Author Genre: medical thrillers
Twitter: @DassoEdwin
E-Mail: jackblackcloud2@hotmail.com
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Amazon Author Profile
Author Description:
Edwin Dasso, MD, an Amazon #1 Best-Selling medical thriller author, writes works of fiction that leverage many of his "stranger than fiction" experiences from years of practice at major medical centers and community hospitals.
"You might be shocked at some of the events in the books that are based on an actual experience."
His "Jack Bass Black Cloud Chronicles" series has been developed into a TV series, "Jack Bass, MD," which is actively being discussed around Hollywood. Network feedback has been very positive.
Fiction writing is reviving a lost love from earlier periods in his life where he enjoyed writing short stories.
In addition to a number of years as a practicing anesthesiologist and critical care specialist, he has published articles in national healthcare journals, written many "Ask the Doctor" columns and has spoken frequently at national healthcare forums. He has also been instrumental in designing and deploying population health programs to help people deal with depression related to poor health.
SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author
Let’s start with what’s next. Do we have another novel from the Jack Bass Black Cloud Chronicles series coming? Can you tell us the timeline for its release and give us a little tease?
The next installment is called "Death Hub." Book #7 of the series. Jack Bass, MD, discovers that new medical technology can work wonders...if it doesn't kill you first. Jack is working feverishly with two of his favorite past students to figure out what is behind the chaos of medical technology gone crazy. Then stop it. But, is it a bigger issue than anything they could have imagined? Some might think this story borders on science fiction but, I assure you, it's nearer than most would imagine.
You have a good following on twitter. Since you started before the social media buzz, what impact has social media relationships had on your current success? How did you build your following in your niche?
Honestly, I just try to interact and be entertaining on social media. I think people appreciate genuine and have engaged well. As you know, i t can be challenging to keep up w/ it all but I try to respond ina personal fashion to all but it is a great way to reach a broad audience.
Do you do any 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?
Haven't done any signings for a while. I just retired last year and had barely had time to write so I've focused on ebooks. Check out my contact information to find me online or just email me.
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 usually have a general theme in mind but I like to turn the creativity over to the cover designer - they always outdo my expectations. My designer, Melinda DeRoss, does a great job at getting the covers to represent the theme of the book. I absolutely try to involve readers. I may have several versions of covers and will ask readers for opinions or to pick a favorite.
What is your primary genre? What has been your best marketing approach to this group?
My genre is medical action/thriller. I've often seen advice to writers to "write what you know" so that's what I do. There's so many storyline directions to go in this genre that I don't see stepping out of it anytime soon. I do try to mix it up a little bit within the genre but still keep it believable. I always like readers to feel like a story could be them today, tomorrow...immerse them in a believable environment. I think my best marketing results have been to find the readers who like my stories and characters. I get a lot of comments from readers who say they really like my main character, Jack Bass, MD, though several have said, "he's not like any doc I've ever met!" (that's just what I want to hear!)
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 have a mixed opinion about free book deals. On the one hand, it seems to be what much of the public wants. On the other hand, I don't know that it's really all that effective as a marketing approach. I once got a response from someone when I was doing a 99 cents promo who said, "I've gotten 10,000 books for free but I'll pay 99 cents for this one." I often wonder how many free books are actually read. Thank goodness for KENP! I usually do giveaways just to get some visibility and, hopefully, read-through to subsequent books. I haven't run into any obstacles but certainly have had mixed results.
Do you maintain a reader list? What are the methods you use to find your readers and create the list and the relationship? Do you use social media, forums, newsletters and/or support groups to build your list?
I do have a reader list, though I'd say it's a WIP. I typically find subscribers through various promotions.
It must be a thrill to see your series, "Jack Bass, MD," being actively discussed for a TV series. Can you tell us how that opportunity came about? How much input did you have in the screenplay and the making of the movie?
It is a thrill - albeit an unexpected one. It was a word-of-mouth process. A promoter I was working with liked it and referred it to a scriptwriter who referred it to a producer and they decided to pursue it. I got to be very involved with writing the pilot script and season 1 arc. I had no experience with screenwriting but they were a very easy group to work with. Usually, the screenwriters would draft something based on my book they were following then run it by me. I never felt excluded, at all. It was very fun and interesting experience and I love the pilot script. I just hope we can get a network to pick it up. We've gotten very positive feedback to date and it continues to work its way through the decision-making process.
What is your method of getting reviews for your novels? Do you seek professional reviews, use social media or do you rely on your reading audience to supply them?
Reviews have become a real challenge for me. Seems like your "routine" readers just aren't doing them much anymore. I've gotten a number from a core of readers but they've all done reviews of several of my books at this point so they've been exhausted as a source of reviews. I haven't pursued professional reviews because I like them to be more organic but I think I'm going to have to alter my strategy.
I like the idea of Author bundles. You are a part of a novel collection called Do No Harm: Seventeen Medical Thrillers with other authors. What a great group of outstanding people. (Many have been interviewed on this blog). What was your main objective in bundling your works with other authors? What blogging, newsletter and social media promotions have you done to promote Do No Harm?
They are a great bunch of authors! My main goal was to put together a good set of interesting medical thrillers that readers will enjoy. Secondarily, the ability for authors to all cross promote and have the readers of 17 authors as a fan base vs. just one author was very appealing. And, of course, we all agreed to support a couple of very worthy charities, Operation Renewed Hope Foundation and AniCira. The charities of housing homeless Veterans and supporting a no-kill animal shelter were a perfect fit for this box set! All authors was great about chipping in and promoting to their reader groups on FB, BookBub, Twitter, Amazon, author blogs, etc. as well as author newsletters. We've also done FB events and giveaways. Something must be working because Do No Harm has been a B&N bestseller for a couple of weeks and became an Amazon international bestseller on its second day of pre-release.
Author's Book List
Do No Harm - Seventeen Medical Thrillers
DO NO HARM is an extraordinary, limited collection of medical thrillers written by USA Today, Wall Street Journal and Amazon best-selling authors!Do you crave reading books with nail-biting suspense, twisted plots and great characters who get caught up in whirlwinds of crime, deception and lies?
Do you love sitting on the edge of your seat, wondering who will survive...and who won't?
From the mountains of West Virginia, to acute care hospitals, the battlefields of the Middle East and the hallowed halls of our educational system, join us for these incredible stories of healthcare gone wrong.
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Amazon
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KOBO Store
iTunes Store
Death Hub
Jack Bass, MD, discovers that new medical technology can work wonders...if it doesn't kill you first. Jack is working feverishly with two of his favorite past students to figure out what is behind the chaos of medical technology gone crazy. Then stop it. But, is it a bigger issue than anything they could have imagined?
Empty Promises: A Jack Bass, MD Thriller
- Jack Bass Black Cloud Chronicles Book 6
Big pharma is buying all the politicians in Washington, D.C. that they need to be allowed to unleash their new, but deadly, super-narcotic on the American public. When Hank Green has a bad reaction to the drug in what turns out to be an illegal drug study, Jack Bass is forced to get involved to try to put a halt to the study. He discovers that veterans are being conned into enrolling in the same illegal drug study…and many are dying as a result. Jack is almost killed as he looks under the rocks of the political landscape, wondering just how widespread this conspiracy is. There are some turns in this story likely to shock some regular readers of Jack Bass books! Does Jack survive the lightning strikes from his black cloud this time?
Maybe.
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Amazon
Do I Know You?: A Jack Bass, MD, Thriller
- Jack Bass Black Cloud Chronicles Book 5
Jack was shot while rescuing homeless veterans from from an isolated slave camp. He was left clinically dead but was revived by a team of trauma surgeons. When he awakens he has significant, but spotty, amnesia. His friends and family take him abroad in an effort to help him recover but, true to form, Jack unwittingly stumbles into the middle of, and thwarts, a terrorist bombing plot. The terrorists are hell-bent on revenge! Jack fights to survive and protect his family, all while he struggles to even remember who he is.
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Amazon
You'll be Safe: A Jack Bass, MD, Thriller
- Jack Bass Black Cloud Chronicles Book 4
After the murder of his wife and unborn child, Jack Bass longs for death. In fact, he welcomes it. That is, until Amanda, his lovechild with Major Lori Darden, unexpectedly enters his life. Jack tries to shroud his new life with his daughter in privacy, determined that the events of his past should not threaten his daughter. But no matter how hard he tries, Jack cannot avoid trouble. It relentlessly pursues him.
Homeless Veterans Are Disappearing From The Streets
After being kidnapped and delivered to an isolated encampment, veterans are given a medication that makes even the most out-of-control psychotic captives turn into walking, order-taking, defenseless shells. They are used as slave labor, exploited then killed whenever the mood strikes their captors. Despite his best efforts to remain isolated from the world, Jack is faced with a choice between protecting himself and his daughter or helping to save these veterans who are being victimized for profit.
There Will Only Be One Man Left Standing after This Battle
Jack is again unwittingly thrust into a world of conspiracy and murder as he follows yet another trail of bodies. This time, Jack may have bit off more than he can chew. Will his new-found daughter become an orphan?
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Amazon
Death Management: A Jack Bass, MD, Thriller
- Jack Bass Black Cloud Chronicles Book 3
After narrowly escaping murder at the Southern Medical Center, Jack Bass, MD, and his new love, Janice, move to a new city to start their life together. Jack steers his career away from the hospital, taking a promising position at a small healthcare company that provides support and assistance to people with serious medical issues. However, he soon discovers things at the company are not as they should be – something sinister is occurring.
Medical suspense thriller that will keep you breathless.
Jack uncovers the deadly plan for profit lurking underneath the company’s innocent facade. Once again, Jack must uncover a ruthless web of plotters and connections in order to save the lives of innocent victims, including Janice and himself! Will he be able to neutralize the threat before it’s too late?
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Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Past Aghast: A Jack Bass, MD, Thriller
- Jack Bass Black Cloud Chronicles Book 2
Is He Is The Killer They Say He Is…Or Is He Being Framed?
Even Jack isn’t certain. While deployed to Iraq, Jack helplessly witnessed his true love, Major Lori Darden, RN, being ruthlessly murdered. Jack is left emotionally traumatized with severe PTSD and the Army forces him to retire. Jack’s PTSD flashbacks sometimes leave him unaware of his actions while under the influence of his unwelcome mental demon.
A must-read, dark psychological suspense thriller!
As the new Chairman of Anesthesia at Southern Medical Center, Jack thought he’d retired into the tame civilian job he’d dreamed of, but a series of bizarre murders and deaths have occurred at Southern Medical Center. Because of his mental health issues Jack becomes a person of interest and is swept into the investigation. But an anonymous tipster helps Jack understand there’s something much more sinister going on than what he’s become aware of. Can Jack figure out who his enemies are and why they’ve targeted him? Even if he does, can he survive long enough to stop them from killing more people, including him?
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Amazon
Barnes and Noble
In the Line of Ire: A Jack Bass, MD, Thriller
- Jack Bass Black Cloud Chronicles Book 1
"An action-packed medical suspense that kept one guessing..."
Major Jack Bass, MD is a mix of Lee Child's Jack Reacher and Marcus Welby. In the first book of the Jack Bass Black Cloud Chronicles series, In the Line of Ire, Jack finds himself the target of blazing hatred from his commanding officer who blames Jack for his own failings. The commander makes Jack a scapegoat of his malicious jealousy, and is intent on making Jack pay – with his life!.
Fighting for their lives, Jack and his new love – Major Lori Darden, RN - learn just how dangerous it can be to raise the ire of a psychopathic boss. Jack must fight back to prevent his world from turning to ash right before his very eyes.
"Forget G.I. Joe there is a new American hero and his name is Capt. Jack Bass!!!"
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Amazon
Stuffed: A Misty, Mark Medical Thriller
- You Can't Go Back Book 1
Drs. Misty Carrel and Mark Quinn seem to have a nose for crime – without even looking! Misty is a no-nonsense surgeon that you don’t ever want to tell, “you’re just a woman” or you may end up on the floor. Her husband, Mark, is an exceptionally insightful, if introspective and timid, ER doc. Murders of tourists to their city is skyrocketing. Misty and Mark grow suspicious when they notice all that carnage is flowing only through the dark morgue of their own hospital. Is it somehow related? Is there a psychopathic serial killer loose in their city…or, worse yet, in their hospital? When they start digging into their suspicions, it may turn out that they are only digging their own graves when a mob hitman puts them in his crosshairs!
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Amazon
Author Recommended by: HBSystems Publications
Publisher of ebooks, writing industry blogger and the sponsor of the following blogs:
Indie Author’s Corner and HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle
thank you, James, for the opportunity to be interviewed! It was a pleasure.
ReplyDeleteWay to go, Ed!
ReplyDeleteWonderful author info and medical thriller set!