Greetings! It is my pleasure to present to you A. R. Silverberry, the author of Wyndano’s Cloak. He has kindly agreed to take a little time out of his schedule to talk to us about writing, his book, and a little on his experiences with publication.
Before we begin, please tell us a little about yourself and your book!
I’ve worked as a licensed psychologist for over twenty years. The writing bug bit me good in 1998, and I haven’t let up. Wyndano’s Cloak is for ages ten and up, and for readers who love stories with secrets, riddles, mystery, and intrigue. Here’s the synopsis:
Jen has settled into a peaceful life when a terrifying event awakens old fears—of being homeless and alone, of a danger horrible enough to destroy her family and shatter her world forever.
She is certain that Naryfel, a shadowy figure from her past, has returned and is concentrating the full force of her hate on Jen’s family. But how will she strike? A knife in the dark? An attack from her legions? Or with the dark arts and twisted creatures she commands with sinister cunning.
Wyndano’s Cloak may be Jen’s only hope. If she can only trust that she has what it takes to use it . . .
You are an independent author. Can you tell us what influenced your decision to take this route versus traditional venues?
I had submitted the prequel to Wyndano’s Cloak, as well as several storybooks, to mainstream publishers. I haven’t given up on that route, and plan to seek an agent for my next novel. If it doesn’t go anywhere, I can always go indie with it. One of my editors hounded me for an entire year to send Wyndano’s Cloak to an agent. I just had a very strong feeling that I wanted to do this one myself. I wanted complete artistic control.
Now that you’ve taken this route, do you feel that your book has done well?
The book has exceeded my expectations. It’s won a bunch of awards, including the gold medal in the Benjamin Franklin Awards, arguably the pinnacle of indie book awards. It’s gotten rave reviews. But the real measure of success is the response from readers. I’ve watched a girl at a book signing hug the book in arms. An author on twitter wrote me that her nine-year-old granddaughter was inspired to write near day and night after finishing Wyndano’s Cloak. At the end of my life, I can say that I had an impact.
We could ‘What if’ ourselves into gray hair, but how do you think your book might have performed if you had attempted traditional publication?
Traditional publishers have access to well-worn and well-greased pathways for distribution, promotion, and sales. The book would have gotten reviewed in major journals, and that would have resulted in library sales and wider distribution in brick-and-mortar bookstores. Initial exposure would have been much bigger. On the other hand, physical bookstores have to bring in new inventory. Shelf space is limited. They don’t leave books on their shelves for very long, unless it’s a perennial seller. Traditional publishers have shrinking budgets for book promotion. Both the traditionally published author and the indie author must shoulder the lion’s share of promoting their books.
What sort of things do you do to market your book? What has given you the best results?
The hardback was released in 2010, and the ebook was published a little over a year later. This resulted in different kinds of marketing efforts. For the hardback, I focused on getting reviews; placing the book in over two dozen regional, national, and international expos; and entering book award contests. I lined up live book signings, where, so far, I’ve gotten my best results. They’ve been tremendously gratifying. Nothing beats making a real connection with real people. For anyone curious as to how I do these events, please see my blog article, Art of the Meet and Greet. With the e-edition, I’ll continue seeking reviews, and I’m planning a blog tour. The incredible thing about the internet is that book marketing can continue indefinitely. The number of potential customers is virtually unlimited
What inspired you to write Wyndano’s Cloak?
I had just finished the prequel. The two worlds and most of the characters were fleshed out, as well as the antagonist that the heroine, Jen, would face. A gripping image popped into my head for what Jen would need to do at the climax. As soon as I had the end, I had the beginning, and I completed an outline for the plot in two weeks. The first draft streamed out quickly.
I don’t like describing books as plot driven or character driven. A good book should be both. But, if you had to label your book as either or, what would you label it and why?
I agree with you, and I would add a third leg, which is a unifying theme. Without that, the whole story tips over and falls apart. The characters can’t just be any old characters, they have to spring organically from the theme. Same with the plot, otherwise, what happens in the book is only a series of events. I was in the grip of the story when I wrote the first draft, so that part of the process was fairly unconscious. After that, I worked very hard on unifying the theme with the characters and plot. What I hope readers will find is this: children will get drawn into the story; older readers will enjoy the interplay between the characters.
What influenced you to become a writer?
In the late 90’s, my wife and I started reading the Oz book to each other. They inspired me to give writing a whirl. That got reinforced in 2000 after my wife, who is an artist, asked me to write some picture book text so she could work on her illustration technique. Things snowballed from there.
What influenced you to write fantasy?
My personality. In all the early photos of me, I’m staring off in a daydream. I was constantly making up stories in my head. I had one that ran in a continuous series that I resumed each night before I fell asleep. This went on for years. The first book I ever saw was The Way of the Whirlwind. My parents bought it for me and my brother before we were born. The illustrations were so colorful and magical, and the story was about the Dream People, the Aborigines of Australia. Then there were fairy tales, which I read and reread even as a teenager, and of course, all things Tolkien. It’s interesting, though, that I don’t tend to read much fantasy literature now. I’m drawn more to suspense, mystery, and thrillers.
What sort of work do you do as a psychologist, and how do you feel that it influences your writing?
When I came up for air on the first draft of Wyndano’s Cloak, I decided to focus on sinking more deeply into the story’s central metaphor and theme. One thing that influenced that process is the psychotherapy I do with children and adolescents. I’ve listened to their fears and longings; the environment and economy are just a few of the unprecedented challenges facing children today. In response to these challenges, I wanted to write a story that helps them feel capable of facing our complex and sometimes frightening world. Wyndano’s Cloak delivers a message of encouragement for young people to believe in themselves and trust that the treasures they carry inside will see them through.
What is your favorite part about writing?
The creative flow of the first draft. Seeing connections between story elements arising in unexpected places. Connecting with readers, particularly children.
What is your least favorite part about writing?
The second draft. Decisions about what to cut and what to keep can be painful. You have to do what’s good for the story. Funny thing, those cut elements often show up in other stories, so I try not to fret over them.
Editing is a serious concern for independent and traditional authors. How do you approach editing your books?
The whole process was fairly smooth. I hired two outstanding editors. One was a content editor, who looked at clarity, continuity, inconsistencies, and did some light line-editing for grammar and flow. I had a nasty habit at the time of dangling participles, which thankfully has been cured! The second editor was a copy editor, who looked for typos, spelling, grammar, and word usage. These two jobs are distinct, and you’ll put your best foot forward if you use two different people. The more eyes on the manuscript, the better. When choosing an editor, I suggest that people get references, and look at samples of their work. Find out what training they’ve had to edit. My copy editor passed a rigorous test, and I’m convinced he has the entire Chicago Manual of Style memorized! Finally, have them edit a chapter of your manuscript. You’ll find out fast if you are compatible. It’s important that you find someone who understands your work and what you are trying to accomplish.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on the second draft of a novel, part survival tale, part spiritual journey. It started out as a simple idea, but I’ve found that I have a huge amount of research to do at every turn.
No interview is complete without something off subject and fun. You have been transported to a fantasy land. During this transportation, you have gender swapped to a female. Not just a female, but a princess. Cast into this role, what sort of princess would you be and why?
My heroine, Jenren of Aerdem. I don’t have children, but she’s everything I’d wish for if I had one. She’s smart, determined, persistent, and has a huge heart. She bristles at injustice. She’s loved by her people, and can be found more often dancing in a country tavern than in court. She won’t rest until every man, woman, and child in her kingdom is safe.
