Name: John Ford Clayton
Book Title: Manipulated
Genre: Political Thriller
Website: www.johnfordclayton.com
Thank you for your time in answering our questions about
getting published. Let’s begin by having you explain to us why you
decided to become an author and pen this book?
Author:
For close to 20 years I worked on creative teams in churches helping to write
full-length dramas as well as 3-5 minute sketches. That process led to a
nagging question that just wouldn’t go away; “I wonder if I could write a
novel?” After doubts and procrastination, I finally decided to give it a go.
That
led to the next important question, what would be the subject matter of this
novel? For me, that question had to be aligned with something about which I
felt great passion. That something is our country, the United States of
America. Unfortunately, I see our country in difficult times as our political
culture has become so toxic that it is tearing us apart. A major source of that
toxicity is degree of manipulation we all face on a daily basis, regardless of
our political leanings. To highlight the phenomenon, I decided to write a work
of fiction, Manipulated.
Is this your first book?
Author:
Manipulated is my first book. It is the first in a trilogy. Rise of The
Mustangs will be released in the Spring of 2019, Declaration of Independence
will be released in 2020.
With this particular book, how did you publish – traditional,
small press, Indie, etc. – and why did you choose this method?
Author:
I self-published Manipulated using the services of CreateSpace and Amazon.
Before opting for self-publishing, I pursued traditional publishing through two
rounds of queries. As most writers have experienced, agents receive too many
queries to respond to aspiring writers. Rejection letters have been replaced by
“if you haven’t heard from us in 8 weeks, assume we’re not interested.” I was
not interested in a third (or fourth, fifth, sixth…) round of queries. I wanted
Manipulated in the hands of readers. I met with a few small press and indie
publishers, but I could not achieve a comfort level with those that I
considered. I wanted more control of both the process and the schedule.
Self-publishing was the best fit for my situation.
Can you tell us a little about your publishing journey? The pros and cons?
Author:
For me, the primary pro of pursuing self-publishing was control of the process.
I selected a graphic designer and we designed the cover together. I selected an
interior designer. I got to write the story I wanted to write incorporating
only the input I chose to consider. Aside from the logistical time it took to
complete the editing and design, I was in control of the schedule. When the
book was ready to be published, I could hit the “publish” button and the book
was for sale. Another pro is the print-on-demand service offered by Amazon. I
didn’t have to purchase a large quantity of books and interested readers didn’t
have to wait weeks to receive a book. I found that books were delivered in 3-5
days from the order date.
The
primary con of self-publishing is very similar to the pro, that you control the
process. Before you publish you can seek honest input from friends and family,
but in the end, it is up to you to decide which input you’re going to chose to
incorporate. This leaves you vulnerable for plot holes, unrealistic storylines,
and unbelievable characters if you aren’t open and astute to receiving
constructive criticism. For some, another con is the stigma that
self-publishing is rushing or settling for a second-rate alternative.
What lessons do you feel you learned about your particular
publishing journey and about the publishing industry as a whole?
Author:
When I completed writing Manipulated I knew absolutely nothing about the
publishing process. I did not understand that traditional publishing companies
must be approached via an agent. I did not understand that agents are typically
approached via queries. I did not understand that most agents do not respond to
queries in which they have no interest. This process was a rude awakening. When
I’m not writing I work as a project management consultant for large Federal
projects. In this capacity I am accustomed to following a process where step
one leads to step two, which leads to step three, until the final step finally
consummates with something being completed. In the traditional publishing
process, I could never mentally complete the cycle and envision a published
book. The process seemed to be on auto-repeat with no end in sight. The
self-publishing process scratched my professional itch for a process that I
could follow that would end with a book in my hands, or more importantly in the
readers hands.
Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?
Author:
Before an author can make this important decision they, need to ask themselves
an important question; what are my objectives? Do I want to achieve commercial
success? Do I want to have a book published in six months? What is my budget?
There a likely other important question unique to your situation. If you write
down these questions and allow yourself to honestly answer them, the publishing
avenue that’s right for you will emerge.
What’s the best advice you can give to aspiring authors?
Author:
Understand the process for all publishing avenues you are considering. If there
are areas where you are uncomfortable, seek some tailored professional help.
There are literary professionals in all steps of the publishing cycle that have
been where you are wanting to go. Seek their advice. The relatively small
investment will be worth it. Lastly, in the immortal words of the late, great,
basketball coach, Jim Valvano, don’t give up, don’t ever give up.
//////////////
About
the book:
Manipulated is a political thriller set during the 2016 presidential
election season from January 2015 through January 2017. During these two years,
a fictional account of the election is chronicled. The first half of the book provides
a back story illustrating an American political system soiled by political
parties, a misguided media, and lots and lots of money, all orchestrated by a
clandestine organization known as Mouse Trap.
The second half of the book provides a glimpse at what the 2016 election
might have looked like had a different candidate been introduced into the
campaign. A candidate not bound to either political party, deep-pocket
investors, or Washington insiders. A candidate who had absolutely no interest
in the job but is drafted by those that know him best to fix a broken system. A
candidate who personifies integrity, character, and humility. A candidate whose
core values are guided by his faith.
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