FAQs…
Let’s remember Pearl Harbor today–for the brave who perished on that day, as well as a reminder to all of us about the horrors of war. As sabers rattle again in the world, peace is more in danger than ever. And now we’re in danger of destroying our world.
[Readers often ask me questions, and I try to respond as quickly as possible, but some things are asked more than others, so I thought this would be a good opportunity to do a FAQs post. Of course, you won’t find answers here to embarrassing or private questions, but you might find answers to questions you were dying to ask—if not, contact me via email. While you’re at it, you can sign up for my email newsletter!]
Why do you have so many books? Not really, but if you want some reasons, here are a few: (1) I love to write; (2) I have many stories to tell; and (3) I started slow, trying for that elusive traditional publishing contract, but made up for loss time with the help of Carrick Publishing run by my friend Donna Carrick in Canada—not exactly 100% DIY on my part, but a very efficient operation with smart women doing what I’m incapable of doing.
Why write mysteries, thrillers, and sci-fi and not more popular genres like horror and romance? (1) I don’t read much horror and romance; (2) I can’t write horror and romance, although there might be some elements from those genres in my fiction; and (3) horror and romance seem to downplay interesting and troubling themes I’m concerned about.
Do you write only fiction? Except for blog posts (even some of those are short stories), everything I write now is fiction. I’ve been doing it for more than ten years.
Do you read only fiction? Nope. I read a lot of non-fiction. My webpage “Steve’s Bookshelf” has many non-fiction books listed. And there are fiction genres I’ve never read.
Are you an indie author? Never 100% DIY and a mongrel now with Rembrandt’s Angel (Penmore Press, an indie publisher), but always indie in spirit. This allows me to maintain my own voice and not write as someone thinks I should write. That’s a freedom not even the reliable mares and stallions in the Big Five’s stables can have!
What motivates you to write? Telling a good story that will entertain readers.
Do you model characters after real people? No, but they might be composites of people I’ve observed. I’m a people-observer, so over the years I’ve developed many character sketches. You might recognize some of your own character traits, but I’m careful about including real people. The one major exception is in Aristocrats and Assassins, a novel in the “Detectives Chen and Castilblanco Series,” where the royals in the book are indeed real, but they perform admirably in the novel.
Where do you get your ideas? Similar answer: over the years, even before I started publishing, I’ve collected what-ifs, plot ideas, sketches of characters and settings, themes, dialogue snippets, and so forth. As a result, I don’t know what writer’s block is.
Why not audiobooks? Cost—you need to hire a good reader, and I can’t afford that. Most indie publishers (small presses) can’t either.
I realize many travelers love audiobooks, so I can understand why they’re popular. I apologize for not having the means to satisfy your needs, but that’s the way it goes.
Why don’t you publish print books? I do, but print versions are also more costly than ebooks. I like readers to have good entertainment at a low cost, so I prefer the lower cost ebooks. And, when a book is traditionally published, I don’t control the pricing.
Why aren’t your ebooks ever on sale at Amazon? Amazon requires my ebooks to be exclusive there in order to offer them on sale, yet they don’t distribute to other retailers like Apple, B&N, and Kobo. Smashwords does. That’s where you’ll find my ebooks on sale. By the way, I sell more iBooks than anything else right now, so diversifying to Smashwords was a good choice.
Do you ever give away free books? Only in exchange for an honest review, and even that number is capped (the cap is lower for print than ebooks, of course). My ebooks are less expensive than a meal at McDonald’s—healthier for you too.
What determines the cost of each ebook? Everything that goes into publishing it—editing, formatting, cover art, and initial PR and marketing. The latter continues as long as the book is available, of course, but the age of a book doesn’t affect the cost very much. Caveat emptor (literally): ebook prices are trending upward. It’s called inflation.
How can I contact you? Use old-fashioned email, please, either via the contact page at this website, or via steve@stevenmmoore.com. I only respond to emails without attachments unless I have a prior agreement with you to include them. I’ll respond ASAP.
Do you do book signings? Visit book clubs? Participate in local events? Yes to all. Query me. I’ll respond ASAP. See the list of local events on my home page. I define “local” to be northern New Jersey, by the way, unless you pay for the plane flight and hotel.
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The entire “Detectives Chen and Castilblanco Series” is on sale now at Smashwords until December 24. The NYPD homicide detectives’ cases usually start out in New York City but expand to national and international crises as they fight all sorts of criminals—gun runners, sex traffickers, evil hedge fund owners, drug smugglers, terrorists, and more. The crime-fighting duo also have their own personal battles to fight. These seven ebooks make excellent holiday gifts for the reader on your gift list—maybe that’s you? Use the coupon code when you checkout at Smashwords to receive a fantastic sale price and hours of reading entertainment!
In libris libertas!
