Jeff Messick Interview & An Upcoming Event

I was recently given the opportunity to interview author Jeff Messick, but first I want to tell you about an upcoming event!

As the new Creative Director of BGP Publishing, my first big project is to host our first big event! The first BGP Publishing Facebook Book Crawl.

The event will take place on September 22nd as a tour of Facebook pages. I will start the evening off with a live reading from my book By The River on the BGP Facebook page. At the end of my reading I'll provide a link for viewers to go to the next author, who will do a reading on their own Facebook page, and then link you to the next, and so on. The length of the event will depend entirely on how many authors are interested in participating.

If you're an author interested in participating email me at kraysaulis@gmail.com to get sign up information. Stay tuned and closer to the event I'll have a full itinerary of the event.

Alright, Jeff Messick's interview. Jeff is another Pandamoon Publishing author. His work can be found at his website. Here is that conversation where we discuss books we love, writing advice, and what it's like to work with an indie publisher like Pandamoon.

Me - What are you currently reading?
Jeff - The Warlock Case Files by Juli Monroe,
Stephen King's Mercedes Man series and Revival
Me - Is Warlock Case Files fantasy?
Jeff - Paranormal modern day.
Me - I enjoy those. I also love Stephen King. He's always good. What has your writing career been like? When did you start writing?
Jeff - I started writing when I was really young, before it was writing, it was daydreaming and storytelling. Maybe four to six. I excelled in creative writing classes in high school.
Me - What's your favorite genre to work in?
Jeff - Anything besides romance. I'm a storyteller that is beholden to no genre, though I have a soft spot for paranormal and fantasy.  Read Lord of the Rings at eight.
Me - Tell me about your work. Anything you think particularly stands out in your writing?
Jeff - I try hard not to jump heads in scenes. Multiple perceptions in a scene is bad. I also pride myself on dialogue.  Both of these things i got from Lary Crews,  an instructor and novelist. I also have penchant for morals and self reliance,  plus honor and responsibility.
Me - Lary crews. What did he write?
Jeff - He wrote three mysteries in the 80's, taught in America online, now writing novels again. He was also in movies. He wrote the Veronica Slate mysteries. He also recently released an updated publication of novel secrets, which is the book ideas he used teaching novel writing online.
Me - Lovely. Tell me about Pandamoon. How has publishing with them worked out for you?
Jeff - It has been incredible. As an indie publisher, their approach is very different, starting with the percentage paid to their authors. There are incentives too. They also train their authors on branding, social media use, and marketing. It is more a family than a publishing company to me.
Me - That’s so lovely to hear. I’ve heard a lot of good things about them from Pandamoon authors I’ve interviewed.
Jeff - Zara Kramer is building something special and I'm excited to be with her company.
Me - A lot of people who are new to writing seem to find their way to my blog. any advice for them?
Jeff - Never stop writing and never give up.  Write for your audience of one. Please yourself with what you write and the rest will follow.  Learn the industry. Did I mention...WRITE. Reading is also critical.
Me - Great advice. Any cool projects you want to plug or talk about?
Jeff - Just plugging away at Priesthunter,  book two in my new fantasy series. Trying hard not to be the overly proud dad,  but it's difficult.