Conspiracy of Paper, became a national bestseller. David’s fourth novel, The Ethical Assassin (2006) is his first full-length work that is not historical fiction.

David’s most recent novel, The Whiskey Rebels, is set in 1790’s Philadelphia and New York. The third Benjamin Weaver novel, The Devil’s Company, will be in stores in late 2009.

Born in New Jersey and raised in Florida, David is, in fact, a one-time encylopedia salesman. He received his B.A. from Syracuse University, an M.A. from Georgia State Universty and his M.Phil from Columbia University, where he left his dissertation unfinished to pursue his writing career.

David lives in San Antonio with his wife and children. You can visit his website at www.DavidLiss.com.

Welcome to Beyond the Books, David. Can you tell us whether you are published for the first time or multi-published? Can you give us the title(s) of your book(s)?

The Devil’s Company is my 6th book. My previous titles are A Conspiracy of Paper, The Coffee Trader, A Spectacle of Corruption, The Ethical Assassin, and The Whiskey Rebels.

What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?

My first effort was called Jesus Was a Mammal, which I wrote just after I graduated from college. It was not published. I wonder why…

For your first published book, how many rejections did you go through before you either found a mainstream publisher, self-published it, or paid a vanity press to publish it?

I sent my query letter out to more agents than I can recall – at least fifty – and most of these resulted in rejections. Some agents asked to see a few sample chapters, but they all rejected it. One told me it was unpublishable. Once I landed my agent, however, things moved very quickly. She sent the book to 15 editors, 5 of whom put in bids. There was eventually an auction, and in the end I had to choose between to excellent major publishers. Not a bad position to be in.

How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?

I understood that rejection is part of the process. Mainly you keep moving on. I always reminded myself that I did not like every book I’d ever read that received good reviews. It would come to a matter of taste, and what I wanted was an agent who would “get” my work. I always believed that I did not need every agent to like my project, just the right one.

When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?

A Conspiracy of Paper was published in 2000 by Random House. They were still in it at the end of the auction, and I went with them for a variety of reasons, mostly all sound, though I could have easily gone with the other publisher and felt happy. I was very lucky to have to make such a difficult decision.

How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?

It made me feel pretty good. I’d always wanted to write books for as long as I could remember, and it was incredible to realize that I could actually have a career doing the thing I most wanted to do. I’d always assumed that writers were somehow “different.” They were marked by something that set them off from the rest of the population. It was pretty crazy when I realized I was now one of them. I celebrated by buying a bottle of very expensive wine.

What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?

My publisher arranged any number of things – major media coverage, a tour, parties, the works.

If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?

No. I know there are a lot of devotees of self publishing and small publishing, but I like being with a major house.

Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?

I think every writer develops every time he or she works on a new project. Every book I’ve written has been an opportunity to learn new things and develop my craft.

Looking back since the early days when you were trying to get published, what do you think you could have done differently to speed things up? What kind of mistakes could you have avoided?

Honestly, I don’t think I made many mistakes. I was a graduate student at the time, and I knew how to do research, so I really researched the publication process and was very deliberate about what I did. Of course, I’m sure I could have improved my query letter, perhaps targeted agents more effectively, but that would be dependent upon the kind of experience I have now, which would have been unavailable to me then. As far as speeding things up, I’m not sure that speed is the issue. I wrote my novel as well and as quickly as I could. After that, I did my best to figure out how to try to land a quality agent. The one thing that would have sped things up would have been having more personal contacts, but those are kind of difficult to come by.

What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?

I would have to say having found readers who are interested in what I do and appreciate my particular kind of historical fiction.

If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?

I’m very politically engaged, and I think would very much enjoy working in politics or public policy.

Would you give up being an author for that profession or have you combined the best of both worlds?

I could write (contemporary) political fiction if that was what I wanted to do. For the time being, I’m happy where I am.

How do you see yourself in ten years?

Much like I am today, only older and with more books.

Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?

I always advise people to write the kind of books they would like to read. Don’t waste time trying to game the system. Have respect for the medium, and the rest will follow. Also, if you don’t like to read, then don’t try to write. The best way to learn how to write is by being a careful, attentive reader. Writers who say that they never read fiction are, in my view, out of their minds.

Jason M. Kays is an intellectual property attorney with fifteen years experience in both information technology and entertainment law. Kays is an accomplished jazz trumpet player and his passion has always been music, technology, and convergence of the two in today’s digital age. This is his first novel.

You can visit Jason online at http://www.virtualvice.net/ or check out the trailer for Virtual Vice here.

Welcome to Beyond the Books, Jason! Can we start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?

Thank you for the opportunity to join in the dialogue. Virtual Vice is my first novel. I have just begun work on my second, Mainstream.

What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?

The name of the book is Virtual Vice. The book follows the rise and demise of a sociopath, Scott White, who transitions from the organized crime of the Cali Cartel to the organized crime of Wall Street. Hence, the “vice”. “Virtual” relates to both the virtual reality made possible by technology, and the facade created by con men behind Ponzi schemes to lure investors to a non-existent business opportunity or product.

For your first published book, how many rejections did you go through before you either found a mainstream publisher, self-published it, or paid a vanity press to publish it?

I never approached publishers with the book, but did shop it out to approximately forty-five literary agents. I received plenty of rejection letters. To my pleasant surprise, I also received a letter of interest from a prominent agent in Los Angeles. Representation was contingent on my making the novel entirely non-fiction, something I was unwilling to do.

This made me even more determined to see that the book reached an audience on my terms. In order to retain creative control, I elected to use a print on demand publisher. In addition to offering the book on Amazon and through four other e-tailers, I released the work as an audiobook. May 2009 it was the second most popular download on Podiobooks.com, with 8000 downloads in 4 days, and remained on their top ten list for six weeks, so it appears that it’s finding that audience.

It’s highly unlikely a first time author will land a literary agent. It seldom happens. Having an agent helps, but is not essential. More and more authors are going it their own without an agent and are being met with a good deal of success.

How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?

Unless an author has a colossal ego, he feels some measure of dejection after receiving a rejection letter. I was no exception. In responding to or internalizing the rejection, the author needs to draw from those same reserves of tenacity and resilience that enabled him to complete the book. For me, personally, rejection or a critical review strengthens my resolve to achieve my goals for the book. It helps motivate me to get more creative in devising workaround alternatives to mainstream distribution channels and marketing. If a particular agent, publisher or critic responds negatively to the work, how do I reach an agent, publisher or critic that may be more receptive to my story and its presentation? Always keep in mind that publishing is a business. A rejection is not necessarily a commentary on the quality of your story or the telling of it; it is often nothing more than a commentary on its commerciality.

When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?

Mid-April 2009 by Book Surge. A mid-sized print on demand publishing house wholly owned by Amazon. I looked at all prominent POD publishers out there and Book Surge’s product was far superior. Their rates are higher than the competition’s, but you do see a return on your investment in the quality of work. Their editorial team is superb.

How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?

When you first hold the author’s proof in your hands — the bound hardcopy of the book complete with cover — it is a tremendous feeling of accomplishment. To celebrate, I enjoyed a good bottle of Champagne with a nice maduro cigar.

What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?

The most significant thing I did to promote the book actually occurred three months prior to publication: I set up a website dedicated to the book. A website structured around branding your new book is one of the most effective, if not the most effective, marketing techniques available to the author. When a prospective buyer pulls up Amazon’s website, with over a million titles available for purchase, what are the odds your title will cross their monitor? You need a conduit to direct the reader to your Amazon product page, and the most effective conduit is a website dedicated to exploration of your book. The website allows you to pitch the book and yourself, as author. It also affords the author the opportunity to interact with the buyer: to establish a rapport with a prospective reader.

If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?

No. I was very pleased with the service and end product working with Book Surge.

Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?

Virtual Vice was published April 2009. Mainstream should have a 2010 or 2011 publication date.

I have grown as an author, both as writer and businessman. Getting this second book to market and promoting it once it’s there will be much easier, now that I know what tools are available to me. As a writer, I believe I have learned a great deal about structuring a novel to maintain continuity and focus.

Looking back since the early days when you were trying to get published, what do you think you could have done differently to speed things up? What kind of mistakes could you have avoided?

In this respect, I did a good job, as did my team, so there is not much that I would do differently. The only real mistake was wasting time pitching the book to agents. I would advise new authors against the effort, as I think the odds of finding representation are so miniscule that they are greatly outweighed by the detrimental effect of the inevitable rejection. There will be plenty of time for rejection: you don’t need that negativity as you’re coming out the gate for your first run around the track.

What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?

Aside from becoming published, I would say the overwhelming positive response to the audiobook after its release on Podiobooks.com. Podiobooks will not add directly to your revenue stream, since there is no compulsory payment for each download, but the author stands to benefit greatly indirectly if his novel becomes a popular audiobook. If people are talking about the book around the water cooler, those that do buy books will buy yours.

If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?

Doing market development within the music industry.

Would you give up being an author for that profession or have you combined the best of both worlds?

If and when my writing generates enough revenue to allow me to focus on it fulltime and retire the law library, I would be receptive to that transition. In the interim, the two professions are mutually complimentary.

How do you see yourself in ten years?

Having built a fan base for my writing and working on a fourth or fifth novel.

Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?

In general terms, I have no advice. By that I mean do not seek counsel on what to write — write what you feel compelled to put to paper. Write what you must; not what you think you should or is expected. Don’t seek input along the way. That will either inflate or emaciate your ego and neither is healthy. Finish the book then hire the best editor you can afford, heed her advice and let the self-flagellation begin.

T. Katz, a resident of Southern California, has been involved in the children’s entertainment industry since the early 80’s working on hundreds of episodes of animated television and since then as a music instructor to hundreds of very animated children. She is also the honorary conductor of a four-part harmony household, consisting of her two children (three, count her husband on a bad day) and Alice the cat. She lives by the motto “a good book, a cup of tea and somehow all is right with the world” and feels that her adventures in life are adding welcome lines of character to her face and scattered optimistic silver linings all over her head.

Welcome to Beyond the Books, T. Katz. Can you tell us whether you are published for the first time or multi-published? Can you give us the title(s) of your book(s)?

Miss L’eau was my very first children’s chapter book to be published and immediately following was another children’s chapter book, Pythagoras. I feel very fortunate that these two “babies” of mine have found a home in the world, sort of the way I imagine it will be when I send my own kids out into the world once they’ve graduated!

What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?

My very first book (unpublished and unpublish-able, to be honest) was about a little ghost who lived on a dusty fireplace mantle whose tears of happiness could be wished upon. He disappeared once the lady-of-the-house decided her living room needed a good spring cleaning! This was book written for my eyes only and when I did decide to send it out into the cosmos it was promptly and severely rejected.

For your first published book, how many rejections did you go through before you either found a mainstream publisher, self-published it, or paid a vanity press to publish it?

Over the years I had probably sent out close to a hundred query letters about Miss L’eau to agents and publishers who all refused it, but then I started revising like mad and re-tooled my query letters until I felt ready to re-send again. When my daughter was in junior high, she asked me to help her with a Teen Issues career assignment on the Life of an Author and when she received an A on the assignment she said, “Well, if you’re so smart – why don’t you DO this?” I sent out a handful of queries and manuscripts, thinking I’d teach her a rather smart lesson in rejection and the difficulties that are encountered in the writing profession and to my surprise, I received a couple of positive responses!

How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?

With the first 75 rejections of my writing life (through letters, phone calls and/or emails) my usual coping method was a combination of crying and shaking my fist at the skies. Somewhere around rejection #76 I came to the realization that much in the same way I don’t find every flavor of jelly bean in the bowl to my liking, particularly the blue ones — who try too hard, in my opinion, to BE blueberry and always taste a bit off — it was just that I was probably somebody’s blue jelly bean and not to their liking. I learned to accept the dismissal of my work and move on to other people and projects who might like me.

When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?

It was my final decision to go with Windstorm Creative (now Orchard House Press) a small, independent publisher in Washington and I chose to work with them partly because of their mission statement of publishing books that entertain and enrich. They have been nurturing and educational at every turn in the process of publishing both of my titles, Miss L’eau and Pythagoras.

How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?

When I received the phone call that Miss L’eau would be published, at first I thought it was a joke. It took a few minutes for it to sink it that it was a bonafide offer and when I hung up I danced around (in my pajamas) then called my husband and just about blew his ears off with the whooping and hollering! Then, I closed my eyes and said a prayer of gratitude that someone might come to love Miss L’eau as much as I did.

What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?

The very first thing I did for the promotion of Miss L’eau was to contact every local media outlet in my area with a press release about “local author to release children’s chapter book” so they would cover it. To my delight, they did and those are still some of my most favorite articles.

If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?

There have been days when I questioned the way things were being done, especially early on, but I have learned so much by working with an independent publisher because they were willing to communicate with me about every step that was being taken. That might not have happened if I had gone in a different direction. I am very grateful to my publisher and editor for their willingness to answer all of my questions, no matter how small or naïve.

Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?

When my second book, Pythagoras, was going through the same steps as Miss L’eau I was not as diligent in some areas and I feel that some mistakes were made, mostly on my part. The growing pains are still taking place and as I experience more ways to stretch as a writer, through social media and other avenues, I realize there is still so much more to learn.

Looking back since the early days when you were trying to get published, what do you think you could have done differently to speed things up? What kind of mistakes could you have avoided?

While I might have been eager for my work to be published earlier in my life, I don’t believe I was ready at that time, not as a writer and not as a person. As far as mistakes that might have been avoided, I know my top two faults were impatience and a thin skin. Those two character flaws prevented me from taking the time to appropriately revise my work and bravely and persistently submit my work.

What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?

By far, the greatest thing to happen since Miss L’eau was released has been the positive reception of the oceanic community, both non-profit and otherwise. In my heart, Miss L’eau has always been “the little book with the big message” and hearing that sentiment echoed from organizations like the Ocean Conservancy in WA, D.C., WiLDCOAST, Save Our Seas, PADI and many others has been heartwarming.

If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?

Mrs. Santa Claus, because she gets to rock the white hair and apron like nobody’s business and live where it’s frosty hot tea and toast weather all the time. I’m terribly envious of her.

Would you give up being an author for that profession or have you combined the best of both worlds?

The beauty of being a storyteller is that I can create the worlds my characters walk in, like the world’s most awesome interchangeable dollhouse, and in some ways that then gives me the freedom to create the world I walk in. There is a great joy in creative independence.

How do you see yourself in ten years?

Rocking the white hair and apron and continuing to tell my tales to anyone who will listen. If time has taught me anything, it’s that we continue to evolve and grow if we keep our minds and ears open. I am excited to see what stories will come forward to be told as the next decade unfolds.

Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?

Behind my desk is a small postcard with the words “Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out” by Robert Collier and when I am tired and my brain hurts it reminds me that drops fill the bucket if I keep at it. I would submit that gentle reminder to other writers and the added advice of patience and persistence.

Alan Furst is widely recognized as the master of the historical spy novel. Now translated into seventeen languages, he is the bestselling author of Night Soldiers, Dark Star, The Polish Officer, The World at Night, Red Gold, Kingdom of Shadows, Blood of Victory, Dark Voyage, The Foreign Correspondent, and The Spies of Warsaw. Born in New York, he now lives in Paris and on Long Island. You can visit his website at www.alanfurst.net.

Welcome to Beyond the Books, Alan. Can you tell us whether you are published for the first time or multi-published? Can you give us the title(s) of your book(s)?

I’ve published 15 books and one anthology. On the author’s page I list only ten, since the others were very different, and I don’t want to confuse the readership that I have now. The titles are: Night Soldiers, Dark Star, The Polish Officer, The World at Night, Red Gold, Kingdom of Shadows, Blood of Victory, Dark Voyage, The Foreign Correspondent, and The Spies of Warsaw.

What was the name of your very first book regardless of whether it was published or not and, if not published, why?

It was called Your Day in the Barrel, it was written when I was 29 (mistake) and published, to my astonishment, by Atheneum. I thought I was writing a potboiler for a little publisher that did cheapie murder mysteries.

For your first published book, how many rejections did you go through before you either found a mainstream publisher, self-published it, or paid a vanity press to publish it?

Oh, there were maybe 20 rejections, but some of them were very encouraging, although I thought that was just courtesy. This went on for over two years. A few friends had read the manuscript and they liked it, and the way I consoled myself was by telling myself that I’d read better books than mine, books about the same, and books not as good, so I felt there was room for me somewhere. The effort was hard on me, that I will say.

How did the rejections make you feel and what did you do to overcome the blows?

I made a funny sort of decision—I decided to tell everybody I knew that I’d written a book and was trying to get it published. Because I decided that I might fail at this, but I was going to fail big and fail in public. Why this was consoling I don’t really know but it had to do with announcing that I was a novelist, failed or successful, that’s what I was, and the world could deal with me however it liked.

When your first book was published, who published it and why did you choose them?

Published by Atheneum, the only publisher that offered on the book, and they chose me—it wasn’t like I thought I could do better!

How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?

It felt okay, but somewhere in my heart I knew that this wasn’t the sort of book I was ‘meant’ to write. I celebrated with friends, a lot! It was riotous, I’ll just leave it at that. Maybe the best part was telling my wife, and my mother, the good news.

What was the first thing you did as for as promotion when you were published for the first time?

Had lunch with the local newspaper book critic. Sent copies to everybody I thought might know somebody who might write a review.

If you had to do it over again, would you have chosen another route to be published?

No, I was purely desperate, and I’d tried all the routes I could think of.

Have you been published since then and how have you grown as an author?

I’ve been published a lot—in 17 countries, paperback, audio, etc. I’ve worked hard to be better, you can always be better, and I’ve come to understand, deeply, over time, how the writing process works. For me—I can see trouble coming, now, and also good things, just because I’ve done this so much.

Looking back since the early days when you were trying to get published, what do you think you could have done differently to speed things up? What kind of mistakes could you have avoided?

I honestly can’t think of an answer to this—I don’t what I could have done differently because I literally did everything I could think of.

What has been the biggest accomplishment you have achieved since becoming published?

My last three books, Dark Voyage, The Foreign Correspondent, and The Spies of Warsaw, hit The New York Times Bestseller List.

If you could have chosen another profession, what would that profession be?

I lived in France for years, in Paris, and I always wanted to be what’s called an antiquaire—the people that have the booths out at the flea market in Clignancourt. They sit there all day with their dogs, talking to each other or reading, and every now and then they sell something.

Would you give up being an author for that profession or have you combined the best of both worlds?

Uhh, no, I think I’ll stick with being an author.

How do you see yourself in ten years?

Really the same, only older, fifteen books instead of ten. What would I do if I retired? Brain surgery? Some retired people write novels, but, well, that isn’t an option, is it. I like writing, can’t imagine doing anything else.

Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?

Don’t give up, there are no unpublished good novels, the industry is just too hungry for that to happen. But you have to be really tough with yourself about this. When writers hand in novels to editors, the first question is: “Is it good?” Because, if you don’t know it is, nobody else will think it is.