Searching For Zen

4/7/2024

A tale of Divine Destiny by Albert T. Franklin

Debut fantasy author, Albert T. Franklin introduces us to his deep fantasy story, “Searching For Zen":
In a world where Earth intertwines with realms of fantasy and science fiction, a humble boy is bestowed with a divine destiny, thrusting him into a journey of self-discovery and perilous adventure.

Our story begins on Earth, but an Earth with a past steeped in fantasy, myths, and legends. From humble beginnings, a boy is given a divine destiny, a chance to make his mark on human civilization, but he must embark upon a life-changing journey. Our hero struggles to understand what he has been given and what to do with it, losing himself in doubt and loneliness as he confronts the dark side of humanity.

Coming of age, Zen finds strength in himself, builds a family from a motley collection of strangers, and discovers love. His newfound friends help him open up, learn to trust others, and eventually understand his reason for fighting. The trials he faces throughout his quest amplify as his power increases, and he even sparks the ire of those in the spirit realm, who doubt any human can wield such power successfully.

As Zen grapples with the weight of his purpose and the sacrifices it demands, he learns that the true power lies not in his abilities alone, but in the bonds of love, friendship, and the resilience of the human spirit

A classic trope in fantasy, the quest, is explored with care and thought. I enjoyed the story quite a bit, but occasionally a character would break out in very modern speech forms and that jolted me out of the story a few times. I recovered quickly.
Spiritual beings, guides and semi-gods brought an interesting dimension I don't see very often in fantasy stories and I enjoyed that. I need to look harder for stories in that vein.
There was also a nice variety of non-human creatures that added a pleasant flavor.
No spoilers from me but some of the minor characters are very evil and some are not.
4.6 stars from me. I am hard to please.

You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Searching-Zen-Tale-Divine-Destiny-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-searching-for-zen
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/searching-for-zen-a-tale-of-divine-destiny

You can connect with the author:
https://twitter.com/Lost7310
https://alberttfranklin.com

Copyright ©2024 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction

85 Comments

Albert T Franklin link

4/7/2024 05:58:36 pm

Thank you so much for the review!

Mark

4/8/2024 08:00:25 am

You are welcome, Albert, I enjoyed your story.
Thank you for hiring me to promote your book.
I welcome you to the Word Refiner channel, the home of the only live interview for authors on the internet. This interview is live because anyone can join the conversation and ask either of us questions.

Here is my first question for you.

Please, tell us more about yourself. Perhaps something a little bit beyond your bio.

Frank tether

4/9/2024 05:06:10 am

Im a huge Jets,mets,knicks, Rangers fan which of course means im cursed lol.
I used to be very athletic and loved to swim everyday I have been struggling with health problems the past few years, which comes with a steep price. However it has helped me learn and see a different side of life.

4/9/2024 09:13:29 am

Many are fans of one team or another.

Swimming is great exercise at any age. I got a swimming merit badge when I was a Boy Scout just barely. Swimming a quarter of a mile was very taxing.

Health problems become more common with age for a lot of people, including me. I am more aware of the fragility of life than ever before.

New question.

Are you a full-time or part-time writer?

4/9/2024 08:14:37 pm

Well I run two businesses so i would say part time writer. It woul dbe cool if i could be just popular enough so i could do it for a living but im nowhere near that at the moment.

I dont have delusions of grandeur, i would just like to be the best i can be but im not sure i know what that is yet

4/9/2024 08:33:29 pm

Your book is better than the average first book. So, you have a promising literary future. Your next books will be better than the previous ones. The learning curve is steep for beginning authors.

New questions.

What is your favorite genre to read for pleasure?

Has writing changed the pleasure of reading for you?

4/9/2024 08:46:09 pm

I love Sci Fi the best but i also love reading biographies i think Walter Isaacson is awesome! His books just flow so nicely and tell the story of someone life in a way i think is masterful.

I'm currently writing a enemies to lover trope, because my wife into them and i thought it be cool to do a story with her help. So i have listen to a few of those types of books which i dont think i would have otherwise.

4/9/2024 09:03:11 pm

Romance is the most popular genre on amazon. It has many subsets and committed fans. They know what they like and expect the goods to be delivered. With your wife's help, I am sure you will do well. Personally, I think writing in multiple genres and having more than one WIP is a good idea.

New questions.

Why do you write?

How has writing changed your life?

Albert T. Franklin link

4/10/2024 08:31:11 am

I have always wanted to tell stories and did in school and entered some contests and some teachers told me I should go to college for it. However, I doubled up the last two years in high school and got out a year earlier. I got a job for a year then inherited a small amount of money and traveled as much of the world as I could into the early 30s.
I think that help shaped a lot of the stories I think about as I learned there are many ways to look at life.

For some reason I really wanted to write a book before I turned 50 last year, so I worked hard for it to come out just a couple weeks before that. I have no real reason why, it just felt like something I needed to do.
Once I did, it the flood gates open and I have finished 4 other stories and currently in the middle of three others. All are Sci-Fi but none are linked with Zen.

4/10/2024 08:43:58 am

Congratulations on making your goal! Half of a century is a notable accomplishment.

Traveling really is an eye-opening experience. I grew up on a small hobby farm, 35 acres, in SW Washington state. I moved to San Francisco after graduating from high school in 1971. THAT was more than an eye-opening experience, it was a big culture shock but it prepared me to travel in Western Europe in 1973.

Congratulations on having written more books. The more you publish the more you will sell.

New questions.

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

Who was the first person to inspire you to write?

4/10/2024 01:07:54 pm

Ray Bradbury was the first person overall as I found him very young and he still to this day is my favorite author.
In real life, it was my teacher in the sixth grade, I had written a few stories for school and she was the first one to say 'Hey, you have talent, you should work on it'. She was very cool and I still appreciate her words.
Well, I'm sure my work has influenced my writing, but I would really have to think about it. We don't do the typical sort of stuff, so we run into a lot of crazy things.

4/10/2024 01:19:05 pm

Bradbury was one of my early favorite authors also, along with Asimov, Herbert, Anderson and others. Sci-Fi is my favorite genre followed closely by fantasy and historical fiction. The LOTR was my introduction to fantasy, I read the trilogy three times before graduating from high school.

I know that I am not a writer. I learned this in school. All I wanted to do was read. I never felt the urge to write. I completed writing assignments as quickly as possible so I could return to reading.

New questions.

What inspired you to write this book?

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

4/10/2024 04:28:33 pm

I broke up with someone and so I decided to drive across Canada alone in a crappy car with like 300 dollars to my name. I listen to Beck's Sea Change album for the first 20 hours but then felt the need to break out of the mindset.

I was feeling as if my life was over, and I had wasted all my potential, so I started telling myself a story about what I thought made a good life and what was important and that's how Zen started. Of course, it's changed a lot over the years.

I feel like the story just fit best in the fantasy genre but it's really a story about what's important, in a fantasy setting. At least, that way I think of it.

4/10/2024 04:34:14 pm

That sounds like something I might have done in my younger years. That kind of pain can cause a lot of reflection.

Yes, it does fit well in that genre. The story has quite a few fantastical elements.

New questions.

Have you ever seen a UFO or UAP, Unidentified Aerial Phenomena?

How many drafts did your book go through before publishing?

4/10/2024 07:20:09 pm

Yes, I have once and have no idea what is really was. I was living in northern NY by the Canadian border when I and two other people driving down a lonely highway saw a light streak across the sky, we thought it was a falling star, but it turned and headed toward us then shot straight up.

I have been telling myself the story of Zen for years so I actually wrote the majority of the book within 15 hours over a three-day period. It just poured out of me, I guess. We worked on it for a few months, but I had to get a second editor because the first didn't do so well.

4/10/2024 07:35:25 pm

My sisters tell me we saw a UFO when we were children, they swear I was there. I have no recollection of the event.

A first draft in 15 hours! That seems pretty amazing to me. Though, I think you did it exactly right. The first draft has but one purpose and that is to get the story out of your head so it can be edited. Some new authors work feverishly trying to write a perfect first draft and frequently get lost in the story, lose touch with their muse and give up without finishing the story.

New questions.

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

How many drafts did the cover go through?

4/11/2024 07:48:14 am

@doverandpopplin is her twitter handle her name is Valisha Arnold and she did a great job on the cover, I think.
I actually went through two other people that designed nice covers but then Valisha jumped in and took it to another level. She has done other book covers also. if you're looking for a great cover, please drop her a line.

4/11/2024 08:40:04 am

Thanks for sharing about the cover designer. It is beautiful.

New questions.

Was it hard to come up with the title?

What was the process?

4/11/2024 10:57:51 am

LOL well that is a long story, the book actually was finished and going thru last edits when the editor finally came up with the name. I didnt like it at first but it grew one me.
Then they did a small focus group and thought adding the a tale of divine destiny made it sound cooler. I just could not think of anything better lol sadly.

4/11/2024 12:05:11 pm

I like the title, it is a good fit. The subtitle works well also.

New questions.

Were the character names difficult to develop?

How did you choose them?

Albert T. Franklin

4/11/2024 01:32:52 pm

I had originally come up with Zen so I could remember the story's main character's name. I feel I really struggle coming up with names, what I ended up doing on this story was looking into names from other cultures so I could make sure I could be as inclusive as I could be.

I think the only name that strange is Brewst but that was a nickname of a friend of mine from long ago.

4/11/2024 01:39:25 pm

You are not alone, many authors struggle with names in all genres. There are many websites devoted to names in many different time periods and nations. There are also websites dedicated to names in various genres. You mentioned that you are writing science fiction at this time, here is a website that generates names for that genre: https://www.scifiideas.com/sci-fi-character-name-generator/ Copy and paste time.

New question.

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

4/11/2024 07:04:26 pm

No, I started out with Zen, but I have written a few short stories since and was thinking about releasing them as a collection type of thing.
I like to find a place that wants short stories, but I haven't found one that has actually gotten back to me but I'm sure there are a lot of people out there trying to do same thing.

4/11/2024 07:11:37 pm

There are a lot of people who write short stories for publications or for contests. There is competition. There are good literary magazines of all genres looking for material to publish and it can be difficult to locate them without some work.

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 for on my Highly Regarded Blogs page.

New question.

Have you thought about writing a sequel to this book or maybe a series?

4/11/2024 07:53:20 pm

Thank you, I will read that. There are definitely lots to be wary of in this industry for sure.

I am currently writing other stories and I recent had a huge, free giveaway campaign that ended up having almost 1100 books ordered in 2 days, so if there was interest, I might move it up, but I had always thought Zen would be three book series but I'm not sure when I will get to the second one just yet.

4/12/2024 09:01:56 am

That is an amazing result of that campaign. If only 10% leave a review that should be quite a boost on amazon. Congratulations!

New questions.

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

Did you use AI in any of your writing or planning for your books? I am not including research in this question because most of the major browsers have embedded AI in the browser.

4/12/2024 01:06:45 pm

I am completely against AI in writing but it's coming and I'm sure in the not-too-distant future the writing world will be mostly AI stuff especially movies and TV, I think.

Maybe computers can do it better but there's something about it coming from a human's imagination that I'm not sure it will ever be able to really beat. Nothing beats good human writing.

No, I won't use AI, I'm literally as unknown as you can get if I can't have fun and tell my stories what would be the point.

I have used AI pictures to do my book trailer and I know some are greatly against that also, so I try to be careful with it.

4/12/2024 03:28:54 pm

AI is everywhere or nearly so. There are authors who are using AI for writing and covers. The covers have a strange look to them and AI struggles with limbs and extremities, especially fingers. I have seen arms that are too long and too few or too many fingers on different covers. The writing seems uninspired and kind of flat.

I don't think that AI will ever to be able to master fiction. I can see it doing okay with non-fiction and copying the style of a famous author but creating an original novel will prove to be beyond its abilities.

Writing to have fun and please yourself is the best path to follow.

New questions.

Have you encountered a troll reviewing one of your books?

How did you handle it?

4/13/2024 08:56:54 am

I have gotten some poor reviews. I read them to see if I can learn something but if nothing else, I just let it go.
A few people got a bad copy of my book from an online website and I have asked them to change it, but they never actually responded so those reviews do bug me because it's not the reviewer's fault but they don't know.

4/13/2024 09:13:19 am

That is wise on your part. Sometimes there is something to be gleaned from poor reviews, especially if more than one reviewer mentions the same thing. It is important to remember that each person reads a book that is different from what the author wrote. Because the reader brings their personal life and frame of reference to the story.

I tell authors that a bad review reinforces the good reviews proving that those good reviews are not products of only family and friends.

Trolls are another matter. They seem to derive pleasure from upsetting the applecart and irritating the author. They try to push buttons and delight when the author gets mad. Don't ever engage a troll, put them on permanent mute. Most reasonable people will be able to discern what is going on.

Did that website steal or pirate your book? Did you receive your royalty from the sale of your book from that website? If not, you may need to take legal action. Consult a lawyer experienced with intellectual property rights and entertainment law.

New question.

What was the first paying job you worked as a kid and how old were you?

4/13/2024 12:41:45 pm

I freely gave permission to the ones who put my book on Amazon to give a copy to this website, but they sent the wrong one 🙄. They messed up a lot of things.
I've just asked them to change to correct version, but they never respond.

My first job was when I was 12 working at a collectibles shop. I loved it so much I ended up opening my own shop when I was 16.

4/13/2024 12:46:01 pm

Getting that version off the internet sounds like it's going to be trouble. I hope you can find a way to accomplish it.

Working in a collectible shop sounds like fun. When I was that age, they were called antique stores. My family had one when I was a teenager. I tried to help but didn't know much about the business.

New questions.

Have you done any public speaking?

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

4/14/2024 06:38:35 am

Yes, I have actually done a lot of public speaking, a job I had required it and since I was good at it they put me in front of all sorts of people. The biggest I ever spoke in front of was 6500 which is not big for some but was fun.
I only stopped due to my health, I just can't pull myself together enough for it, but I did love it. I don't think I will be doing any of that going forward, but you never know.

4/14/2024 11:34:04 am

Wonderful. I agree with you, public speaking is exhilarating! Yes, it makes me nervous but when I understand that I am the expert on my topic and the audience wants to hear my message, then my nervousness is transformed into excitement. My delivery is elevated to a higher level.

Never say never. ;-)

New question.

Among present or past family members and friends how many are or have been writers or authors?

4/14/2024 12:01:06 pm

There has only been one, it's V A Dawn (the same person who did my cover) she wrote her book in 2016, I think, and that really got me thinking I would love to do that. She was the one who really inspired me to just go do it and I'm glad I did.

4/14/2024 01:52:24 pm

Quite a few authors claim a teacher inspired them, even in the elementary school years.

I am not a writer, I am a reader. I learned to read about age 5 or 6, before the first grade. I retired elementary teacher lived behind us and she taught me to read a Dick and Jane book. I was so excited, the universe opened up to me and I have been reading ever since.

New questions.

I noticed that your book is in Kindle Unlimited. How is that working out for you?

Why did you choose that exclusive venue?

4/14/2024 03:34:09 pm

It is an amazing gift to have someone help you open your world. Hopefully we can both pay that forward.

I really had no idea about the industry and have learned a lot the hard way and wasted money. But I was told to give this a try since I'm a first-time author, I need to look for any way just to get my name out there. So, I have looked at this book as just trying help me get off the launching pad so to speak.
Hopefully, I'll have some people might want to look for the next one. So far, I have a little over 2000 pages read which I don't know if that's good but only been doing it for like a month and half.

4/14/2024 03:47:27 pm

The industry has been in serious turmoil for more than two decades now. The traditional publishing industry has been in serious contraction during this time. Traditional publishers of all sizes have disappeared or have been swallowed up by a competitor. There are only five big traditional publishers remaining, I think.

Most publishers are on a razor-thin edge of profitability, they are one poor book launch away from turning off the lights for good. Consequently, traditional publishers are very reluctant to invest in an unknown author. Unless your last name is King or Patterson you are very unlikely to see a royalty advance of any significance and the promotional efforts are mostly limited to posting on their website. In pretty much every publication of a book, the marketing and promotional efforts fall onto the shoulders of the author. Many authors are shocked when they realize this, they are now responsible for the success of their book. The author has to wear the business hat at times.

One of my favorite blogs is about pursuing the local author angle. How to be a marketing star right where you live. Another copy-and-paste link or search the title in the 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 and 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.

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.

New questions.

Have you ever gone through the query process?

Were you seeking an agent or submitting directly to publishers and why did you choose that path?

4/14/2024 04:41:58 pm

I had some talks with a traditional publisher, but they needed to put my book off till late 2024 and I just didn't want to wait so I tried the indie publishing route. I did it mainly because I had a personal goal to have it out before I turned 50 but that was on me.

I have a bunch of other stories but I'm not sure I would go through the process of just keep publishing myself and maybe see if I can build a name that way. Likely or statistically, it will go nowhere and as long as I have fun and improve then I guess it's all even. It would be fun to have a following of readers but for an old complete unknown I have now processed over 1400 orders in just short of five months. Not a bad start, I would think, for someone who has no idea what he is doing! lol

4/14/2024 04:53:24 pm

You identified one of the major stumbling blocks for authors, the calendar. For most publishers, a book that an author has slaved over and poured heart and soul into is more like a box of cereal on the grocery store shelf than a work of art. The publisher has one thought uppermost in their mind, can I make enough money to keep the lights on?

A publisher may contractually request that any part of the book be adjusted to suit them, to help them sell more copies, including a total rewrite of the book. No extra money for the author unless the author was smart enough to have a lawyer who knows the ins and outs of intellectual property law and copyrights. This happened to a client of mine. She had several volumes published in the series and the publisher wanted her to rewrite the story to be separate and apart from the series. She started the rewrite and emailed the publisher some question. An answer never appeared so she decided to remain a self-publisher.

You have made a good start. Of course, many of those copies were sold for free; nonetheless, many authors would like to have that kind of exposure.

Last question.

How do you think your book compares to a book published by a major publisher?

4/14/2024 06:14:39 pm

Yeah, I would love for them all to be sales, but I'll take what I can get. lol

I'm sure we would have gotten out of the gate with less errors and screwups with a traditional publisher, but I think after learning the process the first time I'll be better at it next time.

4/14/2024 06:24:50 pm

The first time for everything presents a considerable learning curve for everyone.

I read 40 to 50 books a year and they all have spelling errors, except for one. Once a year, I find a book with no spelling errors. For the last ten years. One book. No spelling errors. Those ten books had other errors I track down. The spelling jumps off the page at me.

Albert, thank you for hiring me to help promote your book. I loved the story. You have been a fabulous guest on the Word Refiner channel.

Until next time, keep on writing.

4/14/2024 07:07:32 pm

Thank you this has been a lot of fun and looking forward to coming back with my next novel

9/2/2024 01:16:27 pm

second trip back around for my first novel

9/2/2024 01:25:32 pm

Welcome back to the Word Refiner channel.

Twice is nice, you can't promote your books too much and the old books need to be promoted as well as the new books. That leads to more sales when you have more books.

We are going to continue our conversation right where we left off before.

New question.

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

9/2/2024 01:29:08 pm

Yes, I own a company and we clean up houses that are empty for banks to get back on the market. We had some crazy expriences when it comes to this. It hard to explain them in a sort setting but on a few occasions things happened that freaked us out

9/2/2024 03:17:16 pm

Those sorts of things are unforgettable. They can be quite scary.

New question.

There are many unethical practices in publishing, which one is the most unbearable in your mind?

9/2/2024 09:57:09 pm

Well, I’m still learning the industry so I’m not sure I’m qualified to answer this just yet.
That being said i really do think AI writing while sadly is likely the future I feel this should stay in a human endeavour

9/3/2024 08:24:56 am

There are many ways scammers try to separate an author from their money. Some masquerade as agents, publishers, promoters or editors. Others offer bogus contests. Here is a copy-and-paste link concerning that or hit the search box below:

Beware Bogus Writing Contests! Look for These 8 Red Flags. https://annerallen.com/2019/05/beware-bogus-writing-contests

New questions.

Is there a book that causes strong emotions to come up no matter how many times you read it?

Do you ever read a book more than once? If so, which one?

Albert T franklin link

9/3/2024 01:12:45 pm

those are great things to watch out for, I still learning about a lot of this stuff seems like their a lot of sharks out there for sure,

I reread all of Ray Bradbury hits so to speak recently and Carl Sagan, I plan to do Isaac Asimov next but the emotions that com eup for me is reading them as a kid and remembering that stuff has been fun.

You been in industry long time, what advice would you give new authors to stay away from besides the stuff you mentioned above

9/3/2024 05:06:04 pm

Science fiction is my favorite genre for personal reading a little bit above fantasy that I love also.

I read a lot of Bradbury as a teen also Asimov. Asimov's Foundation series was amazing for me. It was long and huge in scope! Frank Herbert was another favorite. Dune impressed me a lot. The subsequent books of that series were pretty good up to eight or nine. It's been a long time.

Advice? Beware of anything that seems too good to be true. The scammers will push every button possible. If it seems like the most amazing deal ever then it will likely only benefit the scammer.

Victoria Strauss, @victoriastrauss on Twitter, writes a column for The Science Fiction Writers Association called Writer Beware. She writes fabulous warnings about the big scammers in publishing and there are many.

New question.

What book has changed your mind about any particular topic?

9/3/2024 11:00:00 pm

I have to say at a young age it was Carl Sagan Contact that really made me think alot about looking at religion and science and the message in that book I think really helped me have a better take on those two subjects.

This might be weird but Frost and Fire by Ray bradbury might have had more impact on me as a teen than any other story or book I read. I personally took that we need make our own decisions and make the best of the time we have. I ended up living a much different life then what is normal

9/4/2024 08:24:49 am

I enjoyed the movie "Contact" quite a bit. I didn't read the book. I might have read "Frost and Fire" but I don't recall it specifically. Besides reading lots of science fiction I also watched "The Twilight Zone" and "The Outer Limits" on TV.

I think you derived a good lesson. Personal responsibility is important and seems to be lacking in this day and age for a lot of people. Many want to play a victim and blame others for their lack.

New questions.

Do you have a favorite book by another author or just favorite authors?

Did you have a favorite book as a child?

9/4/2024 08:42:57 pm

I watched both of those shows when i was a kid and loved them! also Dr Who with Tom Baker was the best!

right now I love the dungeon crawler carl series by matt dinniman, the audiobooks are just another level!

As a kid I guess depends what time period of being a kid you mean but i really didnt get into reading until i was around 13 and the books i mention before but strangely enough i also like biographies and later read everything Walter Isaacson ever released

9/5/2024 09:10:52 am

Dr. Who was a lot of fun! I didn't get to watch it a lot, so I never latched onto a favorite doctor.

New question.

Can you read a book as a reader or only as a writer now?

9/5/2024 12:07:29 pm

I think for the most part I have always read like a writer just thinking of why someone did this or that. How they moved the story along for better or worse. How things come together or work out as some like you to see it from a miles away and others want you to guess. To me all that is part of the fun.

9/5/2024 12:13:10 pm

A number of writers have told me they have a difficult time immersing themselves into the writer's magic. I think a lot of writers are like you in that they can enjoy the story on one level and enjoy the plotting and such on a deeper level.

New question.

If you could ask every person, who has read one of your books, only one question what would you ask them?

9/5/2024 12:28:13 pm

That is a good question, I have loved random people I have no idea who they had read and left a review, and I am like yes that exactly what I was going for. I think it’s because of reviews, I realized my story is more a coming-of-age story set in a fantasy setting than other way around if that makes sense.

I would love to know if they felt anything. Did any part or character get a response from them emotional I’m not sure if I’m putting that the right way but I love to know if it touched them and if so what

9/5/2024 02:39:15 pm

Your answer is very similar to what other authors have said. They want to know what was most impactful for the reader.

Coming of age is an important sub-genre of more than one major genre. Perhaps you should change your keywords on Amazon. Here is another copy-and-paste link or hit the search box below: How to Change Your Kindle Keywords, by Dave Chesson
https://annerallen.com/2020/09/how-to-change-your-kindle-keywords-by-dave-chesson

New questions.

How do you handle bad reviews?

Does writing have a spiritual or healing component for you, does it energize you or make you feel tired?

9/5/2024 07:13:16 pm

Yes, the company that helped me release the book was saying the book is religious which I don't think it is, so after they stop promoting the book I had someone else change my key words recently but thank you for the advice.

I try to learn from bad ones and let it go but the one thing I hate is I gave the wrong copy of my book to a certain website and they get me free reviews but they wont let me change the book now for some dumb reason even though I email them dozens of times. So, when I get a review that I know is off a bad copy, it makes me upset but that is not reviewers fault they don't know but the company should be better and let me change it.

It is energizing but I need to work the story in my mind till it gets to the point where I think it's good enough, then I have to get it out of my head.

9/5/2024 07:22:07 pm

You have to ignore the bad reviews if they are unfounded besides personal taste. No one has ever written a book loved by all. Every book has an audience, those that will love the book. The converse is true, every book has people who will not like the book. I have told many authors a bad review validates the good reviews. The bad review proves the good reviews are not just from your mom and her bridge club.

Trolls are a different matter. Their reviews are obviously a work of a warped mind and reasonable people will take that into account. Whatever you do don't engage with the trolls. Your tears bring them joy.

That is a bummer. Reviews of a bad copy are not usually the best.

Many authors have told me that they feel energized after a good writing session.

New question.

Since a copyright in America lasts for 75 years after the author's passing, do you have a plan for all of your books in your will?

9/5/2024 08:44:25 pm

interesting , no I had never thought of it, maybe if I write a bunch and something takes off a bit other then that i guess they areout into the ether. But something i'll think about now

9/6/2024 08:13:58 am

No matter how many books you write, I encourage you to include your published work or works in your estate plan. A decade or two after your death someone might want to make a movie. Do consult a lawyer experienced with these things.

New question.

Why is it important for writers to tap into the emotions of the characters?

9/6/2024 10:30:41 am

That a great point, I will keep that in mind. I have never thought of it.

For me I think that is how we all relate to them and why a fictional character can be so powerful is that they can make you feel for them but understanding how they feel or don’t feel in a situation

9/6/2024 01:11:19 pm

That's a good answer and it is similar to many of the answers I have received from other authors.

The main characters, whether protagonist or antagonist have to reflect humanity in general. No one is perfectly good or perfectly bad. Even Hitler painted, expressing a creative and positive character trait. Every story with a human-like antagonist has to have positive character traits. If the antagonist is writing the story they would be the hero, they would be the protagonist. This is one aspect of writing that sticks with a lot of people after the book is closed.

New questions.

Have you ever done NaNoWriMo, National November Writing Month?

If you have, what kind of preparation do you do before it starts?

9/6/2024 03:54:27 pm

Have you ever done NaNoWriMo, National November Writing Month? - No I never heard of this what is it?

9/6/2024 05:36:28 pm

You can tell from the title it is a national contest in November for writing. It is a simple contest really, your only competition is yourself. If you write 50,000 first-draft words during the 30 days of November, you are a winner. That is less than 2,000 words a day.

Many authors use the opportunity to start a new book or write in a different genre. Many also join groups for mutual support and encouragement. Those writers who are plotters, those that like to outline a book first, may spend a week or two organizing their notes and doing as much research as possible. Those who like to write by the seat of their pants, pantsers, wing it, writing to see how the story turns out.

https://nanowrimo.org/ copy-and-paste time.

New question.

What reality show, current or not, would you like to be on?

9/6/2024 08:29:36 pm

Ah, interesting I had not heard of it but will keep that in mind i have been working on another new story.

I never really got into any reality shows but I have always heard the amazing race is a lot of fun and me and my wife love to travel!

9/7/2024 08:07:39 am

While writing the first draft is a solitary adventure, joining others, virtually, doing the same thing could be fun. Let me how it goes for you if you do it.

I watched that the first season a few times. It did look like fun. I watched a few episodes of other reality shows but lost interest quickly. There was always a book begging to be read.

New questions.

Are you an under-writer or an over-writer?

When the first draft is done, do you need to add more to flesh it out or do you have to cut material because there is too much?

9/7/2024 12:51:56 pm

Good question, I always first just get the bones of the story down and then after that will go back and add and try to flesh out the story to fill it all in.

9/7/2024 12:55:37 pm

A lot of authors write in a similar fashion. You have lots of company.

New questions.

Have you ever used yourself as a starting point for a character in a story?

Would family or friends recognize you in the story?

9/7/2024 04:08:55 pm

HEY, i forgot to mention that in honor of this interview I was doing free ebook copies on amazon if you want to check out the story.

https://www.amazon.com/Searching-Zen-Tale-Divine-Destiny-ebook/dp/B0CNHX1WFD/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2LKLIBPGE6F4W&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.4FteCGarcy2mdmFHnuzJ7w.mKrXMFowAc5NNy9DB-_YkBYuTuCcitfD1o2qY3yFINo&dib_tag=se&keywords=searching+for+zen+albert+t+franklin&qid=1725739712&sprefix=%2Caps%2C179&sr=8-1

9/7/2024 04:07:23 pm

Things that happen or said to me or I said and done are in all my stories but I try to add them with enough shadows that someone wouldnt be able to pick it right out but its all in there

9/7/2024 05:54:29 pm

Free books are nice! That is kind of you.

That is wise. Use everything around you but make sure nobody can recognize any part of it being from or about them.

Authors learn to observe the people around them and can get a lot of good material for stories.

New question.

What do you do to flesh out the characters for your stories?

9/8/2024 12:24:01 am

I think there is a lot of ways to do that but I really feel each one has to have a moment and that doesnt have to be long but memorable

9/8/2024 07:54:58 am

That is just like life. We all get a moment in the spotlight and then it moves on. We still contribute to a larger story.

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?

9/8/2024 03:05:24 pm

In this book, it was the antagonist, and he was so fun to write, I look forward to him being a bigger part of the story in the follow up books.

In this book, I think my protagonist is too sweet or good and not that it's a bad thing in itself, but the story was not intended to come out that way it just sort of did.

The antagonist is just so fun because since the protagonist ended up so good, he got to be the compete opposite which was fun to think how someone would love being bad.

9/8/2024 03:11:23 pm

I think many authors enjoy writing the antagonist more than the protag. This also seems to happen in the movies, some actors relish playing a bad person. Perhaps because they can let go of normal inhibitions.

I have another copy-and-paste link about creating believable characters, good and bad. https://www.wordrefiner.com/guest-blogs/character-creation In the blog, Rick Hall, a contributor and a client put together a wonderful website that helps to create believable characters. There is a link in the blog.

New questions.

Which is more important to a story pace or flow?

How do you control it?

9/8/2024 09:58:49 pm

I’m still learning here and trying to pick up tricks of the trade as I go. I really feel both are very important, but I know some books can just meander at whatever pace for the details of the story but to me if the story feels like it moving I think that keeps most readers more engaged but maybe just my opinion

9/9/2024 08:59:35 am

I agree with you. A book that has a very loose plot and meanders through the story can get boring quickly. Literary fiction can function like that. So much detail and little action. I have read a couple of those books and find I love a well-turned phrase. I learn new words also. There are people who like that genre. It is not in my top 10 favorite genres to read.

Both flow and pace are important. My job as a proofreader is to make sure nothing structural in the story such as spelling or repetitive words damage the flow. I keep an eye on pace also. Pace is set by long sentences and short sentences. Action scenes are best served with short sentences. After an action scene the pace needs to slow down to give the reader a chance to take a breath. Use longer sentences to achieve this.

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?

9/9/2024 12:28:58 pm

I try to write at night as that seems to be the best time for me. Early evening but sometimes if I have time and the mood hits i try strike when iron is hot.
For me I need to think or play story out in my head before i get the words down so i guess more of a straight line type but even then it will change and ill come back later and add more

9/9/2024 02:18:07 pm

Many authors write in the evening because of their day job.

That is the nice thing about writing. You don't have to get it right the first time. But you do have to get it out of your head.

Last questions.

Now that your book is published, is there anything about it you would like to change?

What else are you writing these days?

9/9/2024 06:56:58 pm

yes of course but for now im ok with leaving it as is maybe small additions when second book in series comes out.

I have just finished 2 different space opera type stories and a retired smuggler story all going through edits. Hopefully next time here we be talking about one of those books

9/10/2024 09:24:00 am

Those projects sound interesting. I can't wait to read them.

Thank you, Albert for being a fabulous guest. This has been a fun week chatting with you.

Until next time, keep on writing.

9/10/2024 10:43:12 am

Thank you I enjoyed it and look forward to next time

Searching For Zen

A tale of Divine Destiny by Albert T. Franklin

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