The Fruits of Low Expectations

The entire time I was working on the manuscript for my novel, From a Dead Sleep, I never once thought about the prospects of getting it published. I really didn't.

The truth is that there were times when I wasn't even convinced I would ever complete it. I wrote the majority of the book in what little spare time I had while working over 40 hours a week and helping my wife raise our young children. Thus, moving on to the publishing process was really the last thing on my mind.

For me, the act of writing a novel was primarily a personal challenge. It was something I could say I had done. It was a piece of work that I could one day hand to my kids and tell them something like, "Look at what your father wrote when you were young."

So when I finally finished the manuscript last summer, and felt quite good about the story I had created, the fruits of low expectations tasted particularly sweet. The possibility that a publisher might be interested in it suddenly entered my mind.

I began to actively research the publishing process, figuring out which publishers accepted unsolicited manuscripts, weighing whether or not I should seek out a literary agent, and even familiarizing myself with the process of self-publishing. What I learned was the same thing I'm sure many aspiring authors discover during their research: It's pretty tough to get your book published.

You come to realize that the overwhelming majority of publishers only accept manuscripts via agents, and that acquiring an agent can be nearly as hard as actually writing the book. You realize that independent publishers who do accept manuscripts directly from authors get swamped with the work of thousands of writers each year. It can take publishers up to a year to respond to you, even if it's just to let you know that they're not interested.

Needless to say, I wasn't feeling all that self-assured when I first started sending out my manuscript. I didn't let that get me down, however. I was in no hurry. I didn't require any assurances. I just told myself that if it happened, it happened... And if it didn't, it didn't. 

That's why the fruits of low expectations tasted sweet again when I heard back from BQB Publishing only about three weeks later, who let me know that they were interested in taking my book to print. It was so unexpected that I don't think the reality of it even sank in until I was actually talking to the owner of the company over the phone.

During that conversation, I remember one of the questions she asked me being, "What are your expectations for the success of the book?" I told her that quite frankly, I didn't have any expectations for it. And I really didn't. I planned to work hard in promoting it and doing everything I could to make it a success (which I'm doing now), but I had no grand notions of it becoming some runaway bestseller that took the world by storm. If it happens, it happens... And if it doesn't, it doesn't. 

Right now, only two months after the release of From a Dead Sleep, the fruits of low expectations that taste the sweetest are those of the people I know and have met, who have finished reading my book.

When a new author gets a book published, it's a safe bet that a good number of the initial purchases are from their friends and family. Thus, I wasn't surprised that those were the readers I heard back from first. And what I've found amusing is that a lot of these people clearly had pretty low expectations for the book, before opening it.

You see, prior to my announcement of the book, a good majority of my friends and family honestly had no idea I had been working on such a project. Many of them didn't even know that I had an interest in writing. Their only exposure to my written work was that of the comedic, Daly family Christmas letters I send out each year. Though those letters receive rave reviews, they've certainly never instilled confidence in anyone that I'm a serious writer. Thus, the news that I had put that skill to work in writing a book probably produced more than a few winces.

In fact, I know it did, because I've had a number of friends confide in me as much. Some of them have found the book so thoroughly enjoyable and impressive that they have, out of guilt, admitted to the low expectations they initially had, and have felt an urge to essentially apologize to me. Of course, no apologies are necessary. I get it. I wouldn't have taken myself seriously either.

That sort of reaction brings a smile to my face, because I know it's an honest critique. When I hear things like that, or when I hear people tell me that they finished my book in a single seating (it blows my mind how anyone can do that) or that they were up until four o'clock in the morning reading it, I know it's real.

And when someone I've never met reads the book and contacts me to tell me how it spoke to them, or that they related closely to one of the characters, that's an expectation I could have never have dreamed to have had.

I'm excited to see where my journey as an author will take me, but I'm also keeping my expectations in check. Because doing that makes the milestones all the more enjoyable.

Going Slightly Retro

The other day, I was telling someone about From A Dead Sleep, and I mentioned that the story takes place in the summer of 2001. She was fascinated by this, and asked if there was any historical significance to that time period in regard to the story.

The answer is yes, although it's more about my personal history than it is the plot of the book. I chose the era, in part, to help me more closely identify with the novel's protagonist, Sean Coleman.

Now, there really aren't all that many similarities between Coleman and myself, but there are some purposeful timeline parallels in relation to the very early 21st century. It was a time when I found myself at a bit of a crossroads. I wasn't sure if I was on the right path in life, and I really didn't even have a great sense of where I wanted to be. After graduating college and finding a decent job, I lived by myself for nearly five years in the same one-bedroom, basement apartment. Though I enjoyed the independence and lack of responsibility, time often moved by very slowly.

New relationships were hard to come by, and old friends were all moving away or getting married off. When you watch the people you know seemingly enter new, exciting chapters of their lives, while you feel as though you're stuck firmly in neutral, loneliness and monotony can really weigh you down. You think about ways - even silly ways - to get people to take notice of you, and see that you have something to offer - something beyond their expectations.

That's the picture I wanted to paint of Sean Coleman: A lonely man who feels as though life has passed him by. He's someone who yearns to redeem himself, but he can't find the will or the way to do it.

For Coleman, that struggle has embittered him and it slowly deteriorates his self-confidence. So, when a deadly mystery unfolds before his eyes, and no one believes his account of the event he witnessed, Sean finds himself at his own crossroads. He can either crawl back into the continuance of his life with his head held low, or he can build the strength to act beyond himself and push forward to get to the bottom of the mystery, searching for personal redemption along the way.

I also liked the idea of using the aforementioned time period, because I wanted to write a story that wasn't facilitated by today's technology. For example, in 2001, cellphones were very much around, but not everyone owned one. They also didn't come with the kind of goodies today's smartphones have (like GPS and Internet access). Cell coverage wasn't nearly as widespread back then either, especially in the mountains where much of the story takes place.

I wanted to throw several technological hurdles (along with non-technological ones) at the characters that wouldn't exist so much in the year 2013, while delivering a story that still takes place in the modern era. Placing the story before 9/11 also gave me some leeway to do some things I probably wouldn't have been able to pull off (with believability anyway) if I was writing it for the current day. I'll let you guess as to what that's all about.

On a less intensive note, readers can expect to find some humorous cultural references from the period as well, including that of the razor-close presidential election of 2000, and the mention of movies and television shows that were big at that time.

From A Dead Sleep is currently available for pre-order. Its release date is June 25th, 2013. Click here for details.

The Bit Players Have a Story to Tell As Well

Months ago, when I first heard from my publisher's acquisitions manager that there was interest in publishing From A Dead Sleep, she complimented me on taking the writer's risk of getting into the heads of multiple characters. She mentioned that such a thing wasn't an easy task.

Until that moment, I hadn't realized that I had taken a distinguishing approach in the development of my characters, but once I thought about it some more, I understood what she meant.

There are really three central characters in the book. I introduced and developed them in a way in which I believe the reader will feel as if they know them on a personal level. I felt compelled, however, not just to create an intimate understanding of those three, but also of several smaller characters whose contribution to the story, in some cases, is limited to a single chapter.

In saying that, I'm not talking about the inclusion of a ton of background information on these characters, but rather a detailing of the thoughts that are dancing through their minds in reaction to the events that they find themselves caught up in.

I think I subconsciously went that route because I've always been drawn to the types of stories that really delve into characters' consciences, and not just their personalities and the conflicts they face.

One of my favorite film directors is Terrence Malick. I've always marveled at his gift for verbalizing his characters' intimate thoughts to the viewing audience in a way that goes far beyond spoken dialogue and body language. As evidenced particularly in his masterpiece, The Thin Red Line, he doesn't limit this approach to the main characters, but also spreads it to the bit players.

I suppose that's the same concept I ran with in my book, in a literary sense that is. However, I don't presume to place myself in Malick's league.

What I'm confident about, now, is that I've offered a differentiating style in the development of my characters - one I believe readers will find both appealing and refreshing.

The Queasiness of Self-Promotion

I've had a few friends jokingly ask me if I'm nervous that the novel won't do well. When that happens, I like to turn into Joe Pesci's character from Good Fellas and press them to explain what they meant: "Why wouldn't it do well? Are you saying I wrote a crappy book?" Fortunately, my friends know not to take me seriously.

The honest answer is that I'm not nervous about that at all. For whatever reason, the book's commercial success just isn't something I worry about all that much. What does make me nervous, however, is the part I'll be playing in promoting my novel to others.

I'm not talking about the managing of my website or social-media marketing. That stuff is easy. It's the upcoming book signings, fairs, and actually describing my book to potential buyers that I fear the awkwardness of.

I certainly believe in the product. That's not the problem. I've worked long and hard on it, and am proud of the end result. I'm confident readers will enjoy it. I'm just not a great salesman, and never really have been.

I've spent a lot of time working closely with salespeople, and have marveled at their abilities to draw in an intrigued party, work their magic, and seal the deal. I, on the other hand, have always been more of a behind-the-scenes guy, and comfortable in that position.

The first time I spoke to my publisher's marketing manager, we had a really great conversation about all of the things I'll be doing as an author to promote the book. The meeting was very helpful. She then asked me to try and sell the book to her - a thirty-second pitch that would make her want to buy it.

This caught me completely off-guard. I tried, but what came out of my mouth sounded like a garbled, nearly incoherent summary of the first couple of chapters of my book. Too many needless details, no elements of suspense or intrigue... It was really pretty bad.

"Well, we'll work on that," she said assuredly. And I know we will.

The good thing is that I've got plenty of time to get my act together. The book won't be available until the summer, so between now and then, I'm sure I'll become more comfortable with the art of self-promotion.

On the other end of the spectrum, I don't want to come across like "Needle Nose Ned" Ryerson from the movie, Groundhog Day. You know, the guy who kept walking up to Bill Murray on a street corner and pestering him to buy life insurance. Though I would love Ned's confidence, I'd rather stay on the right side of the line between a good sales presentation and repellant nagging.

Beyond all of that, I'm excited about the marketing materials I'll be receiving... especially the bookmarks. I like the idea of bookmarks, because I'm pretty sure that no one has ever turned down a free one. I've conducted no studies to support this claim, but I certainly can't remember ever passing on one myself, and I don't even use them. I dog-ear my pages, which seems to annoy my wife.

Cross-promotion is another intriguing idea. It's something I hadn't considered until the marketing manager brought it up. The concept is to find elements within the book that could work in conjunction with the marketing of outside products or services. I'm vowing to put some real thought into this, because I'm convinced there's an angle I can take advantage of. I just haven't identified that angle yet.

Interesting times ahead.

What Compelled Me To Write a Book

When I was a student in school, I distinctively remember my mother telling me on more than one occasion that English just wasn't my strong suit. No, I'm not talking about the English language, but rather grammar and composition. I assume that the grades I received in English classes back then supported that assertion, but to be honest, I don't recall.

I do know that I was pretty decent at math, and that is what ultimately led me to pursuing a degree in Business with an emphasis in computer information systems. I've worked in the world of computer programming for sixteen years now. Though there are many things I enjoy about the field, I'm not sure I'd call it a personal passion.

Writing, however, has become a passion for me in recent years, and the story of how that came to be is kind of an odd one. I think I probably owe it to a comedian named Joel McHale and a retired, professional football player named Tim Green.

You see, before I could develop an affection for writing, I had to first find an affection for reading. The strange truth is that I really wasn't even much of a pleasure reader until about seven years ago. Sure, I dabbled with the occasional biography, but I didn't have much interest in fiction and literary storytelling. A couple of media events, that seemed completely insignificant at the time, changed all of that...

My wife and I used to watch a television show called The Soup on the E! Entertainment channel. It was (and still is) hosted by comedian Joel McHale who now stars in the NBC sitcom, Community. The format of the show is essentially McHale poking fun at humorous television moments that spanned the past week. Back in 2005, one of McHale's favorite targets was Tim Green, the host of the tabloid news show, A Current Affair. Green didn't fit the mold of your typical television show host. He came across as overly stiff and uncomfortable in the role. McHale took great delight in airing clips of Green's robotic reading of teleprompter dialogue and his insincere laughter in reaction to story content. He teased Green mercilessly.

About a month after I began seeing Green featured regularly on The Soup, I was channel-surfing one night and stumbled upon a cable news show, right in the middle of an interview segment with him. This time, Green wasn't the guy conducting the interview. He was the one being interviewed. The topic of discussion was a novel of his that had just been released. The perception I had of him was that of a less-than-articulate jock, so I was stunned to learn that he was an author. I was even more surprised to find out from the interview that he was, in fact, a New York Times  Best-Selling author with numerous successful books under his belt.

I was so intrigued by this discovery that I went over to Amazon.com to preview the first few pages of the book he was promoting, entitled Exact Revenge. It was a modern day retelling of The Count of Monte Cristo, and from what I read, it was really, really good. I soon bought the novel (which goes to show you that people are right when they say there's no such thing as bad publicity), and thoroughly enjoyed it. I marveled at Green's narrative voice and the way he developed his characters and settings with immaculate attention to detail. I became an instant fan and have since read all of his Adult Fiction work.

From a inspirational standpoint, Green's work let me discover something I had been missing most of my life: An appreciation for literary art. I've since opened my eyes to the work of numerous other fiction authors and various styles of storytelling, and their impact motivated me to begin writing my own novel.

A great deal of motivation also came from the birth of my first child. When I became a new parent, I found an unexpected, almost instinctive urge to leave some kind of legacy behind for my children. I know that simply being a good father is the most important thing I could give them, but I also felt compelled to create something that would demonstrate to them that hard work and dedication does pay off. I suppose that's a lesson I taught myself as well.

For me, writing has become a way of channeling what I would call a knack for observation. People and the things they do have always fascinated me. Throughout my whole life, I've taken notice of the strangers who are walking by me in stores or gathered around me in crowds. Some call it "people watching." Whatever it is, I'm fascinated by how individuals conduct themselves and react to different situations. There are a lot of real-life characters in the world with different experiences and motivations in life. It's been fun to take some of the interesting people I've observed or come to know, and funnel some of their personality traits and mannerisms into the characters I've created on paper.

From a Dead Sleep actually isn't the first novel I've attempted. It's the second one. My first manuscript was a completely different story that was somewhat inspired by a strenuous road-trip to California that I took back in college with a group of friends. I got about 130 pages into it before I realized that I just wasn't satisfied with what it had become. I had created too many consequential characters that I was worried the reader would have trouble keeping up with. I also felt the pace of the story was too slow and kind of wandering. I shelved the project and will most likely never return to it, but it was absolutely not a waste of time. I learned a lot from it. It gave me experience working on developing characters, and it taught me the importance of laying out a solid story in my mind before getting started.

I couldn't be happier with the work I've done on From a Dead Sleep, and I've proven a lot to myself in the process. I can't wait for it to be released so I can share it with others. Once I had finished writing the book a few months ago, I contacted Tim Green to ask for any advice he could give me in getting it published. Proving that he's a class act, he got back to me with some good information and pointed me in the right direction. That's two I now owe him.

I'm currently working on my next novel, and am very happy with it so far. I intend to continue my pursuit of writing, in one form or another, for many years to come.

Wait a Minute... You Wrote a Book???

I've been getting this kind of reaction from friends and family over the past few weeks, and it's perfectly understandable. After all, up until recently, I'd really only mentioned my years-long project to a handful of individuals. I think my wife actually discussed it with more people than I did, and I'm guessing that most of them hadn't a clue that I even had an interest in writing.

Well, I do... and I did write a book. It took a lot of work and dedication, but I completed it this summer. I began submitting my manuscript to publishers shortly thereafter, and a few weeks later, I was delighted to hear back from one that was interested in getting my work to market. It's a mystery novel entitled "From A Dead Sleep", and I'm excited for people to read it.

It's been a very fascinating process. Right now, I'm working with an editor on refining my book, while a graphic artist is working on ideas for the cover. The book should be available for pre-order around March, and should be released in June. It's still hard for me to believe that my work will be sold in stores across the country, as well as online and in eBook format.

Over the next few months, I'll be updating this blog and detailing my experiences in my new role as an author. I'll also be describing some of the things that inspired me to write the book, as well as the challenges I faced in getting it done.

I hope you'll check back in from time to time, and let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Thank you.

, John