Book Publishing Secrets with Steve Brock #books #bookpublishing

 

I’ve been an author in search of a novel for just about forty years now. Writing was the first thing I ever wanted to do seriously. Over the years I’ve done quite a variety of things. My first real job, the kind where you have a schedule and get paid hourly, was as a cook at the local Sonic Drive-In. I’ve been a machinist, a forklift driver, a production worker, a computer programmer, an IT guy, an installation manager, a software trainer, and an education department manager. Those are just the employment highlights. Through it all, I was a husband and father, and I attended college at night to get my bachelor’s degree in technology management.

Before all that started, I wanted to be a writer. It just didn’t work out that way. Maybe that’s ok, I’ve had a good life and I have a wonderful family that I am proud to have. I don’t regret any of what I’ve done to support my family over the years. The desire to write has persisted, however, and I took a look at my odometer one day and it read 61 years old. None of us know how high our personal odometer will go, but I knew if I was ever going to be a writer, now was the time.

I’m bringing my lifetime of experience to my novel writing. Many of my characters are loosely based upon people I’ve known in real life. Some of my plot elements are also influenced by real-life experiences as well. As of this writing, my first novel, Half Moon Lake, will be published on Amazon in a few weeks. I have begun work on my second book as well. I hope you will take time to register your email address so I may keep you apprised of announcements and special offers. I’d be thrilled to count you as one of my first dedicated readers.

Steve Brock’s latest novel is Half Moon Lake.

You can visit his website at www.BrockNovels.com or connect with him at Twitter.

Crease Williams lived a charmed life with a bright future. Only in his junior year at Texas Christian University, his skills as a wide receiver had already captured the attention of NFL scouts.

Then a tragedy cost him his family and his desire to play football. Personally devastated, he left his old life behind and got as far from Ft. Worth, TX, and football as he could get.

Keeping mostly to himself, he became a float-plane pilot in the far north of Minnesota. Flying fisherman and hunters into remote locations was how he spent his time. When a group he had flown to Roudy’s Cabin goes missing, he faces accusations and more turmoil than he could have ever imagined. To make matters worse, his quiet existence is upturned by an element from his past bent on vengeance.

Half Moon Lake is Steve Brock’s first novel. A suspenseful mystery written with likable characters and a lighthearted flavor.

Book Information

Release Date: March 30, 2022

Publisher:  Steve Brock

Soft Cover: ISBN: 978-0578391977; 187 pages; $9.99; Kindle Unlimited FREE

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3knaPfd

 

📙 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?

Steve: Writing is something I intended to do even back in high school. Life had other plans for me and it has taken me forty years to come to a place in life where I could fulfill that dream.

📙 Is this your first book?

Steve: Yes, it is.

📙With this particular book, how did you publish – traditional, small press, Indie, etc. – and why did you choose this method?

Steve: I independently published. I didn’t pursue traditional publishing. After seeking out advice from some authors that have long resumes, I learned there are a lot of negative aspects to traditional publishing that can be avoided by publishing independently.

📙Can you tell us a little about your publishing journey?  The pros and cons?

Steve: It was mostly positive. As I said, I sought out help from experienced authors, and that helped me in a lot of ways. As for the pros and cons, the most positive thing about publishing yourself is you can set your own pace and you don’t have anyone else’s deadlines to meet. On the down side, you are completely on your own, and if this is your first publishing experience there are a lot of lessons to be learned. Things like finding a professional editor and a professional book cover designer are issues I didn’t think about before I started down this road.

📙What lessons do you feel you learned about your particular publishing journey and about the publishing industry as a whole?

Steve: Publishing on your own puts everything on your shoulders. Finding all the assistance you will need to prepare your book for publication, learning the steps involved in getting your book published are just two of the things a new author must deal with. In addition to that, after publication, all the marketing has to be done as well. With an average of 450 books being published every day, it isn’t easy to draw attention to yours.

📙Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

Steve: It’s hard to say without having anything else to compare it to. I know publishing has been changing the last few years. The days of the large publishing companies deciding which books are published are over. Virtually anyone can publish a book if they are willing to put in the work. Before I started writing if I had been given the option of traditional publishing I’m sure I would have taken it. If for no other reason than to have someone to guide me through the process the first time.

📙What’s the best advice you can give to aspiring authors?

Steve: Find a mentor, someone who has experience in some aspect of book writing or publishing. Once you get going, most things you will learn as you go, but having someone to bounce ideas off of is really valuable.