Spotlight Interview with Author Don Franklin

Q1: Thanks for participating in our Authors.com Spotlight Interview series! Please introduce yourself and your book to help our readers get to know you.

A: Hi! My name is Don Franklin and my book is The Reaper's Walk: Hellstone.

Q2: Please explain how you came to be a writer, what inspired you to write your book(s) and how long it took.

A:Well, people told me for years that I was a good storyteller and I should write a book.

Then one day in 2006, i was sitting on the porch of my sister's house, looking out at an unused grassy area. It was very well kept, but the apartment complex owners did not allow residents to use it. I thought it was a great waste. I also thought that what if there was a space in a metro city that was cursed and unusable. Right there, the seed for Reaper was planted. The process took 6 years from idea to publishing acceptance.

Q3: What did you enjoy most about creating this book?

A. Using my imagination to come up with a story that i think would scare me.

Q4: What facets of your life, both personal and professional, are  woven into your book, if any?

A. Most of my characters are styled or at least named after people I know. Some of the settings were actual places that I've lived or at least visited. I changed the names of course.

Q5. How did you get published?

A.I think I just got lucky! I submitted to thee places. The first two said no thanks. The Third asked for a partial. Then for a complete manuscript. I was told that the decision was not a no, but it was UNacceptable in its present form. I was to do a restructure then re-submit. I did and it was accepted.

Q6: Did you have any surprises or hiccups along the way during the  book writing and/or publishing process?

A.Lots of them! Writer's block, working a real job to pay the bills and support my family came first. Just everyday problems and situations that everyone faces. So I turned to my writing as an outlet for frustration and a means of relaxing. That worked and eventually it got finished.

Q7: What one thing did you wish you'd known before you started this project?

A.I wish i was better at the mechanics of writing and grammer. I still struggle with things like passive voice. Lucky for me my publisher is also a writer and he saw potential in my story. He was able to look past the fact that I was/am a beginner and focus on the storyline. He said that the mechanics can be fixed and/or taught, but if there is no substance to the story, then the writer with the best technique in the world, still will not succeed.

Q8: You're a fly on the wall when readers are discussing your book.   What would you hope to hear them say about it?

A. I hope that they are scared! It is after all a horror novel. Also I want them to complain about having to put down the book because something else calls.

Q9: Tell us one thing about you that most people don't know or would surprise them.

A.Ummmm, I like romance novels!  Nora Roberts is my favorite.

Q10: What single piece of advice would you give new authors?

A. write something that you would want to read. Imagine that you are skimming the book in a store. If it is something you would enjoy, then your potential readers would probably like it too.

Q11: Share a short summary of a typical day in your life with us  please.

A.Well if it is summer, then I'm up between 7 and 10 am depending on what time I get the kids to sleep the night before. I go to the computer to try to get something done before they get up.

I answer e mails, tweets and try to structure my upcoming day. Then the children get up and its a mixture of feeding, kissing ouchies, retrieving stolen toys (one from the other), helping to go potty, ect. Being a parent is exhausting at times but it is worth the effort. Then its time to go to the park, shopping,  paying bills, running errands and that kind of thing.

Evening is dinner, spending time with kids doing whatever they want to do. Usually its watching cartoons or reading a story. Then i try to wind them down for bed. Bath time,brushing teeth,and they fall asleep on my lap. After that , most evenings I find time to work on my writing for an hour or two. Then to bed, sleep, wake up and repeat.

Q12:  Describe where you do most of your writing. What would I see if I was sitting beside you?

A.I have a small room in my home that we call the office. It is really not much bigger than a mid size walk in closet. But it has a window so it is usuable. My computer is set up there and it seems that even though it is the smallest space in the home, it also seems to be the place that the family congregates! If You were sitting beside me, you would see me struggling to keep my 3 year old daughter from climbing up onto the desk. You would see my 4 year old son running in the room every 10 minutes of so wanting a hug. It's a bit cluttered at times, but it's comfortable.

Q13: What's your motto or favorite quote you like to live by?

A. Clint Eastwood says "a man has got to know his limitations". I agree whole heatedly.

Q14: Is there anything else you'd like to share with us in closing such as your website, an imminent book launch or what you're working on presently?

A:  Yes thanks, my website is http://donfranklin.wordpress.com/

We have the official release date for The Reaper’s Walk: Hellstone as Halloween 2012! Potential readers can read an UN-edited excerpt and view the book trailer on the page. Currently, I am working on book 2 in the Reaper series, titled The Bloodstone and will be posting info on that on my page as well.

Thanks for the interview, and much success to all.  

 Authors.com profile: http://www.authors.com/profile/donfranklin