Luke Romyn - HBS Author's Spotlight

Today our blog puts the Spotlight on International Best-Selling Author Luke Romyn. He writes Mystery & Thrillers, Horror, Science Fiction & Fantasy novels. He has written The Dark Path, Beyond Hades, Blacklisted, Slaves of Valhalla, Corpus Christi, and Sins of the Father. Also he is a prolific twitter host.

Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers, Horror, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Website: Author Luke Romyn
Author's Blog: Luke's Blog
Blog: Google +
Twitter: @LukeRomyn
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest


Author Description:
Luke Romyn spent many years, over nineteen in fact, working in the security industry. From doorwork in some of Australia's roughest pubs and clubs to protecting Mickey Mouse and the Disney crew from the overzealous jaws of tenacious toddlers, Luke has worked throughout Australia and internationally in a vast array of roles. He's done close protection for UK celebrities in Fiji and chased feral pigs and snakes out of the jungle film sets on Steven Spielberg's and Tom Hank's epic: The Pacific. There are few things Luke hasn't seen. With all this experience behind him, it would have been tempting to write a set of memoirs. Instead, Luke utilized it to fuel his own expansive imagination and began writing fiction. Initially starting with short stories, Luke rapidly progressed onto novels. All three of Luke's books have been category best sellers on Amazon, with over a quarter of a million copies being distributed to date.


SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author

What do you have on the drawing board next? Can you tell us the timeline for its release and give us a little tease?

I have a lot of things in the works, the main being the continuation of the Legacy Chronicles series, of which Sins of the Father is in final edits and should be released in the next couple of months. This is a four-book series.

Once that series is out I have plans for another Prometheus Wars book due to the clamouring of Wes’s thousands of fans. After that I might go back to something I worked on many years ago but put aside. I have some great new ideas for the story which never truly left me; it’s like the one that got away.

You have a great social media following. How important have your social media relationships been? Do you see a carry over to your writing success? How much has it changed your book launch process?

My followers on Twitter and Facebook (along with Goodreads and all the others) are utterly phenomenal. Getting the word out has never been easier, especially when others are so gracious as to share what you have to say. My main focus is to avoid overloading people with nonsense. I try to be entertaining, gain their attention, and then inform them what I’m about. Those who endlessly bombard others with postings about their books will get attention, but usually the wrong kind. But hey, that’s just my opinion, I’m no guru.

Do you do book signings, interviews, speaking and personal appearances? If so, when and where is the next place where your readers can see you? Where can they keep up with your personal contacts online?

That’s one regret I have. My schedule these days simply doesn’t allow for it. Besides my writing I have two businesses and on weekends I help my buddy out who runs the security at a local club. That’s kind of my ‘social time’. Sounds weird, but all my friends work there and it’s the one time we all get to hang out.

Your book covers carry a theme and your brand with them. How does your book cover creation process work? Do you hand over the basic theme or do you have more of a hands-on approach? Do you get your readers involved in its development?

I do all my covers, from start to finish, with very little assistance. A friend of mine in Holland who designs covers professionally occasionally gives me a nudge in the right direction, but for the most part I simply go with my gut. I start looking for images usually around the time I begin final edits on a novel, and it sometimes takes months. Plus there’s the fact I’m a Photoshop noob.

I have involved fans before, but these days I usually prefer to do my own thing. It’s very hard to ask an opinion about something without releasing a lot of details about the book.

You have several great book trailers. (See links below.) Do you know how much impact they have had on your book’s success? Tell us about the process that you used to create your trailers? They look very professional. Do you use the trailer in your character development? Are the pictures and background the way you see your characters and scenes?

I have no idea on their total impact, but I’m a great believer in using all the weapons at my disposal. If it takes me a few days to put together a trailer and it only gains me one reader, that’s one reader I wouldn’t have had without it.

Thank you for the comment about them looking professional, but the truth is I tend to fumble around with them even more than my book covers. I’m simply so obstinate that I just keep going, beyond all the crap designs, not stopping until I find an effect I like. As to whether or not I think they look like my characters, the answer is they look like generic possibilities of what my characters and scenes might look like. I would hate to box things in for the reader, who will always picture things differently to the person next to them.

What kinds of writer support groups do you belong too? Do they help with the writing, marketing and the publishing process?

Once again time forbids me to engage with such things. I have tried, but it ended up cutting into either my writing time or my social media time. I have a huge network of writing friends on Twitter and Facebook, including several New York Times bestselling authors and multi award winning scribes. I find Twitter great in that you can just throw something out there and chances are you’ll get an answer you can use... plus some creepy stuff from a weird old white guy in Bangkok.

Has the advent of ebooks changed anything in your writing, your marketing and the relationship with your readers and fans?

Not really. I pretty much came onto the scene along with the advent of ebooks, so I have just adapted along with them. The early ebooks were crap – in quality as well as sales – and people pretty much laughed them off as a fad, but then Kindle came along and pretty much revolutionized everything. Whereas self-published authors were scorned in the past, they’re now accepted alongside traditionally published veterans, even outselling them in some instances. As an indie author I can now control my promotions, doing giveaways and price reductions pretty much whenever I want, without having to cater to the whims of a publisher who may or may not remember my name. Plus I make a ton more money without them taking their cut. It’s kind of awesome.

What has been your experience in giving your books away free? Have you been involved in any other type of giveaways and how did that work out? What was your main goal in doing this? Did you run into any obstacles?

My book giveaways are usually extremely successful, generating huge buzz for my books and large sales afterward. But even the ones that didn’t end up selling me heaps of books were beneficial in that they help get my name out there, with new people reading my words, and hopefully making fans of them for my other works. Like everything there are obstacles, but you simply overcome them, or at least try to overcome them. Otherwise you might as well simply not bother and just take up pole dancing; it’s easier and much less traumatic than being an author.

How do you manage your plots, characters and timelines to keep your stories going? Do you use any software to keep track of your books?

They have software for that? I really need to keep more up to date. I just make lots and lots of notes, then hopefully pick up any mistakes in the copious amount of editing myself and my team go through.

Does living in Australia present any unique selling/marketing situations? Where is your biggest audience? Does marketing online help in this situation?

All of my marketing is online. With Amazon being my biggest distributor for both print and Kindle books I simply spend profuse amounts of time marketing online through any avenue I can think of – along with several that others suggest to me.

Do you publish your books in other languages? How is your audience abroad?

I’ve been on several bestseller lists around the world, despite my books currently being only available in English. My first four books are under contract with a German publisher and are currently in the midst of translation. There’s also been interest from Spanish and Dutch publishers, but as yet nothing’s written in stone. Just the fact I’m selling books in such differing markets as Japan and France shows how appealing these books are to people from all walks of life.



Author's Book List
Blacklisted
Nobody can escape their past. It will always be there, returning to haunt you in the darkest times of your life. Mike Swanson knows this - his past torments him daily and he sets himself upon a path of death and misery. He justifies his dark deeds by enacting them upon those he perceives as evil, not knowing that the real evil lies within himself. Killing the scum of society, Mike becomes one of them and draws the attention of a group who require people with his skills. Unwillingly enlisted into the notorious 'Blacklisted Brotherhood', Mike must first survive horrendous training in order to hunt down a madman whose deeds will see the world plunged into anarchy if he succeeds. Blasting across continents in their pursuit of justice, the team will come together in ways that they had never imagined and must learn to trust each other if they are to survive. For if they die, it could mean the end of freedom. Will Mike survive the confrontations in order to see out the mission? Or will he cut loose and run from the responsibility that has been placed upon him? Why should he care for the people of the world when they have never cared for him? Why indeed...?
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Book Trailer: Blacklisted
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Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
Slaves of Valhalla - The Prometheus Wars (Volume 2)
"Couldn't put it down... To me, if I can lose myself in the story, that is a great read...I won't do a spoiler, you'll just have to read it yourself, but will say well done and thank you, Mr Romyn, may you continue writing forever." -- Diane Gilbert "Right up to the final pages, the surprises are so constant that I found myself commenting out loud, "oh, that's not good," or "noooo!" or just sighing with relief." -- Adina Fenrir the wolf howls. Bifrost beckons. And Wes answers. The enigmatic Australian SAS commando awakens into a maelstrom of death and destruction, his memory in tatters, and his former friend and companion dead. In his hunt for answers, Wes uncovers much more than he was searching for, and enters a war which could see the entire planet destroyed as beasts of ice and perils from outside our realm of reality threaten humanity's very existence. Wes must try to find a way to stop a foe that cannot be stopped, and will use anything at his disposal to ensure mankind is not reduced to slavery by the creatures which founded some of the most terrifying fables of all time. This thundering sequel to Luke Romyn's bestselling novel, BEYOND HADES, is certain to blow readers away with blistering action and thrills which would humble the very gods.
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Order the Book From: Amazon
The Dark Path
New York's underworld quivers at the mention of his name. Evil courses through his veins like blood and his conscience has lain dormant for over a decade while he has slashed and burned his way to the top of the food chain. Vain. The Dark Man, born of torment into an existence of death. In the underworld of killers he reigns supreme. And yet he is chosen for a task of supreme benevolence. Why would he be selected to save a young boy, the Avun-Riah, and then protect him against a horde of enemies, both mortal and demonic? Because he is the only one with any hope of success. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse have risen from the pits of Hell and, along with a fanatical army of cultists, are ranged against Vain. If the boy is slain then Sordarrah will be raised to destroy the Earth, a feat even Lucifer never managed. Evil is being used to fight evil in the ultimate battle for the outcome of all existence. Armageddon sits upon the horizon and all that stands in its way is a man whose path has always been dark.
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Book Trailer: The Dark Path
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Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
Corpus Christi - The Legacy Chronicles - Book 1
Haunted by the toxic memories of a torturous foster-father, Jacob Hope yearns to make a difference in a world gone awry, trying to accomplish some small scrap of good in an ocean of wrong. Tumbling through life with no true direction, Jake unwittingly reveals a nightmare. The gates of Hell have been unlocked, and something long imprisoned has broken loose from its shackles to roam free upon the Earth. It cannot be bargained with, it cannot be defeated, and it exists with only desolation in its heart.... Longing to confront such evil but not knowing how, Jake must embark upon a journey not only of destination, but of self-discovery. In his attempts to thwart a fallen angel, Jake must also come to grips with his own part in this almighty drama. For above it all haunts the legacy, a prophecy of who Jake truly is: Christ reborn - the new messiah.
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Book Trailer: Corpus Christi
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Order the Book From: Amazon
Beyond Hades - The Prometheus Wars (Volume 1)
What if mythology isn't myth? The ancient Greeks told fabulously detailed stories involving unbelievable creatures - monsters dominating all tales from that time. Were they just highly imaginative, or was their inspiration from somewhere else? Doctor Talbot Harrison, a professor in archeology, receives a phone call one day which will destroy everything he perceives as reality. His brother has been mysteriously killed and within moments the United States Military appear at his door, literally dragging him from his home. Thrown into a helicopter under intense armed guard, it doesn't take long until they are attacked by something which cannot possibly exist, something drawn to destroy the one man who can stop the beasts from a land beyond Hades....
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Order the Book From: Amazon
Author Recommended by: Claude Bouchard
Best-Selling Author Claude Bouchard writes Mystery & Thrillers novels in the Vigilante Series. Also he is a prolific twitter host. See Claude's Author's Spotlight post.

Michele Shriver - HBS Author's Spotlight

Today our blog puts the Spotlight on Author Michele Shriver. Michele is a Mystery & Fantasy Writer. She is noted for her Real Life Women’s Fiction novels.

Author Genre: Real Life Women’s Fiction, Chick Lit

Website: Michele Shriver
Author's Blog: Michele Shriver - Author of Real Life Women's Fiction
Twitter: @micheleshriver
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


Author Description:
I was born in Iowa and raised in Texas and now live in Iowa again. I am proud to consider both states to be home, and therefore poke fun at both of them, but it's always meant in the nicest way possible. I am a practicing attorney with a focus on juvenile law and have also worked as an educator, and some of my experiences have found their way into my writing. My dream is to someday pay the bills as a writer and be able to spend winters in the Dallas area going to Dallas Stars hockey games. In my free time, when I'm not writing, I am probably at a Zumba class, riding my bike, watching a football, hockey or soccer game on TV, or enjoying a glass of wine while I lose myself in a good book written by someone else.


SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author

Let’s start with what’s next. Rumor has it that you have a couple books on the horizon. One called Finding Forever and the other called Best Interests. Can you tell us the timeline for their releases and give us a little tease?

Yes, I do have two new projects I am working on, and they're very different from each other. Finding Forever is a traditional, contemporary romance. It's actually a follow-up to my first book, picking up Jordan's story and finally giving her a chance at love and a happy ending.

Best Interests is a story about a divorcing couple engaged in a custody battle, who end up forced into mandatory counseling and having to do some soul searching.

My plan was to release Best Interests this fall, and Finding Forever early next year, but now I am considering changing the order around and releasing Finding Forever first. I'm not sure about that, but one of them will definitely be out this year.

How important have your social media relationships been? Do you see a carry over to your writing success?

At this point, I'm not convinced that social media has played any significant role in book sales, but I'm also not sure I am using it the right away. It's something I need to work on. I'm trying to get better. I do enjoy the connections I've made over social media, though.

Do you do book signings, interviews, speaking and personal appearances? If so, when and where is the next place where your readers can see you? Where can they keep up with your personal contacts online?

I haven't done any personal appearances or signings, no. I would consider it in the future if the opportunity presented itself. I have done quite a few interviews that have been featured on various blogs, and I have a blog tour coming up this June to promote my newest release, Aggravated Circumstances, which will feature some guest blog posts and book excerpts. The tour schedule is listed on my website.

How does your book cover creation process work? Do you hand over the basic theme or do you have more of a hands-on approach? Do you get your readers involved in its development?

My last two covers have been designed by a friend of mine whom I have known for a number of years, so I'm very comfortable working with her. I usually tell her a bit about the book, and if I have anything specific in mind for what I want on the cover, then let her come up with a concept and we work from there to get it right. I often solicit some feedback from my critique partners at that stage, because they know the book and can tell me if the concept we're working on captures the book.

What kinds of writer support groups do you belong too? Do they help with the writing, marketing and the publishing process?

I'm a member of Critique Circle, which is an online writing and critique site. I submit my books there for the critique process. I've formed some good friendships there, and the feedback I've received has been invaluable.

Last year, I attended the DFW Writers' Conference for the first time, and am now going back for this year's, which is the first weekend in May. That's a fabulous opportunity to attend workshops and connect with other writers as well as agents and editors. I had so much positive energy and motivation after I returned from last year's conference and I can't wait to go back and experience that again.

Between your book writing, blogging about other authors, marketing, family and all the other things that can get in your way, how do you manage your time? Do you have a set schedule or do your sort of play it by ear?

I play it by ear, because it's hard to really know what a day is going to bring. I try to work in at least an hour of writing time a day at the end of the day after other obligations are taken care of, but sometimes end up using that to work on the blog or critiquing other writers. It kind of depends on what kind of day it's been and how creative I feel. I try to get as much writing done on weekends as I can, when I have the opportunity to carve out a a block of a few hours at a time. If the weather's nice, I like to take my laptop outside to write.

Has the advent of ebooks changed anything in your writing, your marketing and the relationship with your readers and fans?

I think eBooks have absolutely changed publishing and opened doors for many writers that would not otherwise published. The potential downside to that is how many books are being released every single day, which can make it very hard for authors to be noticed. I think marketing is going to become even more important to try to keep books from getting lost in cyberspace with no one knowing they exist.

What has been your experience in giving your books away free? Have you been involved in any other type of giveaways and how did that work out? What was your main goal in doing this? Did you run into any obstacles?

I'm not really a big fan of giving my books away. I dislike exclusivity, so I have never participated in the KDP select program. When I have given books away, it's been through a giveaway either through Library Thing or Goodreads. With Library Thing, I did it with the hope that people would provide reviews in exchange for the book. Some do, but I found that most don't. Goodreads giveaways are a way to get people to add your book to their want to read shelf, but I don't know how many of those people actually do end up buying or reading it. I do plan to give away a signed paperback copy of my latest release as part of the blog tour coming up, just to help create a little more buzz about the tour.

You have a great blog. You do a great job keeping readers informed, marketing your books and interviewing other authors. What is your primary goal? And where in the world do you find the time to create great novels and maintain your blog?

Thanks. I actually just made a lot of changes to the blog and website a few days ago, so this is good timing. I want it to be a place where readers can come and learn a bit about me and about my books, but I enjoy featuring other authors on the blog as well. Lately I've had the chance to feature some new releases of other authors, and also some interesting guest posts. I like to do that because it's a way to keep the blog active even when I may not have much interesting to say or I've been to busy writing on my books to write new blog posts. I'll be blogging quite a bit about my conference coming up. As for time- it's just something else that has to be squeezed in.

In my research I noticed you out on the ice. Are a real live hockey mom?

No. I've never played hockey and don't have any family members that do. I'm just a big fan of the sport. That picture was actually taken during a trip to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Canada. It's a shot simulator, and I had to try to stop a simulated shot from Mark Messier. I wasn't very good, but it was a fun experience. One of my characters in my books is a reluctant hockey mom, though. Does that count?



Author's Book List
Aggravated Circumstances
A family can be torn apart in an instant. Putting it back together is a harder task.

A relapsed addict opens the door to find a cop with a search warrant, setting off a chain of events that will cause four lives to intersect.

Devin Lenox has already lost one child to the system and this time she vows it will be different. If she’s going to make it, though, she’ll need something she’s never had before- someone on her side.

Her battle with depression behind her, Elisa Cahill looks forward to resuming her legal career. Devin’s case seems like the perfect opportunity to do that, and bury her own past demons in the process, at least if old grudges don’t prove to be her undoing.

Child protection worker Taylor Ross struggles to balance a social life with her demanding job and has little sympathy for people like Devin, at least at first. When Taylor starts to see Devin in a new light, she finds herself at odds with her superiors. Will she be willing to go to bat for Devin, and what price will she pay if she does?

Sarah Canfield is a compassionate judge who is not afraid to make difficult decisions, but will her past link to Devin undermine her objectivity and cause her to put her own family at risk?

A look inside the child welfare system, the people who work in it and the lives it impacts, Aggravated Circumstances is a story of despair, hope and recovery.
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Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
Sixth South
When the things she holds closest are suddenly threatened, Kelsey needs her best friend more than ever. But can Joni be there for her, or will her discovery of a shocking secret force her to choose between their friendship and her marriage? After fleeing an abusive past, Megan looks forward to a new future, but suddenly finds herself at risk of being a victim again. Their recently widowed friend and colleague, Olivia, wants to help them through the tough times with a freshly baked dessert, but when a surprise gift prompts her try online dating, she finds herself embarking on an adventure she never expected. A story about friendship, relationships, trust, betrayal, letting go of the past and facing the future, this will be a year like no other for the women of Sixth South.
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Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble
After Ten
Four women, once best friends, have not spoken to each other in ten years. A drunken, decade old promise and a class reunion will bring them together again.

For Jordan, her lofty dreams now a distant memory and her life at a crossroads, a reunion with her one-time friends offers a chance to make amends and start anew, but only if she can avoid falling back into self-destructive habits.

After years of struggling with her identity, Sarah has found personal and professional contentment. Will she finally have the courage to reveal the secret she hid from her friends?

Beth thought she was on the verge of having at all, but after a personal crisis now risks losing it all. In order to face her future, she must first find a way to face the past.

Tracey is still searching for happiness and approval. Will she find what she is looking for at the reunion, or leave stronger because she doesn't? A story of forgiveness, acceptance, the bonds of friendship and the age old question of whether you can go home again.
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Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Smashwords
Author Recommended by: Rachelle Ayala
Author Rachelle Ayala is an author, blogger and a member of the World Literary Café.
Check out Rachelle's Author's Spotlight.

D.P. (Derek) Prior - HBS Author's Spotlight

Today our blog puts the Spotlight on Author D.P. Prior. Derek is a best-selling Science Fiction & Fantasy Writer. He is noted for his Shader epic fantasy series, and the Chronicles of the Nameless Dwarf.

Author Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Health, Mind & Body

Website: D.P. Prior
Author's Blog: D.P. Prior Blog
Blog: Google +
Twitter: @derekpprior
E-Mail: derekprior [at] yahoo [dot] co [dot] uk
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest


Author Description:
I was born in the South East of England in the late sixties, just in time to get a good sniff at the Summer of Love.

I spent most of my childhood immersed in fantasy and SF novels as well as Marvel comics. I also had an unhealthy obsession with D&D and was, for a long time, a member of the rather dodgy wargaming society at the Archery recreation ground.

After studying theatre at Lewes I did a season as Father Christmas, worked as a lighting and sound technician, and then trained for three years to be a Mental Health Nurse. I started in one of the Victorian asylums but ended up at the University of Sussex.

Once qualifying, I was immediately off to Aberystwyth to study for a BA in Drama. I also studied Classics and Medieval History and ended up specializing in Acting and Intercultural Theatre.

I gained twenty years of varied experience in mental health, working in acute services, crisis resolution, management of violence and aggression, and eating disorders. This was interspersed with a five month postulancy with the Carmelite Order in Melbourne and further studies at the University of Notre Dame in Western Australia.


SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author

What do you have on the drawing board next? Can you tell us the timeline for its release and give us a little tease?

I'm currently about a third of the way through a total redraft of Shader book 3, The Unweaving. This has been on the cards for nearly three years, but now I've completed the Nameless Dwarf I'm finally able to dedicate my full attention to it. I hope to have it ready for release by the end of the summer. That will bring to an end the first Shader trilogy. A single volume of the trilogy will be released shortly after The Unweaving. This will contain brand new illustrations by Patrick Stacey and a great new cover by Anton Kokarev. The first book of the second trilogy is already mostly complete in first draft. This is titled The Archon's Assassin and brings Shadrak the Unseen into sharper focus. It should be ready for release by the autumn. If all goes to plan, I then hope to release a novella-length Shader prequel called The Seventh Horse in December -- this deals with a major battle in the Templum's war against the undead armies of the Liche Lord.

Even more exciting is the news that Anton Kokarev is working on a Nameless Dwarf comic. He's still reading all five books in Russian at the moment, but I'm dying to see his first sketches.



How important have your social media relationships been? Do you see a carry over to your writing success?

I belong to a few groups where writers share information on all aspects of self-publishing, particularly promotion. From time to time I run into people via social networking and we are able to help each other out. I've found a couple of artists this way, as well as cover designers and formatters. I don't have a very large social media platform. Quite simply, I don't want anything to eat into my writing time to the extent that I fear it could. I get a fair few page views on my blog, which provides a nice landing site for anyone curious about what I do, and other writers often connect with me via Goodreads or Kboards, which is always a good thing. I think it's important for writers to have a presence on social media sites, but not to do too much shouting.

Do you do book signings, interviews, speaking and personal appearances? If so, when and where is the next place where your readers can see you? Where can they keep up with your personal contacts online?

The only book signings I do are for giveaways that are hosted online. I've been invited to a couple of conventions over the past few years but I've yet to show up to any of them! It's certainly something I'd like to do in the near future.

You have great covers. They carry a theme and your brand with them. How does your book cover creation process work? Do you hand over the basic theme or do you have more of a hands-on approach? Do you get your readers involved in its development?

I work with two cover artists, mostly. I start with a basic idea -- a scene or a character that is central to the story. I usually get three or four basic compositions back and then enlist the help of my family to pick the one we think works best. Once the final painting is in, I send it on to a wonderful designer who does several mock ups. We tinker with these for a while until we get something that works well -- particularly as a thumbnail.

You have done a book trailer. (See link below.) Do you know how much impact they have had on your book’s success? Tell us about the process that you used to create your trailers? They look very professional. The trailer features the song "Departure Lounge" written by you. Are you the singer?

I've only made one book trailer, and at the time I didn't have a clue what I was doing. My son and I simply put together some still photographs using a basic editing program and then added the soundtrack. He's since developed some pretty impressive film-making skills, including 3D modeling and Adobe After Effects. We've been talking about making a short Nameless Dwarf film or trailer for some time, and about a year ago we made a few experimental Shader clips. I don't think my Thanatos Rising trailer has had much impact on sales, but a special-effects laden Nameless Dwarf short might work wonders. We'll have to see what the future brings.

Departure Lounge is a song I wrote in 1998. I've written close to a hundred songs and recorded dozens of them. Back in the early 90s I fronted a band called Sergeant Sunshine. When we split (somewhat acrimoniously) I performed in duos and as a solo artist for years. These days I play mostly acoustic guitar and seldom write songs (I did write something for my daughter Cordelia last year, but that's about it). My guitar still travels everywhere with me. When I moved from the UK to the US I traveled by sea for two weeks and Ol' Mr Spud (my Martin D41 acoustic guitar) was with me all the way.

What kinds of writer support groups do you belong too? Do they help with the writing, marketing and the publishing process?

I used to dip in and out of Kboards a fair bit, but it's rare for me to use forums these days. I get a lot of help and support from a small Facebook group run by some pretty successful authors, and I'm in regular email contact with a couple of writers and editors. In terms of feedback, I tend to get that from my wife (who's not only an intellectual match for the Mekon, but she's also a writer of crime fiction), but I'll occasionally query Harry Dewulf of Denswords if I need a fresh pair of eyes.

Between your book writing, blogging, marketing, editing, family and all the other things that can get in your way, how do you manage your time? Do you have a set schedule or do your sort of play it by ear?

My schedule has got a lot easier since Cordelia (one-year old) started day care. Before that, I had to get up at 5 AM to write, and editing would have to wait for those brief periods in which she took a nap. Currently, I still get up early, make breakfast for everyone, get Cordelia ready for day care, and then go to Mass. My working day always starts with reading over what I'd written the day before and then continuing with the current draft while I've still got the energy and drive. I don't normally spend more than a couple of hours on first drafting as it's mentally exhausting. I then take a break -- go for a walk, play some guitar or whatever, and then spend most of the afternoon editing (often other people's work, but when I'm finished with a first draft, it'll be my own work). I try to keep evenings free, but if I have a lot of work on I do sometimes work into the night.

What has been your experience in giving your books away free? Have you been involved in any other type of giveaways and how did that work out? What was your main goal in doing this? Did you run into any obstacles?

When it first started, KDP Select brought a surge of sales at the end of a freebie run. That soon dried up, however, so I no longer use the program. I have mixed feelings about free books. I'm all for having thousands of new readers, but how many people actually read free books? I've picked up a few reviews from freebies, but not much else. I prefer time-limited discounts, but only if I can get a big site to pick them up. I still use a number of smaller sites from time to time, just to get the brand out there and build some confidence in it, but generally there are only a handful of sites that make any real difference at this point in time.

I noticed in my research, you have published a map of your fantasy kingdom. Does this help you manage your plots, characters and timelines to keep your stories going? Do you use any software to keep track of your books?

I have three maps of my fantasy worlds in all. They help very much with keeping the sense of real world geography. This lends to an epic feel, rather than simply having the action jump between one location and the next without any sense of a journey. I sometimes get ideas for new stories simply by looking at the maps and focusing on a particular town or region. They map of Aethir has been through several iterations. It began life as a rough sketch. My son (then 8 years old) improved upon it a couple of times, and finally I commissioned Jared Blando to draw the polished version. I don't use software to track my books, but I do have heaps of notebooks and a massive timeline detailing the chief events in my universe over the span of thousands of years. That is a lifesaver when I'm working on the Shader books as there are some very long-lived characters in the series, as well as events from the remote past that have a serious bearing on the present.

It's rare that the maps serve to keep the plot going. I tend to use a loose outline and then see where the characters take things. I did use the map approach a bit more with Bane of the Liche Lord. For the latter part of the book I took an idea from Steven Spielberg's approach to the screenplay for the film Duel -- I drew a linear map of the course of the climactic "chase" sequence and plotted various incidents along the way.

The larger world map came in handy once during an edit. I was glancing at the map whilst editing a journey sequence and realized that the character had gone in completely the wrong direction. None of the beta readers noticed, so I had time to re-write and pretend it never happened.

You publish under two names and several different genres. Does changing hats create any problems? Any tricks you can share with us? Which genre did you enjoy writing the most? Does moving from one to the other give you some breathing room?

I started publishing under Derek Prior but later changed to D.P. Prior on a whim. Some of the Derek Prior titles are non-fiction, so I may well stick with that if I write anything of that ilk in the future.

I write mostly fantasy because that's the genre I read most in my younger days. Fantasy, for me, is the platform for whatever I want to explore about relationships, philosophy, religion, human nature etc. Thanatos Rising was a bit different -- I guess it's some sort of dark urban fantasy/horror. It was a purely experimental piece with a lot of stream of consciousness writing.

I've got plans on the back boiler to completely reboot that series using a much more recognisable style. I think that's important as the world of Thanatos is actually referenced in my Nameless Dwarf and Shader books, and there's a planned Shadrak novel in which he travels to Thanatos.

Does being from the UK present any unique selling and marketing situations? Where is your biggest audience? How is your audience abroad?

I am no longer in the UK (muah, muah, muah). I actually found the UK market to be rather slow compared with the US. My UK sales tend to be about 1/10th of my US sales. I seem to sell reasonably in Australia, and I get a trickle of sales from Canada and Germany, but it's the US that has been kindest to me (which prompted me to render all the Nameless Dwarf books in US English (the Shader books will be following suit this year). I'm now living out in the country in Florida, which is the perfect environment for writing.



Author's Book List
The Nameless Dwarf - The Complete Chronicles
The dwarves have gone! Thousands have been slaughtered in the blood-drenched streets of their ravine city by a demonic axe in the hands of one of their own. The survivors have fled beyond the mountains, heading into a realm haunted by the nightmares of a twisted god. When Nils Fargin, son of an underworld boss, is hired to find them, he travels with his client to seek the advice of a lowlife mage. With what he learns, he should have asked for more money. The trail leads them to the domain of the terrifying Ant-Man, who is rumored to eat the flesh of anyone refusing to pay his toll. And as if that wasn’t enough, it turns out Nils’s client is none other than the Nameless Dwarf, better known to his kind as the Ravine Butcher. The Nameless Dwarf is an epic tale of remorse and redemption that pits a whiskerless thief, a guilt-driven assassin, a consumptive wizard, and an amnesiac dwarf against the worst imaginings of a craven mind. But the companions bring troubles of their own, not least of which is an ancient grimoire that leads them inexorably towards a forest of tar and an evil that threatens the existence of an entire race. The last hope of the dwarves comes from the unlikeliest of sources: a mythical city beneath the waves, an axe from the age of heroes, and the Nameless Dwarf, in whose veins flows the blood of legends. The Nameless Dwarf: The Complete Chronicles contains all five books of the Chronicles of the Nameless Dwarf: The Ant-Man of Malfen The Axe of the Dwarf Lords The Scout and the Serpent The Ebon Staff Bane of the Liche Lord
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Best Laid Plans
The reavers are swarming and this time their prey is the supreme ruler of the Templum, the Ipsissimus himself. With Shader dead and his piece of the Statue of Eingana in the hands of Shadrak the Unseen, the threat of the Unweaving of all Creation is one step nearer. Dr Cadman realizes he’s in too deep and there’s nothing for it but to go on the offensive. If he’s to survive the coming war for the statue, what better allies could he have than an army of the living dead? As Sektis Gandaw closes in and a clash of cultures threatens the land of Sahul, the philosopher Aristodeus still has ideas of his own that could decide the fate of all existence. But with the passage to the heavenly realm of Araboth covered by the Abyss, nothing is as it should be. Aristodeus knows that even Shader’s death can be turned to his advantage; after all, it’s a long game, and he holds all the cards. But even the best laid plans … Best Laid Plans is Book 2 of the epic Shader series by D.P. Prior.
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Cadman's Gambit - Book 1 of the SHADER series
Book 1 of the SHADER series. Dr Ernst Cadman has led a quiet life, but that’s how he’s wanted it all these hundreds of years. With a secret like his, anonymity and caution are the best friends a man can have. Nothing could tempt him from the safety of his parasitic existence at the heart of the city of Sarum—at least nothing this side of the Abyss. Cadman stakes everything on obtaining the artefact that once destroyed an entire civilization, but in so doing he draws the gaze of a sinister presence from beyond the stars. Meanwhile, Deacon Shader, veteran of the war against the undead armies of the Liche Lord, has one last fight in him. This time it’s just a tournament, with the prize a sword steeped in myth. Win or lose, Shader intends to defy his Templum master and retire to the Abbey of Pardes. When a horror from the past wrecks Shader’s monastic dream and leads him to plague torn Sarum, he finds an ancient power unleashed that imperils more than he could possibly imagine—a power now in the hands of Dr Cadman. Gods tremble, and worlds will fall unless Shader can conquer his personal demons and accept the fate he’s been prepared for since birth.
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The Ant-Man of Malfen - The Chronicles of the Nameless Dwarf (First Chronicle)
Some names are best forgotten ... The Nameless Dwarf follows the trail of the last of his race to the mountains bordering Qlippoth, a wasteland born from the dreams of a craven god. But the survival of the dwarves depends on his willingness to confront the bloody deeds of his past, and the ruler of the brigand town of Malfen, who guards the pass into Qlippoth—an aberration known as the Ant-Man. The Chronicles of the Nameless Dwarf are a blend of Sword and Sorcery and contemporary fantasy, combining strange worlds, dark magic, heroic action and an astonishing depth of world building. The Ant-Man of Malfen reintroduces the Nameless Dwarf from the acclaimed SHADER series by D.P. Prior. Nameless is a manic-depressive pariah whose past is littered with atrocities. Possessing an almost elemental ferocity and a gift for violence, Nameless alternates between bouts of crippling depression and boisterous episodes of elation, which are usually brought on by the prospect of a good fight; and he has an eye for the women - particularly those under four feet tall. This story also introduces Silas Thrall, a student of the mantic arts with a dark secret that consumes more each day; and Nils Fargin, son of the most feared guildmaster in New Jerusalem.
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Thanatos Rising - The Memoirs of Harry Chesterton: Part I
Too dark for science and too evil for theology, but some secrets refuse to stay hidden. Postgraduate student Harry Chesterton uncovers a trail of dark science that leads to the old monastery above the Welsh town of Aberystwyth. With bodies beneath the cafe, residents oozing puss from puncture marks on their necks, and the disappearance of the University Chaplain, Chesterton's research into post-mortem consciousness is about to leap off the page. The Memoirs of Harry Chesterton were found by the author in an attic flat in Eastbourne along with Chesterton's final letter before crossing over into the world of Thanatos. Thanatos Rising constitutes the first volume of memoirs which recounts Chesterton's perilous investigations in Aberystwyth up until the time of his first disappearance.
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Book Trailer: Thanatos Rising
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The Resurrection of Deacon Shader
"The Resurrection of Deacon Shader" was the original novel that paved the way for Prior's SHADER series, and has now been replaced by Book 1, "Cadman's Gambit". The publisher therefore recommends you only buy "The Resurrection of Deacon Shader" as a curiosity, to see how the ideas for the SHADER series developed. You are encouraged to leap straight into the story as told in "Cadman's Gambit". Plague strikes at the heart of Sarum and flesh-eating mawgs have been seen in the sewers. As Governor Gen struggles to save the populace, the Abbey of Pardes is attacked by an army of undead and a piece of the legendary Sun Stone is stolen from the Grey Abbot. The holy knight, Deacon Shader, is sent to the plague-city to retrieve it, but he is a man with conflicts of his own, and a destiny that will test his faith to the limits. If Shader should fail, the Sun Stone will fall into the hands of a being from the mists of pre-history who will harness its power to unweave all of Creation. "Rich and varied, touching, maddening, and addicting. Elegant, polished, and believable characters in an amazing world." Archelle Baker (eBook Alchemy) "Ever-widening in its scope - fearless in its telling. I cannot help but be reminded of Stephen King's The Dark Tower series, not just in the interweaving of time epochs and worlds but also in the author's sheer fearlessness. From earth to heaven to alternate worlds, the story is unrelenting in its incredible vision." David Dalglish (author of "The Half-Orcs" series) "Complex and intriguing; intelligent and engaging; descriptive enough to invoke all senses. The style is a nice mix--fast-paced and contemporary, yet with classical prose and imagery to satisfy those of us who love the 'old masters'." C.S. Marks (author of "Elfhunter")
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Author Recommended by: M.R. Mathias
Author M.R. Mathias is an award-winning self-published Fantasy Writer. He is noted for his epic fantasy novels and his prolific social network marketing activity.
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