The Joy of Cruising Again by Paul C. Thornton

5/20/2023

Multi-genre, multi-volume author Paul Thornton introduces us to his third volume about cruising, “The Joy of Cruising Again”:
The Joy of Cruising was published in March 2019 shortly after a wonderful family cruise over Christmas 2018 which was briefly discussed in the culminating chapter, "Holidays." However, The Joy of Cruising was not about me and my family's cruising adventures but rather is a paean to the legion of passionate ocean cruisers worldwide. It just happened to be conceived of and written coinciding with the planning of my family's Christmas reunion cruise on the Royal Caribbean Anthem of the Seas. Nor is it a cruising guide—rather, a compendium of fun, informative cruising narratives, and profiles of cruisers who are passionate, have interesting stories and perspectives and embody the joy of cruising. Some are well-known, even celebrities—a Grammy Winner, TV Star, UK's first non-Royal, non-star performer Cruise Ship Godmother, a Poker Hall of Fame—many are "ordinary cruisers with extraordinary stories."

I long to cruise as much as these people, or to the amazing locales, or on the unique vessels as the fascinating individuals, couples, and entrepreneurs I wrote about in The Joy of Cruising. In the meantime, I got to experience cruising vicariously through them by telling their stories. I found the experience both exhilarating and humbling, and incredibly fun. Coupled with the encouragement from reader feedback, I set out to write a follow-up, More Joy of Cruising. By March 2020, interviews of another group of amazing cruisers had been done and research and writing for More Joy of Cruising was half complete when the world changed and cruising came to a virtual sudden stop. The COVID-19 pandemic was upon us, and the cruise lockdown began. Writing More Joy of Cruising was halted; joy of any kind was in short supply in early 2020 as people were stricken, and died, and COVID-19 overwhelmed healthcare systems.

After several months I restarted what had been More Joy of Cruising, renaming it Cruising Interrupted. Interspersed among the stories of fascinating cruisers were a few sagas involving cruisers who were on the ocean at the time the lockdown began; their cruise ships were directly impacted by COVID-19, and their return home was long-delayed and dramatic. "A ghost ship," said one. Cruising Interrupted was published in January 2021 at the height of the global cruising lockdown.

The Joy of Cruising Again celebrates the return of cruising from the brink. It is the end of a trilogy that marvels at the spirit of people worldwide who enjoy this wonderful pastime and persevered in the face of the pandemic that threatened to steal the collective joy of the cruise community.

I have never been on a cruise but after reading this I am ready!
Paul makes it seem so easy and fun. Though, during the Covid shutdown cruising was not happening for a long time!
Paul does an excellent job of addressing the Covid-elephant in the room and how many avid cruisers and cruise employees survived as they held their collective breath during the shutdown.
So many great stories, Paul has done an excellent job of translating the stories into an interesting narrative intermixed with insightful interviews with people in the industry and those who blog about cruising.
The Joy of Cruising Again gets 4.8 stars.
You should read this especially if you have never been on a cruise. Who knew there were so many different types of cruising?

You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Cruising-Again-Paul-Thornton
https://www.goodreads.com/-the-joy-of-cruising-again
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/the-joy-of-cruising-again-paul-c-thornton

You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/joyofcruising
http://www.thejoyofcruising.net
http://www.facebook.com/TheJoyOfCruising/
http://www.instagram.com/thejoyofcruising/
http://www.amazon.com/author/paulthornton

I reviewed the first book here: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-joy-of-cruising
I reviewed the second book here: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/cruising-interrupted

Copyright © 2023 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction

64 Comments

Paul Thornton

5/22/2023 04:39:21 pm

Hi Mark. Was there a question for me?

Mark

5/22/2023 04:58:40 pm

Welcome back, Paul. Much has changed since we chatted in the interview for "The Joy of Cruising". A little over two years ago I moved to Florida and you were moving out of Florida, so we didn't do an interview for "Cruising Interrupted". The country was struggling to cope with the Covid mess and some parts of our country are still mired in it.

First question.

I noticed that your book is not in Kindle Unlimited. Is there a reason for that?

Paul Thornton link

5/22/2023 05:07:37 pm

I tried it on my second book and wasn’t pleased with the results. I think it is in part because I have readers globally who have purchased my book on a certain site, and it’s no longer available to those sites when you are enrolled in KU

5/22/2023 05:36:20 pm

Some prolific authors make a good amount of money on Kindle Unlimited. Most authors make a little bit of money at first because they only get paid a fraction of a penny for each page read by a person. If the book is boring then the reader moves on to another book. In that sense, KU provides a real free-market space for authors. But Amazon requires exclusivity for a book to be accepted into the KU program. During the contract with Amazon the book cannot be sold on any other platform. Some people cannot shop on Amazon and others refuse to.

I believe it is in an author's best interest to not enter the KU trap. It's my sincere belief that authors should get their books onto as many platforms as possible. With that in mind here is a copy-and-paste link or use the search box below to learn about aggregators likely being an author's best friend. Aggregators just might be an author's best friend! https://www.kotobee.com/blog/everything-need-know-aggregators/

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?

5/22/2023 05:55:59 pm

I never went through the traditional book publishing route mainly because of my age when I started writing. I was 58-years old and didn’t feel I had the time nor inclination to pursue querying and agents and the like.

5/22/2023 06:37:27 pm

The traditional publishing industry and agents are disintegrating before our eyes. We have Amazon to thank for that. Amazon made it possible for anyone to publish a book. Many talented people, including yourself, have been able to publish. The world is richer for it.

The author that self-publishes retains control of their book and the intellectual property it represents.

New question.

Have you self-published all of your books?

5/22/2023 08:14:35 pm

Yes I have always self-published. I keep thinking I will get discovered!

5/23/2023 08:47:50 am

You are being discovered every time a reader buys one of your books for the first time. Retail is like that you have to prove yourself through your books anew every day. Thus cover and blurb are critical.

New question.

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

5/23/2023 09:29:52 am

I try hard to ensure that my books are the same as if published by a major. However, I am limited by budget so I have to ration my $ between editing, proofreading services like yours, fees to the self-publishing service providers, and then marketing. I’m sure I fall short but hopefully not in a very noticeable way.

5/23/2023 11:15:59 am

Your book looks good to me. Your covers stand out and attract the eye. The traditional publishers watch their pocketbook also. The few that are left are struggling to stay afloat, their profit margins are quite slim. They don't spend any more money than they have to. They can't afford to take chances on unknown authors or stories.

New question.

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

5/23/2023 11:22:45 am

I will focus on self-publishing. There are two that stick out for me: 1) companies that sell publishing services and require an author to give up ownership; 2. contests (which I do see a role for) that are little more than scams that enrich entrepreneurs

5/23/2023 01:36:15 pm

Those are excellent selections you made.

The publishing contract has caused so many writers to shed tears because the writer didn't understand what they were signing. As they learned, ignorance is not an acceptable excuse in court. Authors will be glad in the future when they follow a lawyer's advice and understand what they are signing. It is necessary to give a limited-time usage to a publisher so they can do what they deem best for the book to sell. Unless they can make a profit on every book they won't stay in business long.

Many writing contests are good and honest but some others not so much. Here is another copy-and-paste link 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 Anne is one of my favorite bloggers because she shares so much good information about writing and the business of writing.

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?

5/23/2023 02:18:54 pm

I assume you are including books written by me. That is certainly the case with my 1st book, an award-winning memoir that has changed my life. It is provocatively titled White Man’s Disease although not about race except to the extent it is a memoir of a Black man in America. I can’t read it enough, as odd as that sounds

5/23/2023 03:10:31 pm

I leave that wide open. You get to pick.

There is no question, that book would have great significance for you. I am not surprised it moves you.

New question.

What book has changed your mind about any particular topic?

5/23/2023 03:17:29 pm

Off-hand I can’t think of any. Probably because I read exclusively non-fiction and I always have strong feelings about some subject before I read about it.,

5/23/2023 05:16:25 pm

Very good. You know your own mind. I like that.

Too many people want me to borrow theirs, I'm happy with my own mind as it is.

New question.

Did you have a favorite book as a child?

5/23/2023 05:20:46 pm

Not until I was 13. Then I read The Autobiography of Malcolm X

5/24/2023 09:19:51 am

When I was 11 or 12, I went to the public library in our very small town. I loved reading and I dreamed of reading all of the books. I quickly realized the futility of my dream when I saw a picture of a much bigger library. Even now, I lament that I cannot read all of the books that I want, I won't live long enough.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X is a book I haven't read yet.

New question.

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

5/24/2023 11:11:15 am

That’s an easy one. “Would you read an another one of my books?”

5/24/2023 12:44:49 pm

That is a good question.

Getting people to buy your book is no easy task. Getting them to leave a review seems much harder. Only 1 or 2 percent of people leave reviews, apparently.

New question.

How do you handle bad reviews?

5/24/2023 12:55:06 pm

I am aware of only one. It seemed the person had not read the book and was intentionally sabotaging me; don’t know for sure and maybe I am trying to rationalize. One other review—which was favorable— but the person slammed me for the title, White Man’s Disease. She didn’t get it but it was pretty clear in the book, or so I thought. Maybe it wasn’t as clear as I thought!

5/24/2023 02:15:03 pm

We call those people trolls.
They get perverse pleasure irritating other people and causing them discomfort. I don't engage them anymore. I ignore and block. You can't make sense out of nonsense. They will likely never leave their mother's basement.

There is always someone who won't understand no matter how plain you try to make it. I have made many adjustments to my website for the same reason. Just the other day, a guy jumped into my DM box and said I might be breaking Amazon's rule against selling reviews. I have studied those rules extensively so I don't fall afoul of them. It says on my website in the paragraph where I talk about the price for a promotion package that the review is free, in bold font. The price is to cover the weeklong promotional package. I hope he understood it after I copied and pasted from my website in the DM box.

New question.

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

5/24/2023 02:28:17 pm

Writing absolutely has a spiritual or healing component for me, and energizes me. In fact, as I approached the end of The Joy of Cruising Again which was the third book of a trilogy, I started worrying about the void in my life of not writing. So I created The Joy of Cruising Podcast; it’s going great and gives me the same fulfillment that the writing process did!

5/24/2023 05:19:30 pm

Many authors report feeling energized after a good writing session. You have lots of company.

I was wondering what you were going to do next. The podcast sounds like a great replacement for writing and you don't need an editor and proofreader. ;-)

New question.

Are you buying any special gear for the podcast or thinking about a studio?

5/24/2023 05:47:01 pm

Fortunately I did not have to invest in much. I purchased a mic and headphones; I already had a nice Mac which comes with a good recording/editing software, and a carpeted extra bedroom. If you’ve cruised, aspire to cruise, or just enjoy travel stories, I urge readers to check it out at www.thejoyofcruisingpodcast.com

5/24/2023 07:14:04 pm

I hope you get a lot of visitors to your podcast.

New question.

Have you ever done NaNoWriMo, National November Writing Month?

5/24/2023 08:11:50 pm

No I have not.

5/25/2023 07:08:13 am

I am not surprised. National November Writing Month is aimed at novelists. The goal is to write a first draft of a 50,000-word novel. If you accomplish that you win! They also have other events throughout the year but that is the big one. Many authors write non-fiction like you. But some of them do participate in the competition. Many writers join a group for fun and mutual support.

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?

5/25/2023 08:35:49 am

Definitely am an over-writer. Fortunately I get each feature (chapter) edited as that feature is completed.

5/25/2023 01:24:46 pm

If I was a writer, I would be an over-writer also. I think it's best to write everything down when in the first-draft, discovery phase. You can't edit something that exists only in your mind. In the subsequent editing the picture becomes clearer, and the book is easier to read. Easy reading is usually the result of multiple editing sessions.

New question.

If you cut big parts, do you save them?

5/25/2023 01:36:24 pm

No there is never anything that big cut out. Besides I can remember in my mind parts of books taken out going back to my first book. The largest I ever cut was an entire feature about a guy who did an annual Super Bowl cruise. I put a lot of effort into trying to tell an interesting story about him and felt I had succeeded. For some reason he made a decision he did not want to be in the book. I held the chapter until it was time to go printing in case he changed his mind again. He did not.

5/25/2023 04:42:44 pm

Very interesting. You probably never found out why he changed his mind. I am certain his reason was good for him.

New question.

What is your writing routine when you sit down to write?

5/25/2023 04:49:15 pm

I have no real routine—I write pretty much around the clock. Even if I am watching sports or riding in the car—my wife almost always drives—I am writing. I love writing while on a cruise ship and sitting on the deck. That’s the best office in the world.

5/25/2023 07:16:18 pm

Writing must certainly be pleasant on a cruise ship! I thought I had it good being only a few minutes from Disney World. You got me beat!

You must be really good on a virtual keyboard. I have tried it a few times and have not found it easy. I use a full-size, wireless keyboard with my laptop and I make lots of mistakes. You should see me working on a virtual keyboard, it's a laugh.

New question.

Do you write in a straight line or do you write whatever the muse provides for you at a given moment?

5/25/2023 08:10:05 pm

Whatever the muses provides. That it easy with the cruise books because they are each a compendium of unconnected stories. You could read chapter 15 first and then go back to chapter 3.

5/26/2023 09:10:53 am

You lucky guy! That is very easy. So many authors, including novelists, have a structure that must be followed, however that doesn't mean that the book has to be written in a linear fashion. Writing the easy parts first helps to firm up the structure. Here is a blog about that very thing: http://www.wordrefiner.com/guest-blogs/non-linear-writing

New question.

Did your writing process change much from your early books to your current book or did it stay the same?

5/26/2023 04:52:15 pm

The 3 cruising books were all the same. The first, the memoir was very different. It was written in a very linear. The inciting incident happened when I was 29, marked by a Dr. stating that I “would be dead in six months” if I didn’t get treatment. (No I did not let him treat me!) The book covered the ensuing days, weeks, months and then years afterward. It was very emotional and therapeutic to write and there were many tears shed by me in the process of writing—so very different to the cruise books which were just about unbridled joy.

5/26/2023 05:45:08 pm

That makes a lot of sense! Different books might need different processes.

Your memoir sounds very powerful.

New question.

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

5/26/2023 06:18:55 pm

Not at all (well other than typos you found!) After each of the cruising books I come across cruisers whose story is compelling, and I wish I had included them. However, now that I have the podcast I can include anybody at anytime whose story I want to bring to the cruise community.

5/26/2023 07:56:14 pm

You got the typos fixed so that is all good now.

There is always a new story as people explore new horizons and have exciting adventures. Your podcast will be a great vehicle to publish those tales.

New question.

What do you do to launch a new book when it is first published?

5/26/2023 08:37:40 pm

As an independent author I do everything I can do to market on a virtually non-existent budget. Post on social media around the clock, look for cost-effective opportunities to market, appear as a guest on podcasts, etc. my own podcast enables me to promote the books as well

5/27/2023 08:20:07 am

You do quite a bit to market your books. Marketing and promoting books is more like an ultra-marathon than a sprint. So many authors get discouraged when their book doesn't sell like they thought it would. With a million or more books published each year the field is very crowded and without constant effort a book will languish in virtual obscurity.

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.

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 question.

Have you ever participated in a book blog tour, why or why not?

5/27/2023 08:24:07 am

I have participated in book fairs (at least until Covid). Not familiar with a book blog tour.

5/27/2023 10:41:07 am

Since the CDC has taken the country out of the Covid lockdown opportunities for in-person events will arise again.

Here is a good article about promotional book blog tours, copy-and-paste time or hit the search box below: Do This, Not That – Blog Tours
https://www.thebookdesigner.com/2020/06/do-this-not-that-blog-tours

I have a list of book promoters on my Twitter page, though not all of them organize blog tours. Click on the three dots under the banner picture to find the lists.

New questions.

What kind of marketing has worked the best and the least for you for this book?

Speaking of marketing, why did you pick me to help promote your book?

5/27/2023 12:35:49 pm

Well the best kind of marketing is face-to-face but Covid had a dramatic affect on things like book shows and vending. I have tried a variety of tactics but advertising on a small budget and sporadic manner is hard to measure in terms of effectiveness. I’ve worked with you because your offerings offer a lot of value. I already know we’ll in advance that I plan to utilize you.

5/27/2023 04:08:10 pm

You are right, face to face marketing is the most effective. People feel special when they meet the author of a book they like.

Thank you, I am honored that you find value in my promotion of your books.

New question.

Do you have a classical author or poet you admire?

5/27/2023 04:27:13 pm

No not much for the classics. Although I have a great appreciation of a modern classic poet—Maya Angelou. I have used her quote “ We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty” in promoting my first book, White Man’s Disease which has a butterfly motif on the cover

5/27/2023 07:24:00 pm

Good quote, I like it.

Poetry has always been a mystery to me. I seldom pick poetry up to read. Every time I have read poetry, I feel changed.

New question.

What popular modern authors have influenced you?

5/27/2023 07:35:44 pm

Michael Eric Dyson. These days all I read is nonfiction

5/28/2023 07:39:40 am

He has written quite a few books. Some people seem to be wired to write, others to read. I fall into the latter group.

New question.

What software do you use to write and publish your books, and why do you use those?

5/28/2023 08:41:42 am

Just MS Word, with the Grammerly plug-in. I also used the Apple notes app to capture thoughts as my iPad is with me constantly

5/28/2023 12:09:25 pm

Microsoft's Word has been around almost from the beginning of the internet. It has a huge installed user base around the world. Word recognizes 40 different versions of English; American English is only one of those recognized. As a proofreader, I have to be aware of those differences and MS makes it easier.

I use the Grammarly plugin also. While it is far from perfect and it misses a lot of what I catch, it alerts me to issues that I don't always notice and I find that useful, though I don't agree with all of its suggestions.

New question.

When you aren't on a cruise ship, do you have a defined space for writing at home, or do you prefer to write in a coffee-shop?

5/28/2023 12:12:56 pm

A spare bedroom. Not in our office—I’ve surrendered that to my wife. The spare bedroom is carpeted and is an excellent podcast studio!

5/28/2023 03:07:17 pm

Very good. If it ever gets too echoey in the bedroom you could always hang some drapes or colorful comforters on the wall.

New question.

Do you listen to music or have the TV on when writing, or do you need quiet?

5/28/2023 04:19:29 pm

Love music and have cable news in at all times. So, no quietness is not necessary. Even when I am writing on the pool deck on a cruise, and then music starts blasting, it doesn’t affect me

5/28/2023 06:25:16 pm

You're lucky. Many writers need quiet to write, while others work well with background noise present, like you. A few in the latter group find it hard to work unless some kind of noise is in their environment.

I trained myself as a young boy to read in the midst of all kinds of distraction. That proved to be a problem early in my marriage and required some finetuning. Now, I can read and proofread all the time while my wife is watching TV right beside me. Having my back to the screen helps but if it is a show that interests me a lot then I do get distracted at times.

New question.

Have you ever participated in theater in some way?

5/28/2023 06:28:36 pm

That one is easy…never. Enjoyed a few shows though.

5/29/2023 07:30:43 am

Other than a single-act crime drama I wrote in high school the same for me.

Plays and movies are pretty good fun though, especially clever dialogue in comedies.

New question.

Going back in time, did you do any kind of creative writing, even back in grade school?

5/30/2023 01:32:34 am

Ha. I thought I was good at it. Then in 5th grade I was assigned to a “gifted” class and on the first day the teacher assigned us a paper about our ‘undertakings’ that summer. I misunderstood what she meant and I wrote what I thought was a clever parable about an undertaker in a funeral home. She held me back from recess and ask me what is this ______ My bus ride home that day was a long one…

5/30/2023 07:22:31 am

That is pretty funny. I love it. It is a classic example of misunderstanding the complicated and convoluted English language. Were you able to explain what you thought the assignment was?

New question.

What was the catalyst that propelled you into writing?

5/30/2023 06:39:34 pm

I tried to explain without admitting I didn’t know what the word ‘undertakings’ meant. I couldn’t get a word in.

It was a singular event that propelled me into writing. I had to give the father-of-the-bride talk at my daughter Kina’s wedding reception. I was told to talk about memories of Kina growing up. So I talked about standard stuff like school sports anecdotes, first date and prom stories, trips to Disney. However, for me the most powerful memory of Kina growing up wasn’t standard at all, and my speech would lack authenticity if I did not mention it. When Kina was six years old, and I was 29, I was stricken by trauma—the medical situation which caused the aforementioned brain surgeon to utter the “you’ll be dead in six months” phrase to my wife and me. Upon my discharge from the hospital after twelve hours of brain surgery and weeks of hospitalization, I had to work on regaining my normal faculties—to the extent possible—including relearning how to walk at a normal gait. So, every day little Kina would grab her seeming giant dad by the hand, and with a cane in my other hand we would walk my mom’s neighborhood. I incorporated the story about the walks with Kina in my wedding talk; but I went further. I needed to put context around the story; what led up to it, and amazingly, its aftermath. I say amazingly because I shared information at the wedding related to my convalescence and return to “normalcy” that I had hid and held inside for 30 years, out of shame and embarrassment—things my mom didn’t even know. Here’s the interesting thing: as I spoke, I could feel a huge burden lifting off my shoulders. The more I shared, the better I felt. It was liberating; cathartic; therapeutic. When the speech was over there “wasn’t a dry eye in the house.” I needed to hold on to that feeling I had when I was opening myself up to the wedding guests. I felt renewed, free, and empowered to be myself. So, I went back to my hotel room, got my iPad out and became a writer. I wrote everyday and it felt wonderful; like the wedding speech it was therapeutic. A year-and-a-half later White Man’s Disease was published.

5/31/2023 07:42:15 am

That is a powerful story. My eyes would have been sweating also if I heard your speech.

Last question.

How early was it that you realized how powerful words can be?

5/31/2023 11:28:29 am

After I started receiving feedback from readers. I was so moved I made a collage of comments I received. I’ll send you a photo and perhaps you can attach it

5/31/2023 11:39:27 am

Unfortunately, my webhost doesn't allow pictures to be posted in the comments. I do love the idea. I utilize the idea on a different page on my website, Acclaim From Authors. Many testimonies from authors about my services for them.

Thank you, Paul, for being a fabulous guest on the Word Refiner channel. I enjoyed reading all three of your books about cruising and consider it an honor to help promote your books.

I have another promotion so I must bring this interview to a close.

Until next time, keep on writing and podcasting!

The Joy of Cruising Again by Paul C. Thornton

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