Your Author Bio (tell us about yourself)

I am a retired businessman.  I write for the sheer enjoyment I of it.  I had little time for writing during my career.  And like most writers I read – a lot, mostly fiction.  Sometimes, after picking up a book and reading it through, I used to tell myself that I can write as well, if only I had enough time.  Now that I’ve finished my career, I finally have that luxury.

Tell us about your book. What is it about?

El Milagro is a short story, an uncomplicated feel-good parable. Set in the southwest circa World War II, it looks at discrimination through the innocence eyes of a child.

Who is your target audience suited for this story?

Young readers

Are you currently working on another book? Is it the same genre?

Yes, two others.  Both thrillers.

Why did you decide to self-publish?

I didn’t think I could find a publisher without an agent and I don’t have one.

Did you use IngramSpark, Amazon KDP, or another company to handle the printing and distribution of your book?

I decided to publish through Amazon KDP.  You can’t ignore Amazon’s immense market reach.  And it’s free.  It’s hard to beat that combination.

Now that your book is published, do you have any regrets?

Yes.  I might have avoided, or at least mitigated, startup problems had I sought help before getting started.  Things went much smoother after I signed up with Jera.

What parts did you do on your own, and what did you hire out to have done? (Editing, book design, cover design, eBook, marketing, etc.)

The text is my own.  A friend did the artwork, and Jera did the interior and cover design.

What is the most difficult part of writing this book?

Editing and proofing.

How old were you when you started writing?

Old enough to be on Social Security.  For me, career and writing were, for the most part, incompatible.

If you could tell yourself anything as a younger writer what would it be?

Start as soon as you can scribble, kid.

What motivates you as a writer?

The desire to be heard.  Like any other author, I don’t write to keep my work hidden like a candle under the proverbial bushel basket.

Do you try to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

I don’t presume to know what readers want.  So, I write what I like while trying to be as original as I can.

Any advice you want to pass on to other authors looking to self-publish their book?

Seek quality help.  Scrub your manuscript before you submit it for publication.  Rinse and repeat this procedure until it’s clean.  Do not let sloppy work hurt your reputation.  Remember: The bane of self-publishing is poor craftsmanship and earns us the label of “not good enough for prime time.”