We are starting a new project on the blog. The goal of ’10 Questions to…’ is to present promising authors who have chosen to self-publish their books. Our first guest is Christopher Hoare, the author of Visiting Pemberly
About Christopher Hoare
I live with my wife, Shirley, and two shelter dogs, Coco and Emmie, in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. As a lad I lived, breathed, and dreamed aeroplanes; I won a place at RAE Farnborough learning to engineer them. But the reality didn’t fit my dream, so I took off into a stint in the army and then away to join the oil circus. Flying objects are tools when they now appear in my writing. I guess that’s the effect of maturity, but I hope, not a constricted, resigned, and unimaginative maturity. The mind still soars, even without wings, and the dream of carrying others to a better future is now on the page.
1. What attracted you to self-publishing?
In this instance I wanted to release a time sensitive novella—honouring the 200th anniversary of the publishing of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”. I had no time to wait for decisions from any publisher and XinXii allowed me to have “Visiting Pemberly” running properly within a few days. I expect to use XinXiiagain to self publish a work that I have recovered the rights to, and feel sure their site will enable me to keep a close control on the new version.
2.What does it mean to you to be an indie-author?
All my prior publications have been with indies…by which I mean small independent publishers. Since over 99% of writers are effectively ‘on their own’ I feel a certain kinship with all of us paddling our own canoes.
All my prior publications have been with indies…by which I mean small independent publishers. Since over 99% of writers are effectively ‘on their own’ I feel a certain kinship with all of us paddling our own canoes.
3. What are the stumbling blocks on the road to success as an author?
There are many. Perhaps the earliest problem to strike can be called ‘hurry syndrome’ where a new writer is in such a hurry to place their words before readers that they do not have the control over their writing that professionals develop. They neglect to heed good advice about their work and do not take the trouble to have it edited. As a result they have crashed into the venture with something that will only retard their future prospects and give themselves a reputation as being amateurish and unreadable.
There are many. Perhaps the earliest problem to strike can be called ‘hurry syndrome’ where a new writer is in such a hurry to place their words before readers that they do not have the control over their writing that professionals develop. They neglect to heed good advice about their work and do not take the trouble to have it edited. As a result they have crashed into the venture with something that will only retard their future prospects and give themselves a reputation as being amateurish and unreadable.
4. Have you tried other forms of publishing?
I have previously been published by two royalty paying e-book publishers and have just been contracted by an indie with a strong literary reputation. With care, one can gradually attain better representation as one writes, but it takes time. In my case, 7 years and 6 published novels.
I have previously been published by two royalty paying e-book publishers and have just been contracted by an indie with a strong literary reputation. With care, one can gradually attain better representation as one writes, but it takes time. In my case, 7 years and 6 published novels.
5. How did you learn about XinXii?
A fellow member in a professional writing association sent me a link to see the novellas he had just published with XinXii.
A fellow member in a professional writing association sent me a link to see the novellas he had just published with XinXii.
6. What marketing tools do you use to promote your eBooks?
I have used most avenues, from blogs, to blog tours, twitter, to reviewing, and to convention going. Most have been too hard to evaluate, but the promotion I used with XinXii was evaluated promptly because visitor and sales numbers are available online within days.
I have used most avenues, from blogs, to blog tours, twitter, to reviewing, and to convention going. Most have been too hard to evaluate, but the promotion I used with XinXii was evaluated promptly because visitor and sales numbers are available online within days.
7.Do you have some tips for fellow indie-authors?
Never publish without working to ensure your project is as excellent in quality as can be humanly achieved. Write diligently and daily until you have amassed a million words and then throw them away to start afresh from the level you have achieved.
8.You are on a lonely island with a solar charger. What eBooks would you have on your eReader?
Since a writer must work on craft above enjoying the reading experience I would probably have the works of fellow critique partners as most of the eBoooks to crit; since one must never neglect one’s own daily writing, there would be work in progress of my own; and then I would need other recent titles in the genre I am working in.
9. Which author would like to have dinner with?
I think it would be a toss up between Jane Austen, J.R.R Tolkien, and Isaac Asimov. But really, only one dinner date? One would want to engage the chosen one for a year.
10. What are your future projects?
I have one SF novel that has been with an indie publisher for a year—if they decide against it I will self publish. My current contract is for something I have not done before—I call it a Regency romance steampunk because I depict a Regency world where steam developments have advanced more than in the real world—and then I have plotted it around the conventions of the Regency marriage mart for a protagonist who must decide between three eligible bachelors.
Never publish without working to ensure your project is as excellent in quality as can be humanly achieved. Write diligently and daily until you have amassed a million words and then throw them away to start afresh from the level you have achieved.
8.You are on a lonely island with a solar charger. What eBooks would you have on your eReader?
Since a writer must work on craft above enjoying the reading experience I would probably have the works of fellow critique partners as most of the eBoooks to crit; since one must never neglect one’s own daily writing, there would be work in progress of my own; and then I would need other recent titles in the genre I am working in.
9. Which author would like to have dinner with?
I think it would be a toss up between Jane Austen, J.R.R Tolkien, and Isaac Asimov. But really, only one dinner date? One would want to engage the chosen one for a year.
10. What are your future projects?
I have one SF novel that has been with an indie publisher for a year—if they decide against it I will self publish. My current contract is for something I have not done before—I call it a Regency romance steampunk because I depict a Regency world where steam developments have advanced more than in the real world—and then I have plotted it around the conventions of the Regency marriage mart for a protagonist who must decide between three eligible bachelors.
Christopher Hoare’s Author Page on XinXii:
Christopher Hoare’s blog:
Christopher Hoare on Facebook:
Christopher Hoare on Twitter:
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