Where can I buy Sometimes That Happens With Chicken?
The paperback edition of Sometimes That Happens With Chicken is currently available internationally via the Amazon network. You can buy Chicken on Amazon in the following countries: US, UK, France, Germany, Austria, Canada, and Japan. A PDF version of Chicken is also still available for free and Kindle and iPad versions are on the way. Click here to buy now or download free. Here you will also find instructions for purchasing Chicken in your local bookstore.
Why did you decide to self-publish your first novel?
Aaron Shepard’s book Aiming At Amazon gave the me the first indication that it was possible to be my own publisher. After a great deal of research, a good hard look at the crumbling publishing industry, and a little searching of my entrepreneurial soul, self-publishing became the obvious choice. Looking at all the evidence, and considering that I write literary fiction, submitting my manuscript to publishers seemed like a mistake, and the least likely way to sell a lot of books.
Do you think self-publishing and indie literature are the wave of the future?
Yes I do, but that will depend on the writers out there. It took a lot of individual musicians, several advances in technology and a very short time to turn the music industry on its head. The technology is already there for writers, the question is, when will they realize it?
Did you receive a lot of rejections before you decided to self-publish?
Sometimes That Happens With Chicken has never been submitted to or rejected by a publisher. In my case self-publishing was a conscious decision, not a last resort. I got some early interest from a big LA literary agent, but I managed to offend him so that didn’t go anywhere. Shortly after that, I was found and contacted by a small publisher in Los Angeles. I signed a publishing contract which unfortunately fell through a few months later when my publisher was forced to suspend operations for economic reasons. After I lost my publisher, I did some real soul searching—and a lot of research—and I decided to self-publish. Looking back now, I actually feel lucky to have offended an agent and lost a publisher.
Why didn’t you submit your manuscript to publishers?
In the end, it didn’t seem like the best thing for the book or for my career as a novelist. It’s no secret anymore that the publishing industry is in shambles, struggling to remain economically viable in a quickly changing technological landscape. And it’s no secret that the publishing industry sells more romance novels and celebrity memoirs than literary fiction. In the end, I didn’t want decisions being made about my novel by committees of publishing industry professionals who have taken pay cuts and can’t sleep at night because they’re terrified of being in the next round of lay-offs.
Why didn’t you use a self-publishing company like Lulu.com to self-publish your novel?
Self-publishing can take on many forms. Self-publishing services like Lulu.com and Outskirts Press, or Amazon’s CreateSpace program, have brought print-on-demand technology to the masses. However, they take a piece for what they do and they are not necessary if you are willing to do more work for yourself. Once I started cutting out middlemen, it didn’t make sense to have any. And when you do everything yourself, you are the final arbiter of quality control.
How much did it cost to self-publish Sometimes That Happens With Chicken?
I spent approximately $2000 over the course of 18 months. I could have saved a large portion of this amount had I borrowed from the library instead of purchasing many books that I used as research along the way. I also chose to license an image for the cover which was not necessary per se and increased my expenses significantly. I also spent hundreds of dollars printing and mailing business cards and stickers around the globe. Again, this was not a necessary expense, but I decided it was worth it.
How long did it take you to self-publish Sometimes That Happens With Chicken?
It took me 18 months from the time I decided to self-publish until I launched this website with a free copy of Sometimes That Happens With Chicken. It will take me an additional 6-8 weeks to complete the publication of a paperback edition of Chicken.
What was the hardest part about self-publishing?
Some of the tasks I tackled where more daunting than others—like reading The Complete Manual of Typography and teaching myself how to use InDesign—but I have learned that you can learn anything if you apply enough focus and energy. And eventually, I got used to constantly changing hats. The hardest part, in a way, was keeping the faith day-in and day-out while working a day job, but I managed to do that too.
Can anyone self-publish a book?
If you own a computer, have a little money to spend, and can access the internet, you can publish a book. But, it’s a lot of work and you have to constantly be changing hats from website designer to publicist, to editor, to publisher. It’s still the road less traveled and it’s definitely not a lazy man’s road
What advice would you give other writers considering self-publishing?
Self-publishing is not a decision to be made lightly. It takes a ton of work and even more perseverance. Check out my useful links page to see some of the books, blogs, and people that influenced my decision.
Are you self-publishing your book to get a “real” publisher?
Some people do self-publish as a means to a book contract, but that is not why I am doing it. I decided not to be bound by the publishing industry in the tradition of indie musicians and indie film makers.
Now that you own and run a publishing company, do you plan on publishing books by other authors?
At the moment, the only books in the pipeline are my own novels, but it’s a possibility in the future. When I think of all the talent out there, it’s tempting.
Did anyone try to convince you NOT to self-publish?
If you go looking for advice, there’s no shortage of people advising against self-publishing fiction. Even some of the books I found most useful advised against self-publishing fiction. However, I only had one friend who tried to convince me not to self-publish. He went so far as to ask me if he could submit my manuscript to publishers on my behalf. I appreciated the offer but I respectfully declined.
Are you going to be doing any events?
I am always available for events – including readings, book club visits, and blog tours. To check for any upcoming events, visit the Newsroom.
How long did it take to write Sometimes That Happens With Chicken?
It took me several years to finish Sometimes That Happens With Chicken.
What does the tile of your novel mean?
I chose the title—Sometimes That Happens With Chicken—more for its euphony than for its meaning. I’m sure many meanings can be read into such a phrase, but I’ll leave that to the readers and reviewers.
How did you dream up the story in Sometimes That Happens With Chicken?
I do not presume to understand the human faculty of imagination, but mine is vivid and I feel called to translate those images into words and sentences.
Are any of the characters in Sometimes That Happens With Chicken based on your own life?
Sometimes That Happens With Chicken is not autobiographical in any way. Tiny snippets and observations from real life made it into the novel but they are incidental details, not story lines or characters.
Have you written any other books?
I have finished writing my second novel which is currently in the editing phase. I am looking forward to starting my third novel once Chicken is brought to market.
Is there going to be a sequel to Sometimes That Happens With Chicken?
I have no plans to write a sequel to Chicken, but you never know where life will take you.
Do you think your novel would make a good movie?
This is a common question when you live in Los Angeles. There are some independent screenwriters out there who think Sometimes That Happens With Chicken would make a good movie. I’m not a screenwriter and I’m not trying to be one, but I would be open to a film adaptation.
When is your next book coming out?
When people ask me this I feel like I’m getting ahead of myself but my second novel is written and in the editing stage. I have been completely focused on my first novel, but I will turn back to my second novel as soon as Sometimes That Happens With Chicken starts selling.
Which novelists have inspired or influenced your writing?
The three novelists who have most influenced me are John Irving, Ernest Hemingway, and Tom Robbins. I love many other writers and their novels, but these three all caught me at a certain age and influenced me deeply.
Did you do a lot of research to write Sometimes That Happens With Chicken?
I did much more research than is apparent in the book. I created a history-filled, 100-year timeline on which I plotted the lives of the characters. The timeline filled an entire wall of our apartment at the time and necessitated a very strange arrangement of the furniture.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
Between my day job and publishing my first novel, I don’t have much spare time, but when I do have a moment I prefer to be on the beach or in the kitchen cooking something from scratch with amazing ingredients from my local farmer’s market.
