Interview with Erna Mueller: 'Self-publishing was the only way out of this maze'
I was born in Austria and
my family immigrated to the U.S. I
loved living here as a child and considered the U.S. my
home. My family returned to Austria and
of course I had to tag along. I missed the friendly faces and the cultivation
of the free spirit which America
symbolizes. In Austria I
completed my education but always wanted to return, so here I am.
I traveled the world and lived in many
exciting cities such as Paris, Munich and London. I
currently work as an accountant for a large pizza company in Seattle by
day and passionately pursue a career as a writer in my spare time.
My new book, "K-9 Cop", is
adapted from my multi-national award winning screenplay. The book has won
several awards including first place in the 2009 National Good Read Competition
sponsored by awomenswrite.com.
Please visit my web site at http://www.k9cop-woofwoof.com for more reviews and other info.
For More Information
About the Book:
No
one thought as highly of Lieutenant
Spencer Watley as he did himself. This selfish cop met 14 year-old Justin
Andrews during an important stakeout. Determined to nab a group of cyber
killers, he wasn’t going to let anything get in his way, especially a smart
mouthed teenager like Justin.
After
Spencer bids him good riddance, he is killed by the hackers and stands before
the gates of heaven. But - what’s this? After a life of putting dangerous
criminals behind bars, he’s locked out?
He
yells at the angel blocking his entrance, only to find out he needs to go
through the J.R.P. program before he can enter. That’s the Jerk Redemption
program, otherwise known as sensitivity training boot camp, which to his
horror consists of non-stop Oprah and Dr. Phil reruns. Or he can go back to earth
and help Justin’s dysfunctional family. Spencer opts for the lesser of two
evils, to help Justin.
But the Angel pulls a fast one on Spencer.
He can only go back to earth in the body of his K9-Partner. Spencer refuses,
but like it or not, Spencer becomes a dog.
He falls back to earth and is slowly morphed into a dog that closely
resembles a mop.
And if being a dog wasn’t bad enough,
Spencer also swallowed an important microchip his killers need to hack into
PC’s and steal millions. Now the criminals are hot on his trail for the only
existing microchip that’s logged in his belly.
Justin and Spencer butt heads constantly;
both are stubborn and willful, neither one wanting to give an inch. Spencer
needs to find out what the killers are up to, so he swallows his pride and
forms a bond with the boy. Spencer relays to Justin his past and together with
the help of Justin’s girlfriend, Shahla; they discover the hacker’s plans.
Spencer has broken down Justin’s reserve and he finally learns the meaning of
unselfish love.
But it’s too late, the hackers have captured
them.
Can Spencer maul the shins (and other choice
areas) of his kidnappers and stop them from their evil plan?
Can a selfish man find a heart?
You bet.
He just has to become a dog first.
For More Information
- K-9 Cop is available at Amazon.
- Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
- Watch the book trailer at Youtube!
- Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
Q: 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? Where did you come up with the idea to write
your book?
I thought a Young
Adult book would be a great idea to write for a first time novelist. I always
loved family orientated books and movies and was searching for a story that
depicts the human condition with all its splendor and frailties. What better way
than through a surly cop who has to go back to earth in the body of his K-9
partner? The cop needs to help a troubled teenager and his dysfunctional family
in order to be redeemed
Q: 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’s hard but rest
assured help is on the horizon. The internet is filled with writer’s help
websites and an assortment of books and software to kick-start the imagination.
I have tried a few and found them very helpful, although it’s ultimately up to
you to fill the page. After
your idea, the empty page is the worst hurdle to overcome but once the words
fill the void it’s easier to rewrite. In fact, writing is mostly rewriting. I am not the most organized being in the
universe, so I sing praises of the keyboard with back buttons and delete
functions. Writing is just rewriting -
there you have it. How did writers years ago work without MS Word? I bet Hemingway would have killed for the cut
and paste function.
Q: Is there anything that surprised you about
getting your first book published?
Once the novel was completed I sent out numerous query letters to
agents and publishing houses and no one wanted to read a chapter of a first
time novelist. I can start a bonfire
with the rejection letters I received. And get ready to hear from Literary
Agencies that their roster is full and can’t accept any new authors, and the
majority of publishers do not accept any unsolicited manuscripts. For me,
self-publishing was the only way out of this maze. Then I heard if you
have a self-published book with somewhat decent sales, publishing houses are
more apt to take you seriously. No company wants to gamble with their capital
anymore; they want you to do the marketing for them. Your start-up costs for Self-Publishing can
be as frugal or pricy as your credit card limit will allow. So if you have the
“I don’t have a contract blues,” SELF-PUBLISH!
Q: What other books (if any) are you working on and when will they be
published?
I’m working on a sequel to K-9 cop.
Q: What’s your favorite place to hang out online?
I type in “how to market your e-book” and surf. Marketing is science
onto itself and is more frustrating than writing a book. You have control over
your book but not so in marketing. There’s a lot to learn so pour yourself a
cup of coffee and blog.
Q: Finally, what message (if any) are you trying to get across with your
book?
I love the story of redemption and second
chances. And I love to make people laugh.
Q: Thank you again for this interview!
Do you have any final words?
I just wanted to
stress the importance of imagination. Albert Einstein hit the nail on the head
when he said “I am enough of an artist to draw freely
upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is
limited. Imagination encircles the world.”
Wow, that gives me goose bumps and makes my
knees wobble.
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