ALEXANDRA FOREVER: BEGINNINGS: AUTHOR Q&A with D.W. Richards #interview @a4eproject

 

Today's guest is author D.W. Richards! His book is titled ALEXANDRA FOREVER: BEGINNINGS and he is here today to talk about his new book and what surprised him about the whole process of getting published. 

Welcome to The Writer's Life!  Now that your book has been published, we’d love to find out more about the process.  Can we begin by having you take us at the beginning? 

In developing the Alexandra Forever Project, I needed to transition Alexandra’s story arc from her first appearance in the literary novel, “Pairs” to the fantasy sci-fi universe of the graphic novel, “Alexandra Forever: 2337”, which was initially released in 2016. The need for the narrative bridge that the novella provides, occurred to me while writing the graphic novel.

Who is your publisher and how did you find them or did you self-publish?

 My publisher is Solstice Publishing and I found them during an Internet search. I was primarily focusing on publishers that took unsolicited manuscripts and did not require agented submissions.

Is there anything that surprised you about getting your first book published?

My first book was self-published ten years ago. All of it was a surprise. The “everything else” besides writing that goes into getting a book out was a steep learning curve for me. The challenges in marketing were probably what I was least prepared for. Over the past decade a vast array of promotional options appears to have cropped up to fill that need. But, it’s still a challenge. 

Do you believe a book cover plays an important role in the selling process?

The book cover has become critical in the selling process for authors with an unestablished brand, like myself. On sites like Amazon, the front cover is all you have to make that initial grab at a potential reader’s attention.

How hard was it to write a book like this and do you have any tips that you could pass on which would make the journey easier for other writers?

It was fairly easy for me to write “Alexandra Forever: Beginnings” because I knew quite a bit going in. In a sense, a lot of the heavy lifting was already done. I knew Alexandra very well. I knew the backstory of her relationship with Terra and I knew the nature of their relationship with Leviathan. I had a story objective and ending in mind. 

My single piece of advice; if nothing else, know the ending before you start.

What other books are you working on and when will they be published?

Currently I am working on a novel length manuscript with the working title “Alexandra Forever 2291”. The plan is to release it as a series of novella length books on Kindle Unlimited. I’m estimating a total of eight books which will sequentially roll out in three-to-four-month intervals. At the time of this interview the first draft of the first book is with a small group of beta readers and, while I await their verdict, I’ve started on the second book.

What’s one fact about your book that would surprise people?

During the writing of “Alexandra Forever: Beginnings” I conferred with a privately held defense and security contracting company, owner and employees, about weapons and explosives.

Finally, what message are you trying to get across with your book?

Forgiveness, importance of family, personal sacrifice and moral duty, while not explicitly messages of the book, are guiding themes. 

Thank you again for this interview!  Do you have any final words?

Thank you! If anyone is interested it contacting me, I’d love to hear from them. The various means of doing so can be found on my author website, www.dwrichardsauthor.com.

 

D.W. Richards first introduced the protagonist, Alexandra, to the world in his novel, “Pairs,” which spent two weeks on the Amazon U.K. Best Seller list for humor. Alexandra’s story continued in the graphic novel, “Alexandra Forever: 2337”. In addition to creative writing, D.W. Richards has a Bachelor Degree in Psychology from Carleton University and is a Certified General Accountant.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

Website: https://dwrichardsauthor.com/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/A4EProject

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/A4EProject

Would you risk erasing yourself from ever existing to save the immortal soul of a beloved friend?
Two middle-aged sisters, Nadenka and Anastasiya, travel to a remote northern mountain where they must contend with their notorious, and seemingly immortal grandmother, Alexandra, in their quest to save an aged and frail member of their coven, Terra, from demonic possession. Deep family wounds need to be addressed before they can do what is required for the exorcism. But time is running out. The woman they are trying to save is dying. As the clock is ticking down, an evil legion emerges to stand between them and saving Terra’s immortal soul.

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Amazon: https://amzn.to/2TET9iI