John M. Wills

Chris Swinney Rereleases Gray Ghost

Life is full of ups and downs. Early on in my career in law enforcement I’d say I was a glass half empty kind of guy. However, working the streets and becoming a homicide and narcotics detective made me appreciate just how fortunate I am. Eventually, I’d become a glass half full kind of guy. This move helped me at work, with friends, and made my family life even more enjoyable. I was on a high. I’d taken a plunge into the writing world with this new-found enthusiasm and made a decent splash. My first novel, Gray Ghost, ended up on the Amazon best sellers list for crime fiction and mystery in Kindle and paperback. It wasn’t until I woke up one day to see my book was no longer available on Amazon that I almost slipped into the glass half empty routine.

Friends, family, fans, and determination helped me find another contract for my novel. Sure I was bummed about what had happened, but there was some work left to be done with the novel and moving along from the previous publisher turned out to be a blessing.

I’d gathered 59 reviews on Amazon for my book, 49 of which are five-star reviews. However, critics still noted editing errors and pointed them out (thank you!). In addition, readers had questions about some of the characters and I listened. So, with a new look on things, I re-tooled Gray Ghost, adding nearly 6000 words. The minor edits were taken addressed too. I’m proud of the first release, and even more excited for the second release.

Fans and readers will quickly notice the cover is vastly different from the original. Without going into too many details, I’ll just say it needed to be done. I asked my artistic friend Keith Westra (Natureboydesigns.com), if he’d take a crack at the cover. What he came up with is fantastic. Keith’s already been commissioned to do the cover for the second book in the Bill Dix series, Collectors. Readers can expect Collectors out sometime mid-2014. New for this release will also be an Audio edition and a Hardcover edition! I’m super excited about this, as I see audio being “the next big thing” in the writing world. Weird huh, “audio” taking over “writing.”

My approach to writing is making fiction as real as it possibly can be. If I don’t know about something, I research it, interview people who would know about it, and carefully write it into my novels. The majority of what I write about are things I’ve actually lived through. It’s experiences public would never know about or get the chance to learn without reading my novels. I’ve always been a natural storyteller and this ability comes through in my work. I hope some of you will take the opportunity to read my work and provide me further feedback so I can improve. If you’ve already read Gray Ghost, the additional 6000 words will certainly shock you!

Gray Ghost audio book: http://www.amazon.com/Gray-Ghost/dp/B00ISCWC94/ref=tmm_aud_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1395920748&sr=1-1

Blog: http://www.clswinney.wordpress.com

Twitter: @clswinney

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/grayghostotp

How Reading Can Make You A Better Writer

One of my favorite writing quotes comes from George Orwell who said, “Good writing is like a windowpane.” His quote is a simple statement, yet it conjures up a vision of looking into others’ lives and watching them as they navigate through good times and bad. But how does reading make one a better writer, one who creates stories a reader can immerse themselves in? Reading.

That’s it—simply by reading? Well, yes. Reading is a tool by which a writer can improve all aspects of his craft. Reading can take one on endless journeys into places they’d dare never go in real life—dangerous cities, war-torn countries, dystopian societies, or serene romantic settings that inspire and relax. A good story compels us to continue to read, and if the tale is particularly intriguing and engrossing, we are sad when the journey ends.

So how does reading help one to write better? Frankly, through osmosis. A good reader notices the style of other writers. Good readers read with an analytical mind—they watch and learn how an author develops things such as characters, fictional places, themes, conflicts, plots, and subplots. Readers become better writers themselves by paying attention to how other writers use words to create tension, or explain feelings and motives.

Want to become better, quickly? Write book reviews. Becoming a book reviewer causes you to pay close attention to style, plot and character development, etc. Reviewing someone’s work is much different from reading a novel for enjoyment. One must read with a critical eye and then be able to articulate why the story was good, bad, or whether to recommend it or not.

Become an avid reader. Read every day. With ereaders and apps for smart phones, reading books has become easier and more convenient than ever. Get into the habit of reading if you want to become a better writer.

Kindle or Nook?

device-ownership-market-share — Blue=own Green=intend to buy

Readers who have gravitated toward electronic books over printed ones have overwhelmingly chosen Kindle as their device of choice. Barnes & Noble waited two years after Amazon debuted the Kindle. That may have been their downfall. A recent study from the Book Industry Study Group indicates that 40% of adults who read e-books do so with a Kindle. The group queried was aged 13 and up.

However, it is thought that Kindle may soon lose its edge as more people turn to tablets as their go to device for reading and internet. About a third of adults own a tablet, according to Pew Research. It should be noted, however, that the Kindle app can be downloaded free on tablets and smart phones, so in my opinion, Kindle will continue to be the industry leader in ereading.

Amazon Book Rankings

Sharing this from my Oak Tree Press publisher, Billie Johnson. I think there is much confusion among both readers and authors concerning the sales rank of books.

The Amazon SALES RANK number is not a citation of the number of books sold. The SALES RANK number only tells the title’s rank in relation to all the other titles on Amazon, and a book sale is not the only factor in the calculation.

Visitors to your detail page, and how the visitor got to your page (that is, did they query at the main page, or did they click-through from another title’s page?), reviews, and numerous other factors play into Amazon’s highly secret algorithm that computes the Sales Rank. The computation is constant and changes as often as hourly.

A dramatic shift in your sales rank MIGHT mean there was a sale or sales, but not necessarily.

It is possible to employ a ‘bestseller campaign’ and drive many visitors to your page in a narrow time span and push the Sales Rank number into the Top 100 or some other bestseller list on Amazon and NOT SELL ONE BOOK!

Sales of used copies are counted for rank also, but sales via Amazon Marketplace are not added to the Sales Report on our publisher’s dashboard. The reason for this is simple: neither author nor publishers are compensated for the sale of a used copy.

And to add to complexities, Amazon changes things often, so just when you think you have it all psyched out—zap.

Over the sixteen years Oak Tree Press has been in the biz, I have learned to stop worrying about Amazon’s wizardry and be grateful they provide the most level playing field (IMO) of any bookselling venue and we almost never get returns.

Billie Johnson

A Visit With Author Jay Padar

My guest today is Jay Padar. Jay, a Chicago police officer, and his dad, James, retired CPD, have written an anthology of interesting and compelling stories about their time on the job.

Please introduce yourself and tell the readers about your background, where you live, and when you began writing.

My name is Jay Padar and I’m a married father of four-year-old boy/girl twins. I am also a sergeant with the Chicago Police Department where I’ve worked for the last fifteen years. I’ve written short stories ever since I can remember. My most serious writing came when I was a brand new rookie cop just starting my career. You see, I had lived in Chicago my whole life but I consider my youth and young adulthood to have been somewhat sheltered. I went to private grade school, private high school in the suburbs, and went to college in a small Midwestern town. The next thing I knew I was chasing dope dealers into high-rise public housing projects. The things I experienced as a rookie cop were new and exciting. I didn’t really have an outlet at the time so I started writing emails to my father after my tour of duty detailing my night’s activities. I knew he’d understand. He was contemplating retirement after having served nearly thirty years as a Chicago police officer. “Keep writing, son,” he emailed back. “For every story you write, I’ll write one.”

It’s evident that your law enforcement background has influenced your writing. Do you think you will ever move toward the fiction genre, and will your writing continue to be police related?

At this point I’m still writing police related non-fiction. I enjoy my career and still see something new every day. I’m a believer in the saying, “The truth is stranger than fiction.” So many times I’ve ended my stories with, “You can’t make this stuff up!” I would never eliminate the possibility of writing fiction, but I’m excited to share what a big-city cop experiences day by day.

What/who inspired you to begin writing? Do you write every day?

No one person inspired me to begin writing but I have to say my parents always encouraged me to continue writing. My dad still tells me to “put it down on paper.” Even if I don’t have a complete story I still jot down notes that I can go back to and transform into a story. Unfortunately I never find enough time to write. Between working 50+ hours a week and spending time with my family there never seems to be enough hours in the day.

I know you have a book that’s just been released. Please tell my readers about it.

I’m very excited to have co-authored “On Being A Cop” with my father, Jim Padar. This book contains 53 short stories written by father and son detailing over forty-five years of combined police experience. These are all true stories of laughing, crying and clinging to family, before and after moments of humor, loss and profound tragedy. Our goal was to try to change the negative perception some people have of police. We wanted the public to know that police officers suffer tragedy in their own lives, have good days and bad days and that police officers aren’t emotional robots. What we see day in and day out affects us and changes who we are.

Tell us about your publishing experience. Was it difficult finding a publisher?

My father and I were completely new to this world of book writing. We had more questions than answers when we started. Both of us consider ourselves very lucky to have found a wonderful publishing coach, Patrick Snow, who guided us through the ins and outs of this industry. Our coach helped us create a book that he felt would stand out and get the attention of publishers. Shortly after completing our work we signed with Aviva Publishing.

What is your most rewarding writing experience?

“On Being A cop “definitely tops the list. I am truly honored to have been able to share this experience with my father and create something that I can show my kids years down the road. How great will it be to sit down with my twins years from now and show them the book that daddy and grandpa wrote together?

Do you belong to any writing groups, or critique groups?

I am a recent member of the Public Safety Writers Association. It’s a wonderful organization that I highly recommend. Their members have been extremely helpful and encouraging.

Are you working on any new projects?

Right now I’m focusing on joining my father as a writer on his blog “On Being A Cop.” New police stories are being added on a regular basis. It’s a wonderful way to keep me focused on my writing and develop more material for a possible upcoming book.

Is there anything you would like to share with our readers?

Any one in law enforcement knows that this career is filled with danger. Two organizations that provide tremendous help to Chicago police officers are the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation (CPMF) and the Police Chaplains Ministry (PCM). The CPMF provides financial support to officers who have been catastrophically injured and to the families of officers who have given their lives on this job. The PCM provides constant emotional and spiritual support to officers struggling in their personal lives. My father and I are proud to be sharing a portion of the profits from this book with these two organizations. We are also proud to have donated copies of our book to be included in holiday care packages for all active-duty Chicago police military personnel.

Please provide the readers with a link to your website, and a link to your book.

Our book and blog can be found at www.OnBeingACop.com