Rise: Birth of a Revolution (The Flynn Chronicles Book 1) By Mark S. Moore

12/7/2019

Debut author, Mark S. Moore, introduces us to his historical fantasy novel, “Rise: Birth of a Revolution”:
Mark S. Moore's debut novel follows the fledgling Ricchan rebellion. A dark and gritty tale of war, intrigue, and betrayal. Rise is driven by a diverse array of complex characters and moral consequence. Between muskets and firebrands, Damien Flynn finds himself in the midst of growing turmoil. Political espionage, assassinations, scandalous affairs, underhanded deals, and dirty politics threaten to plunge the known world into chaos. What makes a patriot? What makes a traitor?

The desire to be free and make your own choices is a huge part of the human experience, no one wants to be a slave. This book taps into that theme very effectively. Change a few names and this could be the story of every free society on earth.
This book brings a great mix of big picture events, the people who cause them and the people who are caught up in them.
I enjoyed the dialogue tremendously; personalities are captured so well. The action is plentiful without being overwhelming. The scene setting is very well done, just enough to avoid getting in the way. The characters are gorgeous, so real and full of life.
I give “Rise: Birth of a Revolution” 4.9 stars!

You can buy this book:
https://smile.amazon.com/Rise-Birth-Revolution-Flynn-Chronicles-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/rise-birth-of-a-revolution
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rise-Birth-Revolution-Flynn-Chronicles-ebook

You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/RedBeardFlynn
http://marksmoorebooks.com
https://m.facebook.com/MarkSMooreBooks

Tags: historical fiction, historical fantasy, war, romance, politics, spies, rebels
Copyright © 2019 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction

60 Comments

Mark S. Moore link

12/7/2019 04:41:01 pm

Ah, thank you for such a kind review. I'm glad I was able to weed out those pesky spelling errors with your proofreading assistance. I'm honored and humbled that you enjoyed the read.

Mark

12/7/2019 09:15:44 pm

You are very welcome. I really enjoyed your story.
First question.
Please, tell us more about yourself. Perhaps something a little bit beyond your bio.

Mark Moore link

12/7/2019 11:08:42 pm

Hm, something beyond my bio.

Ever since I was a kid, I've been drawn to Roleplaying Games. I played a game called "Everquest" when I was in middle school and high school and I distinctly remember printing out the lore about the gods and goddesses in the game and bringing it to school to read.

I was fascinated with Greek mythology-esque pantheons of gods and goddesses.

This may be something I plan to indulge in in a future project.

Mark

12/7/2019 11:28:33 pm

I don't think role playing games existed when I was in school. Certainly not in the small town I grew up in. A population of less than 2,000. I lived on a small hobby farm, 35 acres, in the hills south of town.
Like you, I was fascinated by the mythologies of different cultures. Roman, Norse, Greek and American Native stories. Of course, there was Thor and others in the Marvel comics.
New questions.
Are you a full-time or part-time writer?
What inspired you to write this book?
Why did you choose this genre, or do you feel the genre chose you?

Mark Moore link

12/7/2019 11:40:31 pm

I straddle the technology revolution. I grew up with things like AOL and dial-up internet but also benefited from the proliferation of high-speed internet while I was still young.

To the questions!

I am a part-time writer but I write every day.

There was no single inspiration but if I could boil it down to a handful I'd say it began after watching "The Man in High Castle." That was subsequently followed by a trip to Washington D.C. for work where I asked myself: "What if the British won the revolutionary war?" It began as revisionist history but after a chapter or two I found that too limiting so I made some drastic changes and let my imagination go.

I didn't actually choose the genre. I wrote the story and found out the genre afterward. I just wrote what felt like home. I was less than a year removed from finishing my master's in history and I'd always been drawn to historical fiction and fantasy.

I count R.A. Salvatore and James Clavell as equally important inspirations so it was natural to me that my first book would pull from both of those genres.

Quick side-note: Since I was so close to 2 years of academic writing, the first draft of Rise was incredibly dry! I wrote it like a history paper and I think I put my wife to sleep in the first few pages.

Mark

12/8/2019 08:55:29 am

When I was a boy, we had a party line telephone. We had to count the rings, long and short, to know whether to answer or not. I thought we were rich when we got a private line. It was probably because I had discovered girls and was on the phone a lot.
A great prompt for writing, what if the American colonies lost the bid for freedom. 'What if' can trigger wonderful ideas. Some authors are not so lucky, they write a story that is a mashup of two or more genres and find it hard to choose where their book lands.
New questions.
What kind of work do you do? Feel free to skip that question, if you would rather not answer.
Does your work have any influence on your writing?
Who designed the cover of your book? Feel free to drop a link if appropriate.
What do the elements on the cover represent?

Mark Moore link

12/8/2019 11:25:59 am

I had a similar experience when we finally got a dedicated line for internet and I didn't have to balance it against the family landline.

Questions:

I work as an international credential evaluator for graduate admissions at a University. It's a job that has me doing research daily on other cultures so that definitely influences my writing.

I designed my book cover. It was one of about 15 I made. The top portion represents the literal chained stone Damien Flynn carries in the first chapter as well as symbolically alluding to the bondage that Riccha is under. The bottom alludes to the inevitable journey and violence that will be necessary to free them.

Mark

12/8/2019 11:31:12 am

15 covers, that is pretty good. Your work sounds interesting. Do you interview the students also? That would be quite interesting, I would think.
New questions.
Was it hard to come up with the title? What was the process?
Were the character names difficult to develop? How did you choose them?
Is this the first book you have written? Will you be writing more?

Mark Moore link

12/8/2019 11:42:28 am

I've also designed things like promotional bookmarks. Professionals would do a better job but until I hit that best seller list a little extra work is needed! As for my day job, I do extensively speak with our incoming students and often learn a lot about their personal stories which is very gratifying to be a small part of.

Questions:

The title was one of the things that just clicked because I was able to think about it in context of a grander plan I had which leads into your third question. Rise is the first of a trilogy. I've been hard at work on the second book over the last year and the first draft is almost completed. Rise is the first book I have written and published but I had previously written a large manuscript in high school.

Circling back to the second question, the character names take a bit of research. I'm very fond of pulling names representative of real geographic locations and historical periods. Several characters are named in part from historical figures. They may or may not bare some characteristics from those people. That said, I wouldn't say they were hard. I think location names were more challenging.

Mark

12/8/2019 05:07:11 pm

Having skill with graphics is very handy. The more you can do for yourself, the less you need to pay out.
I love how you have thought those things through. Your one-word title "Rise" has been used for other books, which I imagine you already know. Thus the need for a secondary title, which I think is quite fitting for your story.
I have heard of websites devoted to names or baby names that were popular in different decades and periods of time.
New questions.
I noticed that your book is in Kindle Unlimited. How is that working out for you?
Have you ever gone through the query process, seeking an agent or submitting directly to publishers or did you go straight to indie publishing or self-publishing, and why?
Will you stick with this publisher for your next books?

Mark Moore link

12/8/2019 07:31:53 pm

Baby name websites and name meaning website are great resources. So are lists of historical figures. Mixing and matching names is great fun.

Questions:

Kindle Unlimited was a bonus to what I really wanted to do which was run promotions. I opted in so I could run countdown deals and the like. I know if at least one person who has read my book on Kindle Unlimited so I'm happy to have another avenue for people to read and enjoy.

I queried for about a year before opting to find a professional editor myself and publish without an agent. I'm glad I queried because I honed some skills I needed to in that process and I received some valuable feedback. I think its an important rite of passage for every author to go through.

I chose to self-publish because I went with an editor. The main reason I wanted a publisher was editing. I wanted to have that quality control beyond what I, writer's groups, and friends were able to do. My wife was supportive of the cost so we went for it. At least the next book will be published the same way and edited the same way.

Mark

12/8/2019 07:53:36 pm

Did you make more money with a person reading your book on KU or less, compared to the person buying your book? I have always wondered about the economics for the author. It seems like a good deal for the reader.
I am glad to hear you consider the query process a positive experience, even though you didn't get a publisher or an agent. So many spend a year or more and feel quite frustrated with the lack of a deal of some kind.
More questions.
Does writing have a spiritual or healing component for you, does it energize you or make you feel tired?
How do you think your book compares to a book published by a major publisher?
There are many unethical practices in publishing, which one is the most unbearable in your mind?

Mark Moore link

12/9/2019 01:28:49 pm

It's hard to say because they aren't split up like that. Kindle Unlimited is based off pages read where as ebook purchases are off the sticker price.

Querying can be unpleasant. It makes you face some harsh realities but I think that is important as an author. You need to see beyond the pleasantries of your inner circle. At the same time, it's important to see that not getting a deal isn't solely an indictment on your writing either. Marketability and agent work loads also come into play.

Questions:

Writing has never felt like a chore for me which is why I am able to do it while also working a full-time job. That doesn't mean I can write whenever or that I don't need to eventually stop but it means that I always feel better after a session. I don't know that I would call that spiritual or healing but it certainly leaves me feeling accomplished and satisfied. I never like my writing as much as I do after I first write it. It's only later in the editing process that I begin to pick it apart and question my sanity!

How do I think my book compares to a book published by a major publisher...well that's hard to say. I imagine there's more polish from a major publisher because they will usually have multiple editors and every new set of eyes finds something the previous ones did not. No book is ever finished editing, they're just released and I imagine mine is released a little earlier in that process. That said, I think my book is closer to me. It's had fewer hands in it. That goes beyond the writing to things like the marketing of it and the cover. That could be good or bad depending on how you look at it.

Unethical practices in publishing. Well, I'm not sure if this counts because to me, they are not publishers, they're scam artists. Vanity presses are despicable. A so-called publisher that assumes no risk and takes both your money and your profit is nothing but a scam but they're prolific. I remember the initial elation followed by hesitation and finally anger when I was offered a "publishing contract" with a vanity press early on. For a mere $3,000.00 they would edit and publish my book under their name while providing me with 10% of royalties. It all seems legitimate until you realize in this transaction you are assuming all risk and paying inflated prices for what amounts to one or two rounds of editing. I watched another author go through the same process and saw her go through the same elation to disdain. It's a completely predatory practice and it's just awful.

Mark

12/9/2019 01:54:22 pm

I agree with you about the query process. It can be brutal and personal tastes come into play so much. Every book has an audience, people who will love it. The opposite is also true, there is a non-audience for every book. It takes time to find the former and cultivate it.
I think every writer goes through that process, loving the first draft until they approach it with a critical eye. No matter how bad it is, the first draft can always be improved. Its sole purpose is to exist and be improved.
I so agree with you about the vanity presses. They exist to separate the author from as much money as possible. If they are smart, they also grab the author's intellectual property rights. In the long run, that is the greatest injury, in my opinion.
New questions.
Why is it important for writers to tap into the emotions of the characters?
Have you ever done NaNoWriMo?
What kind of preparation do you do before it starts?

Mark Moore link

12/9/2019 08:08:05 pm

It's important to tap into the emotions of the characters because if you don't it's easy to make them hollow which can expose other faults. We're all tuned to recognize different situations. There are certain expectations about how people should react on an emotional level.

We all saw the rancor with season 8 of Game of Thrones and a lot of that was because the character emotion was truncated. The emotional leaps of certain characters left the audience dizzy because so much was skipped. It was difficult to connect If you can't connect, it exposes your plot. Then, in the worst instances, it takes your audience out of the story completely because it feels forced. At that point, the audience just loses interest because there is no investment in story or character.A characters actions need to have reason tied to emotion. They can't just be to advance your plot to get where you want it to be or it feels cheap.

NaNoWriMo...well, I didn't actually know what that was until this past November. I found out about it too late but I imagine I'll give it a shot in 2020.

The way I write, I'll need to clear the rest of my writing projects (including editing) before November in order to be successful.

Mark

12/9/2019 09:11:34 pm

I heard lots of boos about season 8 of GOT. You make a good point, readers want to identify with characters that are fully developed beings, including emotions. Anything less and the readers feel cheated.
New questions.
Are you an under-writer or an over-writer?
When the first draft is done, do you need to add more to it to flesh it out or do you have to cut material because there is too much there?
Are you talking about sentences, paragraphs or a chapter that didn't survive the final cut?

Mark Moore link

12/9/2019 11:20:52 pm

Over-writer, for sure. The first draft is always the longest version and I have to go and hack away at it. It's a mixture of a few things. There is often a lot of superfluous description that isn't necessary and I also tend to overindulge in filler words. It's sentences, but put them all together and they'd probably make a chapter. Second and third drafts I may add more content but it will still be less total words than the 1st draft.

Mark

12/9/2019 11:37:47 pm

It gives you lots of options and choices. If I were a writer I would probably be similar. Fine tuning takes a while. But it sure is worth it.
A good book looks like it was easy to write; while being the result of many hours of labor.
New questions.
Do you save the parts that didn't make it into the final version?
What do you do to flesh out the characters for your stories?
Have you ever used yourself or other acquaintances as a character for a starting point in a story?
Would they recognize you or themselves in the story?

Mark Moore link

12/10/2019 10:00:53 am

Oh, so many hours!

Questions:

I've gone about it a few different ways. I started by writing out short biographies for them which included physical details. When I did that, I realized two things. It helped me stay consistent with superficial details but it hampered their growth. Now, I boil my characters down to events in their lives that have shaped them and general personality traits. I may or may not include physical details. I think this has worked better for me because I can focus more on a character's motivation, not on the color of their eyes.

It's no secret in my inner circle that I have used several acquaintances in my character design. Sometimes it may be a name, other's it's a characteristic, but they always vary from their inspiration. I like to think they'd recognize the connection at first but see the distance from concept to reality in short order.

Mark

12/10/2019 10:31:46 am

That seems like a good idea to focus more on events and the effect they have on the characters. A guest blogger, Rick Hall, has created a wonderful tool for writers, the character generator. It focuses on personality types and associated character traits to help creating characters that are congruent emotionally. You might find that interesting.
You provide a lot of emotional space from the reality of your associates to your characters. I think that is a good idea. It offers protection for all involved.
New questions.
Which is more fun to write, the protagonist or the antagonist, and why?
What is one thing you hate about your protagonist and one thing you love about the antagonist?

Mark Moore link

12/10/2019 10:59:36 am

That sounds interesting. I'll have to check it out. Thank you for the recommendation.

Questions:

The temptation here is to say the antagonist. I think that might be the popular answer, but for me it's a tie. They let me delve into different shades of grey so to speak.

Your second question is a little more difficult to answer because in different situations I think I could see either of these traits as redeeming or detrimental.

For my protagonist, I think I hate most that he is very reactionary. He tends to have the "right" reaction but only after first making a mistake or missing something important. At least, in book one!

I love my antagonist's pragmatism. What some perceive as evil or cruel he just sees as necessary. There's some freedom in being able to write from an opposing set of morals. It makes you think about that code and what informs it.

Mark

12/10/2019 11:13:50 am

I have heard it said that every villain is the hero in his or her story. That makes perfect sense to me. Perspective is everything.
New questions.
What is your writing routine when you sit down to write?
Do you write in a straight line or do you write whatever the muse provides for you at a given moment?

Mark Moore link

12/10/2019 12:21:47 pm

Absolutely. There's always an exception, of course, but in writing and in life I don't think anyone ever thinks they're the villain. There are justifications for every action. One could also say every hero is someone's villain.

Questions:

In order to write I need music. I've got a writer's playlist that's up to 205 songs. I try to start listening to it about 10-15 minutes before I begin writing to let my mind clear and then I just get to it. I normally write for about an hour at a time.

I'd say 99% of the time I'm writing chronologically. The events I write build on each other but if I'm struck by something I may go ahead and write it out somewhere else and come back to it. The same can be said about background. I'll get lost on some anecdote and write it out but then come back to what I was writing.

Editing, though, is very different. There are often times when I find I need to add some more context to previous chapters or that I need to completely re-arrange chapters to fit the narrative. For Rise, I distinctly remember moving the last 7 chapters around quite a bit. Just because I wrote it one way doesn't mean that's how the final product will be read.

Mark

12/10/2019 02:12:23 pm

Well said. Every hero is a bad guy's villain.
A lot of authors use music to get the muse going. Some even make playlists for characters or chapters. I am reading a memoir that uses a song title and a few lyrics to introduce the next section. It is interesting for me because they are mostly songs I grew up with.
There is another post on my guest blogs by the same Rick Hall, about non-linear writing. It struck me as a good workaround for writer's block. Flexibility is certainly important.
Editing is certainly different from writing the first draft. The pace and flow of a story are quite critical, if the action bogs down, the reader may get bored and close the book.
New questions.
Now that your book is published, is there anything about it you would like to change?
How do you think your book relates to the world we live in today?
What is the one thing you hope readers will remember from your book?

Mark S. Moore link

12/11/2019 11:15:44 am

Music was actually one of the driving forces to me writing at all. I think, at least for me, it is imperative. I've also heard other writers have to have absolute quiet. To each their own!

Questions:

Remember what I said about nothing ever being finished, just released? That's how I feel about Rise. There are plot tweaks and refining I'd do until the day I die. At some point you just have to let it go and I've reached a point where I've happily let go of Rise and moved on to book 2, the first draft of which is almost completed.

I think my book relates to today in the same way any book about people would. Throughout history there's several enduring traits about human nature. We are beautiful, horrible, creative, and destructive. I like to think my book shows that just as the world today does.

The one thing I'd hope people remember from my book is that there is no absolute "good" and "evil." We've already talked about perspective, but it's very important to consider and to realize that no one is blameless in times of turbulence. Everyone is flawed in some way.

Mark

12/11/2019 11:16:39 am

One of my clients is a graphic artist, one day a story appeared in his mind from a picture he made. It's turning into a very good story. Please tell us how music drove you to write. That has to be an interesting story.
I have heard of authors who are afraid to publish and use the excuse of one more editing pass to avoid putting the story out there. Your fans are very happy about that.
We are beautiful and flawed creatures, capable of magnificent generosity and repellent cruelty.
New questions.
Do you have a classical author or poet you admire?
What popular modern authors have influenced you?
What software do you use to write and publish your books, and why do you use those?

Mark Moore link

12/11/2019 11:43:37 am

There's a song by a band called Breaking Benjamin, "So Cold." It's both the song and the music video that had a profound influence on me from the first time I saw and heard them. It's not a stretch to say that without that song and video, Rise would not exist.

In fact, the first chapter where Damien is carrying the stone to his own execution is directly influenced by the music video. There's also a powerful line in the song that goes like this:

Wise men wonder while
Strong men die

Questions:

I suppose I should clarify what you mean by classical authors and poets? I could take it literally and go back to Homer who instructed all of us on how an epic story should be written. The Odyssey remains one of the greatest driving influences for me not just because of the poem itself but because it could be argued that without it, there would be no Hobbit or Fellowship and Tolkien was another one of those great influences for me.

Ah, but then I want to talk about Clavell, Riordan, Iggulden, Salvatore, Hickman, and so many more! Don't get me started. I could talk your ear off about all the writers who have influenced me over the years.

Your second question is a bit easier to be succinct. I dabbled with a few different applications. For word processors, I have used Word, Openoffice, and Google Docs. Word is my go to and the only processor I feel completely comfortable in.

Grammarly is a great little application to find errors in your writing after the first draft. I like it because it explains grammatical structure when it tells you about an error. It's not just "this is wrong" it's "this is wrong, and here's why." It's obviously not infallible, if it was, I wouldn't need an editor. I'd say I use about 70% of the suggestions Grammarly makes.

Honorable mention needs to go to TTS Reader, a free text to speech application. Toward the end of my editing phases before I send it on to new eyes I use TTS to hear the errors.

Mark

12/11/2019 11:56:24 am

Thank you for that story about the music video. I might have to look that up.
I leave my questions a little bit vague on purpose, so you can go where you want with them. Even though the questions are the same, every author answers differently.
I love that you read so widely. I think it's important for a writer to know what has come before. While there are only a handful of different plots for a story, every author brings a unique perspective.
Grammarly and other apps like that can be useful. I have tested Grammarly and another program and found that they can't begin to find most of the stuff I find. They do have some utility for a writer working through drafts as you ably pointed out.
New questions.
How do you keep track of all the characters and events in your books?
Are you a plotter, a pantster, or a hybrid?
Have you ever had the experience of the story swerving in a different direction than planned, as if a character was driving it?

Mark Moore link

12/11/2019 01:05:56 pm

There's definitely a need for an editor and proofreader for multiple rounds after using Grammarly. As you say, it doesn't catch most things. I have found it to be better than Word's built in spellcheck/grammar check, however.

One of the things Grammarly has helped me with is my tendency to merge English and American spelling. I have an American Education but spent many summers in England with family and used U.K. word processors to write summer homework when I was in high school. For example I still haven't come to terms with gray and grey or honour and honor.

Questions:

Until recently I kept track in a haphazard and unorganized fashion. I had a slew of notebooks where I hand wrote out details and backgrounds as well as stand-alone word documents and phone notes.

Within the last few months I discovered a plotting program called Campfire Pro. It's locked to a download and/or Steam at the moment but they're working on a browser based version. It's not perfect but it has a lot of helpful tools for making timelines, family trees, and character bios.

I admit I had to look up "pantser" before answering this question. I think hybrid would fit me best. As previously mentioned, I do a lot of background here and there to inform the story and I will have a general idea of where I want something to go plot wise. However, I let characters dictate the story as well based on what I've cultivated as their traits.

My characters have driven almost everything. I plan to write a lengthy blogpost on my website once I've finished the story of Damien Flynn and the Ricchan Rebellion about all the places I initially wanted to go and how it changed. I have notes about who would die and when and how that would alter the story, all of which never came to pass.

I suppose I can give a quick example without giving too much away about the story. In the initial phases of plotting out Rise, Damien Flynn actually died toward the end of the book. He served as a martyr of sorts. I don't think I could have gotten away with my series name if I had done that but it certainly would have been shocking to readers, I'm sure!

Mark

12/11/2019 02:37:05 pm

I can see how the differences between British and American English would be a problem. In the 2016 edition of Word, using the Review mode, you can let Word automatically detect the language the manuscript is written in and you can lock the version you want to write in. Locking your manuscript to American English might be helpful.
I can see where your note tracking would be quite problematic, Campfire Pro sounds useful. Have you looked into Scrivener? I have had several authors tell me it is amazing for doing exactly what you are talking about, and it does a lot more. I have also been told the learning curve is steep. Once conquered, users proclaim its usefulness.
New questions.
Action, dialogue, or narration; which is easiest to write?
Of the five senses which is the easiest to write and which is the hardest?
Have you ever done any theater, written a play or any screenwriting?

Mark Moore link

12/11/2019 03:12:12 pm

I looked into Scrivener before going with Campfire. I chose the latter because while Scrivener came with a word processor, Campfire had interconnected notations and a robust timeline. It's far from perfect but I really like the layout. I'm excited to see what they do with their browser version in 2020.

Questions:

For me, dialogue. I find that my characters speak for themselves and it makes it easy to just flow. Trying to deviate speech patterns can be a challenge but its easier to just kind of "go." With narration, it's easy to get bogged down in too much detail. Most of my editing is trimming down narration for superfluous details or overused words.

Sight has to be the easiest. There are just so many words we use daily to describe things we see. I'd say taste and smell tie for second for similar reasons. At least for me, hearing is the most difficult because it's so important and so prevalent but difficult to encapsulate in words.

Nothing worth mentioning. I'm fascinated by it but I've never been able to contextualize in that way.

Mark

12/11/2019 05:49:50 pm

Good to know that Campfire is an option.
Some authors do better with narration, the natural storyteller living within us all. You are right, it is so easy to get carried away with narration and it can quickly turn into an info dump. Building the essential info into dialog keeps the scene active and narration to a minimum.
I have had more than one author relay to me that theater experience has been helpful for writing concisely.
New questions.
What kind of marketing are you doing or planning on doing for your book?
What kind of marketing has worked the best and the least for you?
Speaking of marketing, why did you pick me to help promote your book?

Mark Moore link

12/12/2019 09:45:59 am

Word count bloat is a real problem for me in first drafts and it is almost always narration.

Questions:

The first steps have been to increase my social media footprint. I've also begun reaching out to bloggers. I've created some promotional materials(bookmarks) and plan to do more of that. I also plan to attend some conventions in the near future, probably after the second book is published.

As a debut author, any marketing is helpful. I think blog reviews have been the most enduring because it's someone other than myself talking about the book's content.

I picked you for two reasons. First, your social media presence. Your posts were ubiquitous. Second, proofreading. I think that's something that is unique to you to combine with a review and marketing. I suppose it didn't hurt that we share the same first name, either!

Mark

12/12/2019 11:14:45 am

You are following in the footsteps of many authors. Some marketing experts recommend starting the social media and website process a year or more before releasing the first book. It seems most authors are too busy writing that first book to do that. Better late than never works for most.
I think conventions are a good idea, a great place for those bookmarks. There are so many ways to market and get your name and book to be noticed. Pursuing the Local-Author angle works almost everywhere. Buying small countertop holders for your books and trying to place them in places where people visit like restaurants, gift shops, motels, museums, and other places can be helpful.
Thank you, I try to provide a unique promotional service. This interview is part of that experience, the only live interview for authors on the internet. The name thing works also.
New questions.
How long does the research process take before you start to write a book or do you do the research as you write the book?How much time passed from when you got the idea to write your book; then actually starting to write the book?
How long did it take you to write the first draft?

Mark Moore link

12/12/2019 01:54:08 pm

I made my website a few months before Rise was published. Twitter was a little earlier than that, perhaps 8 months out. You definitely feel spread thin. I think that's one reason why a lot of authors seek out big publishers, the hope that they might not have to do everything themselves. I look forward to the day when I can farm out some of these responsibilities but for now, the hustle is there!

Questions:

I jumped in with both feet and began writing the first draft right away. The research happened as I was writing. I'd pause mid sentence and look into things or do some extra research after comments from Alpha and Beta readers.

Since this was my first book it's hard to pinpoint exactly when the first draft ended because I had some hiccups where I thought I was done. I actually released a version of the book under the title of "Ember" which was about half the length about a year after starting.

I'd say if you held me to a realistic time frame - 2 years and I edited it for 1 year. I started in November 2015 and published in November of 2018. By contrast 1st draft of the second book in the series is nearly complete 13 months in. I expect the editing timetable to be faster as well based on everything I learned from the first book.

Mark

12/12/2019 02:33:32 pm

Good on you for getting the early start on building a fan base. I think you are correct, many authors hope for the multi-book contract with a fat advance. Since Amazon has turned the publishing world upside down, those things are few and far between. Most publishers are scraping by on a very thin margin. They don't take big chances on unknown authors very much anymore. In fact, some publishers won't even talk to an author unless you have a mailing list of a thousand or three. To the publisher, this list represents near-guaranteed sales. Additionally, most publishers expect the author to handle their own book promotions. Of course, there are some publishers who promise guaranteed sales for a hefty fee, guess how often that pans out for the author.
Authors learn so much from the process of writing the first book. The next several books go faster. You are on the right track.
New questions.
Going back in time, did you do any kind of creative writing, even back in grade school?
How early was it that you realized how powerful words can be?

Mark Moore link

12/12/2019 05:55:34 pm

Mailing lists seem to be as good as gold. I wouldn't say mine is particularly robust. In some ways I'm clinging to the notion that the best promotion for your first book is your second.

Questions:

I had aspirations as early as high school. I'll get a bit personal here and explain that I had severe social anxiety to the point where I had to be relocated to a school that could handle me. They allowed me to quarantine myself so-to-speak for a time which is where I began to really read and then, naturally, write.

I started to write in about 10th grade and my senior year I began to write my first 'book' I use that term loosely because nothing came of it. The title still makes me cringe 'Tears of Onyx', is there anything more angsty teenager? I think it got to about 30,000 words and I remember submitting it to a contest. Let's just say I'm glad it never got published anywhere.

My realization of the power of words was before that, I think. Like many authors, reading is the gateway. Three books stand-out as the stories that opened me to the possibilities of words on pages. James Clavell's "Shogun", J.K. Rowling's first Harry Potter book, and Tolkien's "The Hobbit". The last of these was the first I read and it was the first time I was really transported somewhere else. That was about 2nd grade.

Mark

12/12/2019 06:20:17 pm

Books after the first certainly work toward building a fan base. Side stories, back stories, cover and title contests all help to build a devoted fan base. I know one author who took an early copy of her book on a long hike and did some editing. Later she auctioned it off to the fan who made the most posts on other s.m. platforms about her books in a certain period of time.
It is so amazing how we transform from the angsty teen years into an adult. It reminds me of the caterpillar and butterfly routine. 30,000 words is pretty good.
Reading The Hobbit in the second grade is pretty advanced. You are a good reader.
New questions.
A lot of new authors struggle with finding beta readers. Because, after the first draft is done, fresh eyes and feedback become very important.
Do you have alpha-readers and/or beta-readers to help you smooth out a lot of wrinkles before publishing?
If you don’t, why?
If you do, how did you find them?

Mark Moore link

12/13/2019 01:10:34 pm

I love the idea of background stories. My patreon is largely built upon that idea. Every other month I add a new background story. It lets me expand on some of the things I write as notes to give my world context.

Questions:

I have three our four very reliable alpha/beta readers but I'd love to find more. They are integral to getting a story to the next phase. I'm lucky that, in general, they're honest. They''ll tell me when big picture things don't work. I would be lost without them because I get so stuck in my own head that sometimes I don't see what is interesting and what isn't or I make assumptions about what people will conclude or how they will react to certain things.

All of my alpha readers are close connections of some sort. My first reader is always my wife. After that, I have a few friends I've made over the years who have been supportive and honest in their critiques. With Rise, I also relied heavily on a writer's group with three consistent readers. These were other authors so the critiques were more pointed. I think it's important to have early readers that are both authors and readers because the responses you get are often very different.

Mark

12/13/2019 02:03:44 pm

Tell us more about how Patreon helps you as a writer.
I have over twenty lists of people who provide services to authors on my Twitter home page, one of those lists is for beta readers. You are welcome to take a look. Fresh and unbiased eyes can be so helpful. You are very fortunate to have the readers you have now.
New questions.
At what stage in your writing process do you bring in the readers?
Do you give them an e-version like a PDF or a hard copy you printed off?
What kind of questions did you ask them to get the feedback you wanted?

Mark Moore link

12/13/2019 03:34:40 pm

I think Patreon is a great way for people to support their favorite authors and get exclusive content in return. It's more of a give-and-take relationship than say, gofundme. On Patreon you are paying to get something in return that is explicitly stated by the author. I researched a few different authors before setting up my tiers.

From an author's stand-point it helps fund things but it also provides new ways to communicate with fans and also new ways to challenge yourself. I admit I felt the pressure of the deadline on the first story I wrote but it was pressure in a good way.

Questions:

I like to bring in readers after the first draft is completed but I can be a bit impatient. When I write, I want people to read it as soon as possible.

Alpha readers generally know to look past grammar, spelling, and other issues to pick out the big picture problems, like inconsistencies in plot or character development. It's also a safe place to gauge reactions and see if what you wrote is interesting or not.

Beta readers I tend to bring in after a few editing passes.

I supply them with a PDF. I try not to print unless I absolutely have to.

It really depends on what I'm looking for at that given time. I've created worksheets for beta readers before per chapter to gauge reactions specific to the events in the chapter. I've found, though, that it's better for me to just allow them to bring me there comments and ask general open ended questions like "How do you feel about <character/event>?"

Mark

12/13/2019 05:09:00 pm

Thanks. Patreon sounds like a viable vehicle for authors.
The functions of your Alpha and Beta readers are well defined. That has to be quite helpful.
New questions.
Do you reward the alpha/beta readers in any way particular?
What are three things, that you wish you knew before you wrote your first book?
Do you have a hero, real or fictional?

Mark Moore link

12/14/2019 12:44:26 pm

It's very helpful to set parameters both for yourself and for your alpha/beta readers. It's a bit like setting expectations for any work or school project so you get the desired outcome. For me, that's improvement to the plot and character development.

Questions:

With my writer's group it's a give-and-take situation where I'm doing the same thing for them. With my family,friends, and other connections they just have my eternal gratitude!

Three things that I wish I knew before I wrote my first book. Hm, well that's not the easiest thing to answer.

1. It will take longer than you think it will.
2. Your first draft will be terrible, so will your second.
3. Editing is expensive but necessary.

The hero question is an interesting one. I have many people I look up to, real and fiction, but I don't know that I have any heroes because everyone is flawed and we like to hide those flaws from each other. Can I take the sappy answer and say my hero is my wife? I can back it up with a 'why.'

She has a kind and caring spirit but it's her tenacity that is the most admirable. I've never seen someone who works as hard and takes so little time for herself. A hero to me is someone you would aspire to or be impressed by. She is both of those things to me.

Plus, she deals with me on a daily basis. That takes a super hero!

Mark

12/14/2019 03:21:26 pm

It seems to me that we both married up. My wife impresses me all the time and we have been married for over 42 years.
Your answer about the three things is spot-on. The first draft has only one purpose and that is to exist. The first draft is supposed to be a piece of garbage. I think many writers get caught up in trying to make their first draft perfect and it causes writer's block because they are ignoring their Muse. It's important to let the words flow because you cannot edit a blank page.
New questions.
What are some challenges to writing Historical Fantasy?
Why and how did you choose this particular time period?
What kind of historical research did you do?

Mark Moore link

12/14/2019 07:03:26 pm

I couldn't agree more about the 1st draft. I took longer to complete it on Rise because I was trying to polish while writing it. That just made more work for me later.

Questions:

Writing anything that is tied to something real is going to have added challenges. What I want to point out, though, is not the difficulty of things like "how long does it take to travel to x from y by horse in 1650" but the inescapable reality that people will draw their own connections. The challenge for me has been using pieces of real cultures to create fictional ones. This inevitably leads to readers making assumptions and then drawing conclusions, sometimes negative, about depictions. I was aware of this early on which is why, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, I called my southern country "Nihonmin" which is a play off the proper name for Japan. The influences are heavy but they are no more Japanese than than Hobbits are English.

I chose this particular time period (roughly the 17th century) because I thought it was under served compared to the usual historical fiction/historical fantasy type-books which draw so heavily on pre-gunpowder history.

Off the top of my head I've research British naval organization, Mongol yurt construction, Colonial government titles and structure, musket physics, cannon physics, revolutionary war medicine and amuptations, and so much more. All of my research has been tied to specific things, not historical events. Since all of my story and characters are fictional I didn't want to be influenced by reading about events or people.

Mark

12/14/2019 08:16:17 pm

I caught that about Nihonmin, it influenced my reading to think they were very oriental in clothing, manners, and fighting, with or without weapons. There is a great deal I like about the culture, ancient and present. My first martial arts movie was a samurai movie, in Japan Town, in San Francisco.
That's a great search list, life was short and brutal for most people back then.
New questions.
What is the most valuable piece of advice you have ever received from another writer?
Now that you have a published book, are you writing anything strictly for yourself or are you concentrating on writing for your readers?
What are common traps for beginning writers?

Mark Moore link

12/15/2019 12:46:46 pm

My Master's degree was spent studying Japanese history so it is not coincidental that they are in my book as a not so hidden allegory but I still like to maintain that inspiration can lead in many directions and I've included other cultures in creating them as well.

Questions:

That's a difficult one to answer because there are many authors who have given me priceless advice. All pieces that are important at different times throughout the journey of writing a book. I'll give one that every would-be-writer should hear in the beginning:

"You don't need anyone's permission to start writing."

The way I constructed Rise, I made a promise to anyone who reads it. As you know, it ends on a cliffhanger of sorts, though I tried to sew it up a little. All of my writing time since publication has been working toward fulfilling that promise and finishing the next chapter in the series.

There are a few. There are writers like myself who when they start out, they want to over-do it. Over-explain, over-write, purple prose everywhere. It's that sudden urge to flex all those writing muscles you've honed. It's normally very bad writing and a chore to read. The next trap is directly related and that's taking criticism as a personal attack or, conversely, taking criticism as sacrosanct. In the first instance you're likely to ignore valid critiques. In the second, you're giving too much credit to any one person and could take on bad habits to please that critic or worse yet, lose your writer's voice. Happiness is somewhere in the middle. I am a much better writer today than I was in 2015 and that's not just practice. It's people critiquing me and showing me what I did wrong and why. I'm sure there are many more but I'll stop here.

Mark

12/15/2019 02:46:05 pm

That is an interesting major. Do you speak or read Japanese? Have you visited Japan?
I think that is great advice. Every person who writes brings a different perspective to a story, just like the readers do. The readers view a book through a particular set of glasses that no one else possesses.
There is nothing wrong with a cliffhanger. You brought a number of threads together and moved the story forward. The cliffhanger is a time-honored tradition in storytelling.
You hit that particular trap for beginning writers quite well, there must be a balance.
More questions.
Do you think a strong ego is an asset or liability for a writer and why?
Can you describe the demographic of your ideal reader?
Who is the person most likely to buy your book?
Do you have anything you consider to be your writing lucky charm?
What is the biggest obstacle you face in writing?

Mark Moore link

12/15/2019 10:41:55 pm

Two years of Japanese language left me with a limited understanding of basics. I've never been skilled when it comes to learning languages, it's one of my greatest failures I think.

Questions:

I think there's a difference between ego and confidence. As a writer you need to be confident or have people around you who can boost that confidence. I'm privately confident but openly critical of my own writing but I'd still say my belief in my work has been shaken more than once. There have been times, even recently, where I questioned if I was good enough to consider myself an author. Too strong an ego could prevent you from improving as an author by ignoring critics. A lack of balance in that is why so many great works have gone unwritten and so many trash novels have been published!

I don't have an ideal demographic because I'm just happy when anyone reads. I have a suspected demographic which would the same as most fantasy and historical fiction.

I think the person most likely to buy my book is someone fascinated with statecraft. I think the person most likely to be surprised they enjoyed my book is someone who looks for character development.

As in something tangible that holds significance to me? No.

The biggest obstacle I face in writing isn't the writing itself but what to do with it when its completed. This is two different things but they're tied together. I struggle with releasing it. That is, being able to say it is clean enough grammatically. That the story is solid where it is and that it ends sufficiently. From there I struggle to market properly. There's a nagging hesitation to sell.

Mark

12/15/2019 11:16:23 pm

My understanding is that Japanese is not the easiest language to learn. I love the food and some of the philosophy from long ago.
Nice delineation between ego and confidence. That makes a lot of sense.
So many writers struggle with the same thing, you must be normal or as crazy as the rest. ;-) The fear of letting your baby out into the world is very real. Thank you for doing that.
New questions.
Are there any issues that are peculiar to writing historical fantasy that might not apply to other genres?
Are there any writing styles or genres that you disliked at first but soon came to like?
Do you think reading, watching movies or listening to music help you be a better writer?
What type of book is your favorite guilty pleasure to read or listen to for fun?

Mark Moore link

12/16/2019 10:04:56 am

I've tried Spanish, French, German, and Japanese. To this point, Japanese was the easiest to me to speak and understand but the hardest to read.

Questions:

I think the importance of historical accuracy stands out. In traditional historical fiction that can be as important as a factual history book. In historical fantasy, like mine, it's integral to world building.

Romance. I think there was a gender-bias there from a very young age but in working through my writer's group and meeting writer's at conventions I've really grown to appreciate their books. I wish I could write romantic relationships with even a fraction of their expertise.

Reading. That's not to say music and movies don't have their place. Movies can be great for understanding plot devices and character development in a truncated fashion. Reading, though, is the best way to see how other authors have used words to elicit emotion and paint pictures.

I wouldn't say I have a guilty pleasure when it comes to reading or listening to books because I think they're all valuable. I adore fantasy,sci-fi, and historical fiction the most, though.

Mark

12/16/2019 10:42:55 am

I thought it would have been easier to learn one of the Romance languages like French. So many of our words in English are borrowed from those different languages. German is hard for me to pronounce, no question about that.
I had that same bias about reading romantic books. I have found some amazing writing in books by romance writers. Now, I am a fan of good writing, regardless of the genre.
We like the same kinds of books to read.
New questions.
Would you agree or disagree with the statement: suffering is a requirement to be a good writer, and why?
What were your intentions or your goals when you wrote this book?
Do you feel you were successful in getting that message across to the reader?

Mark Moore link

12/16/2019 01:09:07 pm

I think it just goes to show that it's important not to....judge a book by its cover. I had to.

Questions:

I would say yes, but largely because I think everyone has suffered in some way. Everyone has had a point or moment in their life where everything is in shambles or something dear is lost. It's part of the human condition and it's part of what makes your characters relate-able. If you can't tap into that basic part of existence, you can't make convincing characters.

My intentions and goals when I wrote this book were to create a story that people will read and enjoy but also one that shows the spectrum of morality and ethics.

I think I may have at times played it a little safe but I think the point gets across. There's a turning point specifically for one character and the reactions to it have been fascinating to me. To many, those actions have seemed irredeemable even for someone who was supposed to be a 'good' character. You may know what I'm referring to.

Mark

12/16/2019 01:56:04 pm

We are told over and over to not judge a book by its cover. The truth is, we all do it. First impressions are priceless and cannot be done over.
I think you are talking about the General. That was a brutal moment, you handled it well. Some writers might have spent many more pages scrutinizing her thought process to the detriment of the story.
New Questions.
What was the best money you ever spent as a writer to enhance your career?
Do you subscribe to any magazines, newsletters, blogs or podcasts that enhance your writing career? Feel free to share as many as you would like.
What are your favorite reference books for grammar and writing?

Mark Moore link

12/16/2019 03:08:19 pm

Sometimes its best to leave interpretations to the reader after the initial shock.

Questions:

It wasn't the most expensive thing, but I paid a monthly fee for an online writer's group. I think that has been by far the most impactful but I'd give strong consideration as runner-up to a course I took at Oxford University - Advanced Creative Writing II.

I don't subscribe to anything and I'm terrible of keeping track of things that I've found helpful but I have a host of web page bookmarks for great write-ups. I might need to create a resource page to keep track because at the moment, I can't think of any to name specifically.

The Elements of Style and The Emotion Thesaurus stand out as helpful reference books that I use often.

Mark

12/16/2019 03:31:52 pm

If that is an open group, feel free to provide a link, if you would like.
My bookmarks are way out of hand. I have page on my website, Highly Regarded Blogs, I have added links to that page almost every day since the summer.
I have heard good things about both books.
Last questions.
Do you think you were born to write or did you have to learn the craft?
What is the most difficult part of your artistic process?
How did you celebrate when you published your first book?

Mark Moore link

12/16/2019 05:09:05 pm

Happy to: https://www.thenextbigwriter.com/

Last Questions:

Is it possible to say both? I think we are all storytellers in some way. Some of us create our own stories, other's retell what we've seen or learned and we use different mediums to meet that end. However, to be able to distill all of those jumbled up stories in my head, it's a life-long education. I've only just begun and I have a long way to go.

The most difficult part of my process is definitely editing. Not just cutting of words and fixing grammatical mistakes, but also re-arranging the plot when necessary and making sure character personalities are consistent.

This will be a bit of an anti-climatic question to end on. We didn't really celebrate it in any special way. I think because I'd already started on the second book before the book went live I was just focused on what the next step was. Maybe I'll do something when the next one is finished!

Mark

12/16/2019 06:09:29 pm

You have created some wonderful content and more is on the way. With more streaming services coming on line the demand for good content is growing dramatically, just as audio books are exploding around the world. I hope you investigate leveraging your intellectual property rights to create long lasting residual income.
I have a new promotion starting tomorrow and must be ready for it.
Thank you so much for a great conversation. You have shared a lot about your writing and publishing journey, others will be able to learn from your experiences.
Thanks again for being a great guest.

Mark Moore link

12/16/2019 11:23:01 pm

Thank you for the opportunity. I've enjoyed chatting about the various aspects of writing that I have experienced so far and hope people will find it entertaining and useful.

I'm always happy to talk writing and my book with anyone so feel free to contact me through Twitter @redbeardflynn, facebook at Mark S. Books or my website, marksmoorebooks.com

And just to reiterate some of the most valuable words I ever heard: You don't need anyone's permission to start writing, just start.

Rise: Birth of a Revolution (The Flynn Chronicles Book 1) By Mark S. Moore

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