Connor’s Gambit by Z. Gottlieb

9/27/2026

Connor’s Universe Book 1

Science fiction author Z. Gottlieb introduces us to her first novel, “Connor’s Gambit”:
Brad Johnson, a lone witness to a UFO sighting, becomes an alien target. Risking everything to save Earth, he must rely upon his training and streetwise skills to survive. While adjusting to his new life in space, Brad struggles to understand the bitter conflict between the aliens in an intergalactic war that has been waged for centuries.

Every day is a battle for survival, bringing him closer to the truth, as he learns one faction threatens Earth's security, while the other wants something entirely different. All Brad wants is to return home to his family, but not until he embarks on the greatest adventure of his life.

I really enjoyed "Connor's Gambit"! A nice twist on first-contact tales, a lot of fish-out-of-water aspects. The story evolves in nice bits and pieces that form a cohesive picture at the end. It kept me guessing quite a bit. The ending has several exciting wrap-ups for different plot threads. Great fun! I loved it! Great characters and wonderful plotting! This is a 5-star story!
I am picky about certain things and that aspect of the book gets four stars.

You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Connors-Gambit-Z-Gottlieb
https://www.goodreads.com/-connor-s-gambit
www.barnesandnoble.com/connors-gambit-z-gottlieb
https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/connor-s-gambit
https://www.smashwords.com/-connors-gambit
https://itunes.apple.com/connors-gambit
Podium Entertainment (Audiobook): https://podiumentertainment.com/titles/6436/connors-gambit (also available via Apple and Amazon)

You can connect with the author:
https://x.com/Z_Gottlieb
https://www.facebook.com/zee.gottlieb.3
https://www.instagram.com/zgottlieb9691

Copyright © 2026 Mark L. Schultz, except for the author’s introduction

53 Comments

Zee Gottlieb

9/28/2026 12:27:19 pm

Thank you for the review. I'm glad you enjoyed the adventure.

Mark

9/28/2026 01:05:56 pm

You're welcome, Zee! I enjoyed the story quite a bit. A nice blend of tropes. Fish out of water and first contact. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

First question.

Can you please tell us more about yourself? Perhaps something a little bit beyond your bio.

Zee Gottlieb link

9/28/2026 03:06:13 pm

My father was in the Air Force and was assigned to Japan twice and various places in the U.S. Because of his work, I went to a new school every year. That experience led me to join the Navy in 1979. From there, my first assignment after training was in Japan. My second assignment was in Washington, DC where I met my husband. While my traveling was curtailed, I was able to frequently change jobs and developed a wide variety of skills while in the Navy and also as a US Government employee. I worked up until 2020 when the pandemic hit and was not a fan of teleworking for myself. Fortunately, I was able to retire. From there I volunteered and worked on my second book. I have a wide variety of interests to include reading, writing, nutrition, exercising, travel and supporting a variety of community activities. I should also mention in addition, I raised two daughters with my husband and had a number of dogs and cats over the years.

Mark

9/28/2026 03:41:56 pm

We have some things in common. My father was in the Navy, and my stepdad was in the Air Force Reserve. I served in the Air National Guard for 8 years.

I grew up on small farms; we always had cats and dogs hanging around. We hatched and raised peacocks, ducks and chickens. The farm provided for a lot of our needs but it was never an income producer.

New questions.

Are you a full-time writer or a part-time writer and still in the working world?

What kind of work do you do if you are a part-time writer? Feel free to skip that question if you would rather not answer.

Zee Gottlieb link

9/28/2026 04:56:52 pm

I retired from the working world in 2020, the year of the pandemic. I volunteer in the community and am currently searching for a new volunteer gig.
I’m a part-time writer because I’m a nonlinear writer. Story ideas hit me various times and I sit down and write at those times.

Mark

9/28/2026 06:43:05 pm

I bet there are many volunteer opportunities in your area. That is a wonderful way to serve your community. I wish I had time to volunteer in a pet shelter. I love playing with dogs and cats.

There is nothing wrong with non-linear writing. There is no law stipulating that a book must be written from 'once upon a time' to 'the end'. A lot of writers have told me they write to find out how the story ends. I think writing the last chapter first is smart because then you have a clear target to aim for. I heard of one writer, like yourself, who would outline each chapter as he got it where he wanted it, more or less. It made finding some things much easier.

New questions.

What are your three favorite genres to read for pleasure?

Has writing changed the pleasure of reading for you?

Zee Gottlieb link

9/28/2026 10:59:47 pm

What are your three favorite genres to read for pleasure?
My favorite genres for reading are science fiction, paranormal/fantasy, and historical fiction. While those are my favorites, I also read everything else, horror, mystery, adventure, history, romance, …. etc. that crosses my path. I’m a big newspaper reader. I’m not interested in erotica, especially when there isn’t a story connected to erotica activity.

Has writing changed the pleasure of reading for you?
I love reading and I read several books a week. I can’t imagine anything ruining my enjoyment of reading. I’m fortunate that I have the time that I can read.

Mark

9/29/2026 10:21:30 am

Those are my top three favorite genres also. Though I don't connect paranormal with fantasy, but it is an interesting join or mashup.

I am with you about erotica, I am here for the story, not the physical. In fact, I don't read stories with a lot of violence and gore for mostly the same reasons.

You're one of the lucky ones. Many writers have told me they struggle with not analyzing the stories they read.

New questions.

Why do you write?

Do you also journal?

Zee Gottlieb link

9/29/2026 04:34:57 pm

Do you also journal?
I don’t journal. I wasn’t raised to journal and never saw the need because I remember a lot of things or at least thought I did. I do believe, though there have been times I should have journaled and documented a few situations, and my life would be easier. However, I wonder if it would have stifled my creativity.
Why do you write?
When people ask me this question, I answer, I write to get rid of the voices in my head. The truth is I don’t have aliens running around my head telling me what to do but I do have stories running through my head that I want to put down on paper. I’ve always had stories running though my head, but it’s only recently that I started to write them down. Because I’m a non-linear writer, the stories don’t always appear in my head from start to finish, but in pieces that over time come together and make sense for others to enjoy.

Mark

9/29/2026 06:34:33 pm

"I write to quiet the voices in my head." I have heard that, or a version of that, many times in these interviews. I think I have completed more than 200 interviews to date. There is nothing wrong with that reason. The stories deserve to be told and then live each time someone reads the story.

New questions.

How has writing changed your life?

Does your work, past or present, have any influence on your writing?

Zee Gottlieb link

9/29/2026 10:33:21 pm

How has writing changed your life?
Writing has not changed my life. I wasn’t sure so I asked my daughter if she thought writing changed my life. She looked at me funny and said, “no it’s just something you do.” Occasionally other authors will ask questions, and I try to help other writers with my experience. I believe no reader wants to read one book, one author, one genre, etc. When I help others, I hope it results in expanding the reading community. All writers should work towards helping each other to help grow the reading community. From the aspect that I try to help other writers, my life has changed.

Does your work, past or present, have any influence on your writing?
My past work absolutely plays into my writing. I was able to use some of my experience in the Navy when my protagonist joins an alien fleet. Also, occasionally I’ll have a boss or coworker say or do something that makes it into my writing. Including those incidents into my book has helped me write off the stress as I typed.
When I completed Connor’s Gambit, I needed to run the book through my agency’s lawyers to ensure I didn’t secretly include classified information. The lawyer was helpful in telling me to remove references that Disney might not like. That’s another example of how my writing was influenced by work. I needed to rewrite a small section. She stated she enjoyed reading the book and cleared the book adding nothing classified was revealed in my book.

Mark

9/30/2026 08:34:27 am

Brad's experiences of joining the alien fleet were quite authentic and fit the fish-out-of-water trope perfectly. His entire life was turned upside down. I think authors are great people watchers! So many report using snippets of conversations or small events in stories.

That was a nice review from the agency lawyer. Too bad it couldn't land on Amazon, or maybe it did because Connor's Gambit has 651 reviews as of this date. Congratulations on that.

New questions.

What did you believe about writing in the past that you now know is false?

How long did it take you to write and publish this book?

Zee Gottlieb link

9/30/2026 06:21:17 pm

What did you believe about writing in the past that you now know is false?
In the past, I believed a person writes a book and then the person was done. The reality is that writing a book is also the gathering of people to be your team to support your endeavors. First are your Beta readers who can give you an idea if there could be a future for your book. Good Beta readers will also provide directions on what your book needs. My first beta readers said put the book down for 6 months and come back to it. The second beta reader said, get an editor. I knew if I put the book down for 6 months, I’d never return to it, so I went looking for an editor. I have come to believe looking for the right editor is the search for the holy grail. I had several editors who did not want to work with my book. I’ve gotten the impression that editors don’t want to work with first-time writers. I paid dearly for the person I settled on only to realize I paid too much and the job was so so. The next part is to find someone to create a book cover. The book cover I use now is my second book cover. The artist who created my first book cover did not want to do any more book covers. I was lucky my daughter, who is a graphic artist, was able to update the cover for me. Finally, books need to be formatted. There are tools and people to format books. My first publishing I used people to format my book. Currently, I’ve learned to use a tool. Finally, I could publish my book. This year is the first year I am publishing a physical book. For aspiring writers, I tell them even if they will look for an agent to represent their book to publishers, the book needs to be in perfect shape to present to an agent and they will go through a similar process.

How long did it take you to write and publish this book?
From start to finish, it took about two and a half years to publish my book. Some of the time was spent waiting for people in my agency to read the book to give approval, and then the editing process took a while. The sequel is not taking as long, but I thought it was done and my husband stepped in to provide a second round of editing. What seems like a simple process, has quite the life of its own.

Mark

9/30/2026 06:33:08 pm

A lot of new writers have a similar misconception about writing a book. You gave a good description of the process every book should go through. A couple of drafts, maybe three then beta readers. Another draft or three then editing. Another draft or more to make the story as good as it can be. Before publishing, get a proofreader to polish that gem to a high shine. Format to match the platform requirements and create a cover for the book. Only the author can create the first draft, then the circle of trust must slowly grow.

It took two and a half years to write and publish your book. A steep learning curve was involved. The next books will be easier and come together quickly.

New questions.

Who was the first person to inspire you to write something to publish?

What inspired you to write this book?

Zee Gottlieb link

10/1/2026 09:00:58 am

Who was the first person to inspire you to write something to publish?
If I’m to credit someone for inspiring me to publish a book, it would be my mother. She had a wide variety of jobs over the years following my father’s career. For several years, she was a Librarian and loved to read. I was in my mid-twenties when my mother announced she was going to write a book. I asked her what type of a book, and she said she planned to write a porn book. I was taken aback by her answer but asked, does Dad know? She quickly responded he was going to help her with the research. My mother never wrote her book, but my sister said that my parents would be proud that I wrote a book. My mother did work in the nursery at the Henry Doorley Zoo and helped raise a gorilla and an orangutan. The orangutan was scary smart and is the model for the primate aliens.

What inspired you to write this book?
My agency moved from Arlington, Virginia to Fort Meade, Maryland. My commute went from 15 min to over an hour in the back of a van. I started writing on my iPad as a way to de-stress from the ride. When I started, I did not start with the intention of writing a book but rather distracting myself from the crazy drivers, especially the person driving my carpool.

Mark

10/1/2026 12:00:35 pm

Your mother is pretty funny! I can't picture my mom saying something like that. I can understand how shocking that would be! I am not sure whether it would have been funnier if she had written the book or not.

Crazy drivers? I used to be one of those. Age has convinced me that I am no longer invincible. Plus, living in Florida for a little more than 5 years has exposed me to far worse drivers! People come to central Florida from all over the world and they bring their driving habits with them. It is downright scary at times. It is no wonder that this area has some of the highest car insurance rates in America.

New questions.

Why did you choose this genre, or do you feel the genre chose you?

Will you keep writing in the genre or will you branch out?

Zee Gottlieb link

10/1/2026 07:38:39 pm

Why did you choose this genre, or do you feel the genre chose you?
Writing Science Fiction fits with my love for science and my love for stories in space. I can’t imagine humans being the only intelligent species. There must be others out there. Popular movies and shows such as Star Trek and Star Wars took the position that humans are not alone. Science fiction is the ultimate adventure story mixed with cultural exchange. Science fiction gives people the hope for a better future, even when all hell is surrounding them.

If it turns out that by some freak of nature humans are the only intelligent species in the universe, it’s scary how we treat each other and don’t work together to preserve our place in the universe.
Will you keep writing in the genre or will you branch out?

For now, I will be writing only science fiction, but an idea might pop into my head and I might attempt other genres.

Mark

10/1/2026 07:48:36 pm

It does seem odd that we haven't been contacted by other life forms. Perhaps we have a bad reputation in the galactic neighborhood. ;-)

New questions.

Does everyone in your family enjoy reading your writing?

Have you ever seen a UFO or UAP Unidentified Aerial Phenomena? For clarity, I don't want to meet most of the creatures flying the UFOs as they don't seem friendly.

Zee Gottlieb

10/1/2026 08:33:53 pm

Does everyone in your family enjoy reading your writing?
My husband, who is an avid reader and reads History books, biographies and autobiographies such as books written by Winston Churchill, enjoyed my book. My children who read fantasy could not get into my books. Oddly, I have friends who have enjoyed my books more.

Have you ever seen a UFO or UAP Unidentified Aerial Phenomena? For clarity, I don't want to meet most of the creatures flying UFOs as they don't seem friendly.
If I had seen a UFO or a UAP, I was not aware of it. Now that we’re on the subject, who came up with the idea of referring to UFOs as UAPs? Having worked in the government, I feel like it was someone’s attempt at putting their personal stamp on creating a change in the government. Sorry I’m off subject, but I had to get it out there.
There are two views of examining if aliens have been on this planet. The first one is aliens are here and engaging in alien abductions. There have been stories of people abducted and meeting aliens. But these incidents have not been verified, and officials believe their experiences are a product of false recall and false memories. The second is that the aliens are visiting us using mechanical devices such as drone robots. That would make sense since the barriers to space flight for biological beings seem to be insurmountable, even for short rides to Mars. Currently, trips to Mars are one way not because of fuel issues but the physical impact it will have on human body. I imagine aliens may have the same issues as we do unless they have figured out how to overcome the issues caused from lack of gravity in a spaceship, along with traveling faster than light. If the aliens have the technology and are visiting Earth, hopefully they are friendly, looking for souvenirs, and not another planet to inhabit because our weapons will not be strong enough to overcome their technology.

Mark

10/2/2026 08:39:21 am

When UAP was announced, I thought the same thing. Some administrator wanted bragging rights.

Both theories are possible. The abductions have been going on for a long time and the mutilations around the world are well documented also. Other than letting the evidence speak for itself, we don't know enough yet.

New question.

Have you ever seen a cryptid, an animal unknown to modern zoologists, or found evidence of one?

Zee Gottlieb link

10/2/2026 11:24:46 am

Have you ever seen a cryptid, an animal unknown to modern zoologists, or found evidence of one?
It’s an interesting question and I wish I had a wild and crazy answer beyond I have not seen a cryptid. But considering new cat species was recently discovered in Bolivia it’s possible cryptids could exist. Because science has not been able to verify someone’s sighting does not mean that the cryptid does not exist. It means the anomaly that was seen is still an unknown. Often the cryptid claims are made by individuals who do not have a reputation for making wild claims. The person must have seen something to announce publicly their sighting. It’s possible overtime that a cryptid is verified by a scientist.

Mark

10/2/2026 11:51:18 am

I have never seen a cryptid either. Friends in high school claimed that an uncle or a friend of a friend saw a Bigfoot. None of my friends admitted to seeing one. Something is out there and it or they get around because there are sightings in many parts of the world.

New question.

Have you ever seen a ghost or had some other type of supernatural experience?

Zee Gottlieb link

10/2/2026 04:35:52 pm

Have you ever seen a ghost or had some other type of supernatural experience?
I’m going to answer this question that I have not had a supernatural experience. What do I have is a fertile imagination with stories running through my head all the time. The only time my imagination comes alive is when I sit down and document the story on paper.

Mark

10/2/2026 04:57:26 pm

That works for me. Few authors I have interviewed admit to seeing a ghost. A handful have described seeing something unexplainable scientifically, but I don't recall anyone calling it a ghost. I haven't seen anything in this world that fits the common description of a ghost either.

New questions.

Who designed the cover of your book? Feel free to drop a copy-and-paste link if appropriate.

How many drafts did the cover go through?

Zee Gottlieb link

10/2/2026 06:12:31 pm

Who designed the cover of your book?
The current cover on my book was created by my daughter, Andrea ‘Andie’ Salad. She did not use AI to create the cover. People have asked how much I paid for the cover. I’ll tell them the cover cost me 60K (the cost of college) Andie graduated from the Savannah College of Arts and Design and works at Charles Products as a Senior Designer. Her older work can be seen on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/asaladart/ . She no longer posts her work because of concerns that her IP would be stollen.
The cover went through 3-4 drafts. Andie created the cover, however, subsequent drafts needed to be created for sizing and color saturation because the cover printed darker than what was seen on the screen.

Mark

10/2/2026 06:38:29 pm

Andrea is pretty talented. I appreciate her concern for her intellectual property rights. They are well-founded, with AI scraping everything off the web.
I wish her success in her chosen field. I have great respect for graphic artists; I can barely draw a straight line to underline something on a picture.
New questions.

Was it hard to come up with the title?

What was the process?

Zee Gottlieb link

10/3/2026 09:52:59 am

Was it hard to come up with the title? What was the process?
I wish I had a good explanation of where the title came from. It popped into my head as it popped into the story, and I knew that would be the title of the book.

Mark

10/3/2026 11:20:21 am

That is a good explanation.

I don't think I mentioned that I was fascinated by the use of Connor as a military rank in the story!

New questions.

Were the character names difficult to develop?

How did you choose them?

Zee Gottlieb link

10/3/2026 12:48:29 pm

Were the character names difficult to develop?
The easiest name for me to come up with was the boat, Miss Lilly. Lilly was my cat. Brad’s name popped up in my head as well as Travis. When Travis popped into my head, I looked up the meaning, and it fit with the character.
The names of the aliens took work. I worked out what seemed to make sense but also alien. I’ve had a few people tell me they did not like Brad’s wife’s name, Shinny pronounced Shin nee. While most of the alien names are easy to pronounce, Ferklopgresfk is a different story. I worked through different versions to come up with an alien almost unpronounceable name. That was a mistake because Podium, who creates audio books, offered me a contract to create an Audible book for Connor’s Gambit. They asked me to send a recording pronouncing the character’s names. The first thing that went through my mind was, how the heck do I know? It was a lesson for future names.
Future books include people and pets that have passed as a way for me to remember and honor them. Not all characters are based on someone I knew, just a few minor ones.

Mark

10/3/2026 01:20:24 pm

I think you did pretty well with the names. My brain struggled with Shinny. One part of my brain kept trying to pronounce it 'Shiny' and a different part said, "No, it's 'Shin-nee'." Part of me was right. A win for the old guy!

Nobody but the author would know how to pronounce the alien names. Maybe that's an opportunity you can still grab. Audiobooks are a great way to gain more audience. Many readers listen to audiobooks when driving. I have a friend with severe dyslexia; audiobooks are the only way he can 'read'. He loves to read.

Curiously enough, I struggle with audiobooks. I trained myself to block out environmental noise so I could read on a school bus or a family road trip. To listen to an audiobook now requires me to increase the playback speed to 1.5 times normal. Having to work harder, my brain stays focused on the story; otherwise, it gets lost from my consciousness within a minute or two. I am not a multi-tasker.

New questions.

Do you sing or play a musical instrument?

Any musical family members?

Zee Gottlieb link

10/3/2026 02:16:28 pm

Do you sing or play a musical instrument? Any musical family members?
When people ask if I play an instrument, I tell them I play the radio. I enjoy singing, but can’t sing on pitch, so when I sing it’s in private. I’m the odd ball one in my family. My husband plays Oboe, English Horn, Saxophone, and now the Bass Oboe. His orchestra is playing Gustav Holtz’s The Planets this November. Holtz was a music teacher in a girl’s school from 1905 -1934 in the UK. He wrote the Planets to ensure every student had a musical part. It included the Bass Oboe, which was a new instrument at that time. It’s rarely played now because there isn’t much music that includes the instrument and it’s a very expensive instrument. He is renting the instrument. My oldest daughter played drums and cello in H.S. and still plays her cello. My youngest daughter (the artist), played cello, clarinet, and piano in H.S. After H.S. she did not continue to play her instruments. I suggested she sells her instruments, but she said she’s keeping them just in case she has a midlife crisis. Her dad had a midlife crisis and picked up the oboe at age 40 and has been playing for over 30 years. I was happy. The oboe was cheaper than a new sports car, although he ended up buying 2 oboes and an English Horn (in the oboe family).

Mark

10/3/2026 03:07:20 pm

You and I have a lack of musical talent in common. In the eighth-grade chorus class, the teacher asked me to sing very softly because I was throwing the other students near me off pitch. Several years later, my father, who studied opera in college, proved I wasn't tone deaf, merely tone-hard-of-hearing.

New question.

Which famous person’s death shocked you the most?

Zee Gottlieb link

10/3/2026 03:45:15 pm

Which famous person’s death shocked you the most?
The death that hit me the most was Carrie Fisher. I was a big Star Wars Fan and appreciated her work in those movies as well as other movies she worked in. Carrie was 6 months younger than me. When she passed, I was not only shocked at her death, but suddenly, my mortality was staring me in my face. It’s sad that she could never beat her drug problem because that probably caused her early death more than anything.

Mark

10/3/2026 04:44:30 pm

That was a big impact on you! She was a good actress. She put up with a lot of garbage in her career, like so many other actresses. That business is so hard on people and on relationships. It seems so hard not to believe all the adulation and praise fans offer their favorite actors. A few succeed by avoiding the limelight. I don't think I would do well in those circumstances.

We are big fans of Star Wars also.

New questions.

Had you written and published any short stories before writing your book?

Have you entered any writing contests?

Have you won awards of any kind for your writing?

Zee Gottlieb link

10/3/2026 05:26:47 pm

Had you written and published any short stories before writing your book?
I had not written a short story before I published my book. I have since participated in two collections of short stories. Once Upon a Wolfpack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QQ4N5RT. and Howling at the Moon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084DKMLT6 .Both books are free, highly rated and available on Amazon.

Have you entered any writing contests? I sort of entered a writing contest and sort of won one. In 1984, I had a coworker ask me to cowrite an article for the Vincent Astor Memorial Leadership Essay Contest. This contest is a U.S. Naval Institute program that honors and encourages leadership thinking among Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard officers and officer trainees and provides them with an opportunity to express ideas in leadership. Tony and I worked on it for several weeks. It became a frustrating point of contention between us at work. At that time, the only computers available to us were at work and we worked on the article after work for several weeks. At the end, I had enough of my cowriter and said I’m done. I’m not working on this anymore, take my name off. He took my name off. When he realized I was serious about not working on it anymore, he forwarded the article we wrote to the contest. A few months later Tony was informed he won. The first thing that went through my mind at the time, was How bad were the other submissions for him to win’. Tony was a great guy. He took full credit but split the award money with me. Even though it was a missed opportunity for me, I was fine and lived with my decision.

Mark

10/4/2026 08:59:29 am

The Once Upon A Wolf Pack anthology looked quite good. I hope people who buy it donate to the animal shelter.

The writing contest was not your normal short story contest, but it was instructive for you and Tony. He did well sharing the prize money with you.

I have recommended to writers that short-story writing contests, especially those that provide feedback from the judges, can help a writer improve their writing skills. I do have a warning: there are a lot of shady contests out there. Some want to extract as much as they can from your wallet; others want to steal your intellectual property. Here is a copy-and-paste link about those things: Beware Bogus Writing Contests! Look for These 8 Red Flags. https://annerallen.com/2019/05/beware-bogus-writing-contests. You can also use the search box below to find the link. There are other blogs I have links to on my Highly Regarded Blogs page.

New questions.

Have you done any marketing for your book before deciding to work with me?

What marketing strategy, if any, has had an impact on your daily sales?

Zee Gottlieb link

10/4/2026 11:42:39 am

Have you done any marketing for your book before deciding to work with me?
I have done limited marketing before working with you. I have used a variety of low-cost companies with email lists. ROI is very low. I’m curious about the effect Book Bub would have, but it’s not in the budget at this time. I used Facebook once. I stand by my position that Facebook owes me $25. Not one book was sold during that period. I am considering trying another attempt via Facebook with the new cover.
I’m grateful and impressed by Griz’s and your efforts you have given to Connor’s Gambit. By the way, he is a cute dog.
What marketing strategy, if any, has had an impact on your daily sales?
I should have a strategy, but it’s not my forte. If I was a more productive writer, it might make sense to also become a productive marketeer.
Perhaps the biggest issue writers face is the decreased number of readers. I’m shocked by the number of people who tell me they don’t read when I mention I’m a writer. We only need to look at the decrease in reading scores in schools to know that writers will be struck with a tsunami of nonreaders in the future. Sadly, no amount of marketing will overcome that issue in the future.

Mark

10/4/2026 01:36:49 pm

Marketing is the never-ending story, and most writers prefer to ignore it. That is to their detriment because exposure is more important than ever, since Amazon is publishing more than two million books a year now.

Marketing on the major platforms is a lot like legal gambling. In the casino, the house always wins regardless of how much one gambler wins. David Gaugran seems to know a lot about advertising on Facebook; he has a lot of videos. Dave Chesson of kindlepreneur.com has tools, free and otherwise, if you want to advertise on 'Zon. Both require nearly constant attention and the experts recommend lots of A-B testing. Just when you think you have it nailed down, the algorithms change and you have to adjust.

Grizz and I work hard to get as much exposure for your book as we can. Having more than 60,000 followers is a good start. He tells me every day how cute he is.

Strategy is not the forte of most authors. I have recommended for years that writers set aside an hour or two of writing time every week or two for marketing. It's more like an ultra-marathon than a sprint.

I understand how you feel about decreased readers. 80% of the people I talk to admit they don't read books or don't like to read. 19 % of the remaining claim they want to read books, but they don't have time. If I watched several hours of TV nightly, I wouldn't have time also. The remaining 1% say they love to read and we talk about genres.

Let's pull back a bit from this point of view. There are millions in America who do like to read. Considering the entire globe, there might be close to a billion readers in the world. A lot of countries use English as their official language, and others teach it as a second language from the earliest years of education. In many third-world countries, inhabitants have only a cell phone to access the internet and literature. Audiobooks are important for them.

Exposure becomes the issue again. A number of countries have their own Amazon page. In the early years, Amazon promised to get each country its own page. That promise never came close to fulfillment.

I tell authors to tackle one thing at a time. Whether advertizing on a major platform or getting your books onto as many platforms besides Amazon as possible. There are people who refuse to shop on Amazon.

Let's return to ground level. One of my favorite blogs is about pursuing the local author angle. How to be a marketing star right where you live. A copy-and-paste link or search the title in the search box below: https://annerallen.com/2019/08/hometown-book-marketing/

I would add a few tips: seek out literature teachers at the high school and college level to share in their class and there might be a club in the school. Local newspapers are a good resource for an interview as well as local cable access. There might also be a broadcast arts curriculum and/or a club at the high school and college level. Have some questions ready to hand the interviewer if they seem uncertain.

Senior centers are another good possibility and they usually welcome any sort of activity like that. Contact the events director.

If there are tourist destinations, try to place your books with the local author angle. Museums, gift stores, motels, hotels, tourist attractions are all possibilities. Keep a box of books in your trunk. Get a counter-top holder for a few books, paste a picture of the cover on the holder behind the books and put re-ordering information on the back of the holder.

Some restaurants or bars have an open mic time.

Consider renting a table at a comic convention, county fair, farmer's market or a flea market. Have free swag to hand out such as a bookmark and sell mugs or posters. There are so many ways to be the 'local author' I doubt I have exhausted the list of possibilities. Always have copies of your books in your trunk or car boot to sell. Resist the urge to give them away. Fence-sitters won't value what they didn't pay for.

New questions.

Have you done any ghostwriting?

If not, would you try it if someone wanted to hire you?

Zee Gottlieb link

10/4/2026 01:52:56 pm

Have you done any ghostwriting? If not, would you try it if someone wanted to hire you?
I have not done any ghostwriting. I can’t give a definitive answer on whether I would ghost write in the future. But my first answer to the person requesting my services would be to encourage the person to start writing for themselves. The first draft is never good, but the second draft is a little better, etc. It may take 6 drafts and a good editor for a completed product. I take the position that everyone has the capability to write on their own stories.

Mark

10/4/2026 04:05:38 pm

You make an excellent point that I hadn't considered. The person seeking a ghostwriter may have been discouraged after comparing their first draft to the polished drafts by other writers. Some of the people seeking a ghostwriter may not have the time, though. It does take quite a while to write an easy-to-read book, as we have discussed already. You are offering good advice.

New questions.

Connor's Gambit is the first book in the series. How many books are you planning for the series?

Any side stories?

Are you planning for more than one series?

Zee Gottlieb link

10/4/2026 04:54:12 pm

I’m a nonlinear writer. Planning doesn’t quite fit in. When I wrote Connor’s Gambit, I hadn’t planned to write another book nor did I have an idea where the protagonist was going. But an idea popped into my head, and I was able to write a follow-on sequel. It’s almost completed. One of my beta readers thought the book should end differently, though. I tried to write a different ending. The alternate ending is currently at 15K words and 65 pages. At this point I realize it’s not an ending but the beginning of another book.
I’m not planning on writing additional side writings, but if the opportunity comes up, I might. I was able to incorporate one of the short stories I wrote into the second book. At the time I wrote the short story, I didn’t realize it was my nonlinear brain working on the same project.
Are you planning for more than one series? I do have another story on my iPod that I need to spend more time on. It’s completely different and darker. When I do get a chance to work on it, I wonder where the heck do those ideas come from. So, yes I might write a different series even though it wasn’t in my plan.

Mark

10/4/2026 05:33:46 pm

Non-linear. Thank you for reminding me.

Your fans will be happy! A second story is close to being released and a third story is further out. Even better, you are willing to go wherever your muse takes you. Who needs plans when you have a willing and generous muse?

New questions.

What genre are you thinking of that will go in a different direction?

Can you give us any hints about that future project?

Zee Gottlieb link

10/4/2026 05:57:42 pm

What genre are you thinking of that will go in a different direction? Can you give us any hints about that future project?
The story on my iPod is science fiction. I’m at the beginning and still working out the details. Sharing details at this point would be premature.

Mark

10/4/2026 06:18:17 pm

We will take what we can get. The dark project is within the sci-fi realm. That is good enough for me. I will be happy to wait. Science fiction is my favorite genre and I am sure I can find a story or two to read while you write the dark project.

New questions.

What do you think of the current controversy regarding AI, Artificial Intelligence and books?

Did you use AI in writing or editing your books? I am not including research in this question because most of the major search engines have embedded AI in the browser.

Zee Gottlieb link

10/4/2026 06:59:39 pm

What do you think of the current controversy regarding AI, Artificial Intelligence and books?
I think it’s a shame companies stole IP by using books to teach the AI tools to create stories. The reality is that AI cannot create out of the box solutions. The AI can be faster but faster doesn’t mean it will be inventive and new. I’ve listened to a few AI songs. The songs were nice, but I realized while the words were different, the music wasn’t new.
Did you use AI in writing or editing your books? I am not including research in this question because most of the major search engines have embedded AI in the browser. I did not use AI to edit the book. Connor’s Gambit was completed in 2016, and AI wasn’t an issue then. I did overpay for an editor in 2015/2016 and that’s another story. For my sequel, I used MS365 and turned off Copilot (the AI tool). I did have MS365 read my story back to me so I could hear the errors clean the story up as much as possible and then paid an editor. My husband is currently doing a second round of editing, and I will be communicating with you in the future to proofread my sequel.

Mark

10/4/2026 08:04:20 pm

AI is a tool of programming and massive processor arrays. It's programmed to always provide an answer, regardless of whether it's true or not. It can copy and compare a lot of data to a prompt in short order and it calculates which words will best give the answer sought. It's not creative as you found out.

Having MS365 read the story to you is a good idea. I have another dozen ideas about how to trick your brain to show the errors that are present. Copy and paste: https://www.wordrefiner.com/blog-words-for-thought/wye-is-it-sew-hard-too-proofreed-youre-own-work or hit the search box below. It is the most recent item on that page of my website.

I look forward to polishing that book for you.

New questions.

Have you encountered a troll reviewing your book?

How did you handle it?

Zee Gottlieb link

10/4/2026 08:35:24 pm

Have you encountered a troll reviewing your book?
I had a troll in the beginning.
How did you handle it? I asked Amazon to remove the review. Amazon ignored my request. I’ve been lucky in that there haven’t been any other troll reviews.

Mark

10/5/2026 10:19:09 am

Trolls were a big problem on Amazon around a decade or so ago. Then Amazon required an annual minimum purchase before a person could leave a review. Most of the trolls have disappeared. It didn't seem like Amazon did much to remove the trolls beyond that purchase requirement.

New questions.

What was the first paying job you worked as a kid?

How old were you?

Zee Gottlieb link

10/5/2026 10:52:41 am

What was the first paying job you worked as a kid? How old were you?
Like most young girls my first paying job was babysitter. But I’m going to talk about my first ‘real’ job where I paid taxes.
My first paying job was working at Woolworths’ Toy Department during Christmas when I was 17. I wanted to work before then, but it was darn hard to get a job, and I was happy to get a seasonal job. You would think I would be respectful at my first job, but no I was a smartass. Parents would come by and ask for Barbie’s house with an elevator. I would say we don’t carry that house. Barbie can walk and we have this house. Another one was a request for Evil Knievel’s Grand Canyon for Evil Knievel to jump. I would say we don’t have the Grand Canyon, but your son could just use two chairs for Evil Knievel to jump and you’d save money. I would show them what I thought was a great toy. People would laugh at my on-the-spot amateur standup comedy. Even though I was a smart ass, Woolworth invited me back for the following Christmas.

Mark

10/5/2026 12:02:06 pm

My first job was babysitting for a neighbor down the gravel road, i/4 mile from our house. Our closest neighbor. I was in the sixth grade. I took a Red Cross First Aid for Babysitters course. The next summer, I started picking berries and beans for large commercial growing operations.

The Woolworth's job was fun for you! It's nice that they invited you back the following year. You must have impressed a lot of customers.

Last questions.

Have you done any public speaking?

If so, will you be doing more in the future?

Zee Gottlieb link

10/5/2026 12:28:15 pm

Have you done any public speaking? If so, will you be doing more in the future?
The only public speaking I have done in the past was work related when I was briefing people in the Navy and when I was a government employee. Since I’m retired, I don’t see the opportunity to speak in public coming up. If my book should become wildly popular and I’m asked to speak, I’m open to it.

Mark

10/5/2026 03:15:57 pm

So many authors fear public speaking! Your experience serving our country has equipped you for public speaking, among other things. You will do well when the opportunity arises.

I have a new promotion starting tomorrow, so this interview must come to a close.

Thank you for being a great guest! You have been so patient with my questions. I am grateful for your willingness to share your journey with other authors.

I am looking forward to working with you on book 2 of this series.

Until then, keep on wrtiting.

Zee Gottlieb link

10/5/2026 05:59:45 pm

Mark,
Thank you for sharing my book, Connor's Gambit on your blog as well as your platform with me. The discussions we had were enjoyable. I also appreciate your hard work in spreading information about my book and the blog on X. I look forward to the next time I can share my new book with you on your blog -Z.

Connor’s Gambit by Z. Gottlieb

Connor’s Universe Book 1

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