Introducing Horror Writer Thomas Duder

 Today, we're chatting with horror writer Thomas Duder,

Tell us a little about yourself and your background?

Hello there!  The name’s Thomas Duder, Author of the Things.  My background is pretty much covered in The Generalist, but for those who don’t know I’ve got quite a history.  I’ve worked hard, failed much, but I have this hardcore streak of perseverance you see.  It’s not that I can’t be stopped, I just don’t stay down for long.

I’ve been writing for many years, but have only been professional for the past four.  Suffice it to say, it’s been a bumpy ride and there is still much for me to learn and do.

I have an absurd love of heavy metal, anime, manga, books, martial arts, and having a background in fighting is an absolute must if you want to write the best violence out there.

What were you like at school?

I was actually a very good kid.  VERY good!  I also only got two hours of sleep a night, apparently.

I reckon I began my craft in the chat rooms of AOL, but grew from there.  I was one of those lucky Generation X’ers who lived on the cusp of a lot of technological progress yet still played outside.

Hell, we had MTV when it still played music videos.  Fancy that!

Anyway, I was a very good and consistent kid.  It wasn’t until I got into college that I became disillusioned and violent, wearing the “black flag” as it is as a response to that.

The “black flag,” ahhhh.  If you look at my closet, you’ll note that it’s a spot of absolute darkness in the heart of the world.  Once I can afford clothes made completely ventablack, I’m ON it, friends!

Were you good at English?

Very.  I ended up taking English Advanced Placement in my senior year, and pretty much rocked everything up until then throughout my high school career.

What are your ambitions for your writing career?

To someday defeat Stephen King in the octagon to prove I’m the greatest action writer in history.  I’ve heard that his ground game is incredible, though, and I’m way better at standing.

We’ll see, we’ll see.

Which writers inspire you?

Oh GODS, so many!  Chiefest amongst them are Robert A. Heinlein, Stephen Barnes, Terry Goodkind, Neil Gaiman, Kim Harrison, Anais Nin, Raymond Feist, Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, Robert R. McCammon, Anne McCaffery…there’s a slew of works I’ve read over the years that aren’t as big as these names, and they were all amazing.

This is exactly the kind of thing that feeds into my own style, my own work, and it shows.  Whenever I get compared to Neil Gaiman or Robert A. Heinlein, it’s always the most amazing feeling ever.

Every writer I’ve ever read has provided a little bit of insight to my own work, and each time I read a new writer putting it out there…yeah.  That gets me freakin’ hype.

So, what have you written?

Here we go!  One of my crowning achievements right now is being published through Foundations, but it’s not as if I’ve just rested on my laurels these four years!  Amongst my current cheevos are:

-The Generalist episodic Taboos 0-3
-The Generalist Taboo X short stories
-The Omnibus Generalis Volume 1 (my previous crowning achievement)
-Killer 13 I-XI (an uber violent, extremely weird short story series)
-The Modern Times (a book of very angry worker-related poetry)
- [ - ] (pronounced “Minus,” a book of rather dark, emotional and raw poetry and lyrics, with glorious artwork done by Melanie McCurdie)
- the action movie script “The Mook” (currently being reworked by Sierra Tyr)
-I’ve written countless lyrics for my band, Anubis Unit, and the main storyline that lays behind the band itself and our characters

There are also a number of websites I’ve made for my various other works as well.  As an artist, I am not constrained only to one medium, but they ARE all for the glory of my writing.

Hell, I’ve lost whole short stories before, and have probably lost more material than some people have ever written in their whole lives.

Where can we buy or see them?

Oh boy!  So let’s get started with this…the best way to find my works is to check out my various websites!

Do consider the following:

The Pen Is My Sword
http://www.thepenismysword.com

Anubis Unit
http://www.anubisunit.com

The Blackstone Group (representing Intermix+Stark)
http://www.jjblackstone.com

The Walpurgisnacht Jam (a charity event to raise funds for winter provisions for the homeless here in Whatcom County)
http://www.whoarethetriple7committee.com

Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?

Main character(s), please.  It’s very plural.  To be honest, I’d say that hard work, training, and overcoming lethal odds are what makes Frank and Dash so overpoweringly incredible.

They balk at nothing, not even one another, and their rivalry and friendship (as well as synchronized Advanced techniques) are what really shines the most in the series.

Otherwise, it’s quite simple.  Frank is curmudgeonly and grumps at everything.  Dash is curmudgeonly and grins at everything.  Both will stop and kick someone’s ass violently at the drop of a hat.

“Do the job, get paid, repeat.”

What are you working on at the minute?

What AIN’T I workin’ on?!  I just finished writing the script “The Mook,” and am about to have one helluva busy week in October!  I have an online convention to do, TWO gigs at one of the biggest clubs here in Bellingham, WA, one of which will cap off the charity event I’ve been working on for the past three months and, above all, the public release of The Generalist - Taboo 0: Double Feature Show through Foundations!

I’m very, very busy at the best of times.

I’ve got on the backburner a few projects that I plan on killing off once the Walpurgisnacht Jam is over.  Consider this:

-Black Dwarf
-The Generalist - Taboo 3: Anger of the Angels
-The Generalist - Taboo 4: Auger of the Angels
-coworking some erotica/romance-action with Madame Francesca Silvers, a dear friend of mine
-The Devil’s Dance
-A horror movie-action script, Hunting Grounds.

I’m very, very busy.

What’re they about?

Well, let’s go from the top!

-Black Dwarf is a hyper weird short story series meant for Heavy Metal magazine.  If they don’t publish it, I’ll publish it on my damn own.

It follows the breakdown of an entire world as a strange gestalt protagonist goes about even stranger misadventures to create a new prophecy that will supplant the old one for reasons of his/their own.

It gets very strange, to be honest, and allows me to use the term [JUGGERNAUT INVASION] as part of the narrative. <3

-The Generalist - Taboo 3 and 4 are the middle part and ending part of the Angel Arc.  Sorry, but yer gonna hafta wait ‘til they’re done!  In the meantime, Taboo 2: Angle of the Angels is already finished and slated to be published through Foundations.  It’s gonna be good, yup!

-Nevermind the erotica/romance-action. >:3

-The Devil’s Dance is a semi-erotic action adventure urban fantasy which follows the main protagonist as he bumbles his way through a city-wide fighting tournament filled to the brim with sexy devils.  That he has no memory of his previous life and looks like a cuter version of the guy from the devil’s ham cans doesn’t help.

It’s seriously a fighting title about sexy people doing sexy things with a healthy dose of uberviolence thrown into the mix.

A short story series that will be exclusive to Patreon.

-Hunting Grounds is one of the first movie scripts I ever wrote a full blown overview for.  It’s taken me years to get around to it, though, and for reasons The Mook came first.  Now that I’ve proven I can write scripts, I’m going to tackle Hunting Grounds in all it’s glory.

Ohhhhhh and it’s good.  I don’t want to talk about it too much, since it’ll give the “tweest” away, but suffice it to say once the twist hits the movie goes full bore gorrorcore.

You heard me.

What genre are your books?

I write almost exclusively in action adventure, urban fantasy.  I write the best fight out there, bar none.  I’m not saying my fist to face is superior to all other types, but I AM a strong competitor if there was such a thing!

What draws you to this genre?

My own history with violence and training.  Growing up, I was trained in a particular martial art since the age of 9.  Once I went to college and my life turned to utter garbage, I began to roam back alleys, nighttime streets, and bars looking for fights.

I stopped being a martial artist and became a brawler.

There was plenty more that I was doing at the time (demon hunting, artifact exorcism, all kinds of fun), but I cite this time of my life as being the most influential in my current choices and activities.  If it wasn’t for having survived one situation after another and sticking to my principles, I’d certainly be a different person today.

For me, violence in and of itself is nothing more than a tool, like anything else.  It’s all in how you use it.

There is truly a slim difference between a hero and a killer, a saint and a sinner.

The other thing is that while there are many writers who employ action in their work, there are few who truly capture both the essence and the beauty of violent action.  VERY few, in fact, but if you were to read it you would certainly not the difference.

One of the things that attracts me in reading (as well as writing, from time to time) is “purple prose.”  The kind of writing that takes into consideration the place of the warrior and the fighter in the world, the difference between those who defend and attack, and those who would commit themselves to violence and the reasons behind such a commitment.

Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book?

Oh BOY, gimme Michael Jai White ANYDAY!  Hell, give me The Rock!  Those two are Frank and Dash all DAY friend!

How much research do you do?

Quite a bit.  I have a very valuable group of beta readers, literary geeks, and physics nerds who I’ll go to regarding some of the more over the top scenes in The Generalist. 

Have you written any other novels in collaboration with other writers?

Well, I’m currently in the works of writing two of them, I guess you can say.  The Crimson Quartet with Ella Dominguez, and the Broken Wards saga with Samuel Z. Jones.

I hold both writers in extremely high estimation, and find them more than worthy enough to hang with me on such a stage.

The only thing is we’re roleplaying the works for the Broken Ward saga, and we recently took a small six-month hiatus from such. Hey, if they could make Thieves World or Greylance off of such play, so can we!

As for the Crimson Quartet, I do plan on bothering Ella about it again.  We’ve both been rather busy with our own trials and tribulations, but it’s just about time to grace this dystopian, vampire-soldier run future onto the world.

NOW here’s the thing - I hate vampire stuff nowadays.  It’s trite, boring, and a rehash of everything done before.  Freakin’ me too and the gimme-gimme table-scrap grab-ass business, I tell you.

With THAT stated, NO ONE has seen vampire action like this!  The backstory is amazing, the timeline is incredible, and the characters are interesting, plus Ella writes a mean sex scene.

I just write great mean, which is why she wanted to work with me.

Why did you do decide to collaborate and did that affect your sales?

For me, it’s one part bucket list item, two parts I highly respect these writers and want to work with them.  In both cases we’ve built these great worlds and formats, just gotta get them done.

When did you decide to become a writer?

Four years ago.  It started with my blogging (which, by the way, I’ve done tons of blogs and podcasts, none of which are very popular but both were great experiences), namely my litblog, the original “The Pen Is My Sword.”  I one day flippantly wrote a minor segment called “The Battle at Brownstone,” which occurs in Taboo 3: Auger of the Angels.  At the time I panned it around to some friends, and I can trust my people about one thing - NONE of them are “yes men.”  When I got a resounding “you should do the thing,” I decided to just do the thing.

Since then I have had absolutely no regrets.  Being a writer is what I am, and to live this life…it’s incredible.  Absolutely incredible.

Why do you write?

The sky is blue.  Princes become kings.  Tadpoles become frogs.

I write a great fight.

What made you decide to sit down and actually start something?

I honestly don’t know.  The very first thing I ever wrote was an utterly, absolutely horrible book for my English Honors class.  300+ pages of double spaced dreck.

But I did the damn thing, and no matter how successful I am or will become I keep it around to remind myself that my very first serious attempt sucked that hard.

With THAT stated, if not for that piece of crap…I probably wouldn’t be here doing this.  No joke, no punch line, absolute truth.

Do you write full-time or part-time?

It honestly depends.  If I had my druthers, I would 24/7 full time write.  As is I kick out an amazing amount of material in the time I have to do it.

I would like to, someday, pay the bills with this.  For now, let’s get it goin’ and published!

Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured?

I write poetry and lyrics best during the day out of nowhere.  I write prose and literature best at night.  I haven’t a clue why!

For the longest time I had to feed my muse with “negative fugues,” a strange emotional state of absolute despair and this feeling of abject failure.  The only way to exorcise those feelings were to put them to paper, writing these poems or blocks of prose.  These bits of negativity would later become “Minus” ( [ - ] ).

Do you write every day, 5 days a week or as and when?

I write when I can.  I can sit down and blast out 30k words in a single setting, I just need the time and knowledge that everything else is taken care of.

It sucks being poor, but what can you do?  I’m at my best when I’m a little stressed anyway.

Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages per day?

Nope.  I write, and that is all.

Admittedly before I start in on something, I tend to be an “engineer” type.  I’ll map it out, write a skeletal structure, make character biographies and even write a chapter-by-chapter overview.  Once I switch modes, though, I become a “gardener” type and the story will write itself as it sees fit.

Do you write on a typewriter, computer, dictate or longhand?

I simply cannot write without a computer.  If I could write faster than 100 WPM, I would!

Where do the your ideas come from?

Thin air.  I’m not joking.  Sometimes I’m hit by a lightning bolt of inspiration, and I go from there.

The Mook, for instance, was something that just went “bork” in my head and I started writing this uber-badassed, uber-violent movie script.

I only now have a full backstory to it, though much of it was fleshed out in the script itself.

As for The Generalist, I honestly don’t know.  The Battle At Brownstone shows an awful lot of what the Generalist WAS going to be (with Frank and Dash being rivals in artifact hunting and the Shop didn’t even exist), only once I started writing it just made sense for The Shop to happen.

At some point in time you can honestly expect Dash to make a reference to how he used to be a cabbie. :3

Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?

Yes.

How do you think you’ve evolved creatively?

I hate to admit it, but you can practically read my evolution as a writer.  As good as “Cliche of Memories” is, “Where’s the Beef” is even better, and the Mayhem Arc is freakin’ amazing.

The stuff I’m writing for the Angel Arc is blowing it out the freakin’ water.

I don’t know if that’s good or not.  I’ve honestly thought about doing what Feist did and perhaps re-writing Taboo 0, but I honestly can’t.

I’ve tried, and y’know what?  It’s good.

It’s hella good, and the perfect introduction to the world of The Generalist.

For now, this is exactly what it’s supposed to be.  To me, that, too, is creative evolution.

Otherwise I haven’t really done any better since then.  I still write great scenes of over-the-top, breathtaking violence.

What is the hardest thing about writing?

Having to focus on other parts of the industry.  You have NO idea how happy I am that Foundations has discovered me!  The hardest part, right now, is realizing that I don’t have to do certain things like formatting or marketing as madly as I did these past four years.

What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?

Nothing, it’s freakin’ awesome.

What is the easiest thing about writing?

Everything.  I’m lucky - I never suffer from writer’s block, y’know?  I also don’t need things like NaNiMoWri to motivate me to write.

I sit down, I write.

I write the things.  You read the things.  This is what makes for a great, stable relationship.

How long on average does it take you to write a book?

I can kick out 50,000 words in about a month or so.  It’s taken me longer in the past simply because of all other points of life, y’know?

Now once the bills are paid and I’m able to just focus on the writing….ahhhhh.

Heaven to even think about.

Do you ever get writer’s Block?

Nope!

Any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block?

I haven’t a clue.  Discipline?  Perhaps drink warm milk and try not to think so hard about stuff?

I want to write “just don’t get it and write stuff,” but that might be a bit too pretentious even for me!

If this book is part of a series, tell us a little about it?

The Generalist!  My flagship series, my vanguard title!  It takes place in a Neo Los Angeles of near tomorrow (2017, technically next year!) 12 years after a cataclysmic event known as the “Havoc of 2012.”

The Generalist follows the violent misadventures of an organization known as “The Shop,” a paranormal goods and supernatural services store set in the exact heart of Neo-LA.  The Shopkeepers fight constantly growing foes in order to secure their place as Neo-LA’s #1 bouncers, thugs, killers, slayers, and more.

They wear many hats, but they are very competent - upon being hired, they don’t stop until the contract is completely fulfilled.

The only problem is that this also brings them many enemies, naturally, some of which aren’t even in the series canon but, rather, the “Taboo X” side story series.  One of my favorites is “Interdimensional Villain’s Day,” a designated day (every third Monday of each month) where the Shop, representing the entirety of Earth, has to face every possible Interdimensional Villain wanting to take over the world.

They’re all the same, and the Shop usually has them fill out paperwork and queue up to take their turn getting drummed on.  It’s not that the full-plate armored Villains are that weak, it’s that the Shop is that powerful.

Honestly, this isn’t the kind of book where you’re going to read about the rise to power for them but, rather, the Shop flourishing in it.  There are avenues and inroads of power and technique they have yet to reveal, and there are many reasons why…above all, though, is the overarcing storyline that also exists, uniting each episodic Taboo with one another.

Namely, what a particular character is doing, one that had disappeared shortly after the Havoc of 2012.

The Generalist is the kind of series where I can present “alternative lifestyles” and living arrangements without being too annoying about it.  Sure there’s romance, sexual tension, even scenes of lovemaking or more (when two empaths combine on the psionic level, it’s a beautiful thiiiiiing), but honestly?

It’s all about the fighting, friends.

What are your thoughts on writing a book series.

This is both the worst and the best advice I was given early on in my writing career.  Honestly, the modern day methods of literature really does benefit from a series form than anything stand alone….but!

I’ve read TONS of really, really bad ones too.

Just sayin’, that’s what our modern times brings us.  It levels the playing field and gets you out there, but it also allows absolute and utterly horrid work to be seen, even flourish, as well.

Do you read much and if so who are your favourite authors.

I wish I had more time to read.  It’s my one regret to being a professional writer.

There is simply not enough time to read everything that I want to!

For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or traditional paper/hard back books?

I do both, to be honest.  There is nothing like curling up with a paperback book in your favorite chair, coffee or hot chocolate nearby and it’s raining outside.

It’s even better if you can do it with someone else!

What book/s are you reading at present?

The Baron Moruna by Samuel Z. Jones, and I have a slew of them in my Kindle App.  I just killed off  Chainfire by Goodkind, finally, and I always, ALWAYS, have either 1984 or Gone With The Wind nearby.

I will probably reread Robert A. Heinlein’s works until I die.

Do you proofread/edit all your own books or do you get someone to do that for you?

I do two rounds of editing, then I send it off to an editor.  The hardest lesson I had to learn was that EVERYONE needs an editor, no matter how good you are or think you are.

Period.  Fullstop.

Get an editor.

Do you let the book stew – leave it for a month and then come back to it to edit?

Nope!  As soon as I’m done with a work I go into my Editing Phase.  Shortly afterwards I shoot it off to my beta readers, who all pride themselves on their own editing skills and being able to catch inconsistencies in my work.

I try not to give them much to correct.

From there I do a second round of editing, some discussion with the beta readers to point out where I’ve fixed things and how, then I fire it off to my editor.  It may take a round (or even three), but we DO get it professionally done and up to the level!

Who edited your book and how did you select him/her?

In the beginning, for the first four books and some-odd short stories, I worked with Adele Symonds, an absolutely wonderful editor and a woman I’m glad to call my sister.  Due to her physical ailments, though, she had to sadly pull out of the industry.

Though it was with a heavy heart, I’m not one to really stay down - I had met and tagged a particular editor through another writer, the horror maestro Tim Miller.  From him I snagged Elizabeth Robbins, whose style is incredibly compatible with my own.

Strangely enough they have very similar editing styles…but do NOT let them know I said that!  I appreciate and approve of both for their own reasons.

Tell us about the cover/s and how it/they came about.

Originally I envisioned having these character shots where you never see the full face.  Just, like, from the lips down.

Then Jade did her thing and I loooooved it.

Who designed your book cover/s?

Jade Flowers from Jaded Shots.  She’s very exclusive, and only really works with me.

I dig that. :D

Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process?

OHHHHH BOY, yes!

How are you publishing this book and why?

This originally started as an indie published work, but Foundations is giving me the opportunity to reach a whole new market and a slew of new readers.

I am a hybrid artist, but working with Foundations is an obscene joy!  I’ve craved this kind of thing since I was in high school, and y’know what?

I’m contracted and published, yo!  They can’t take that away from me!

NO ONE CAN TAKE IT AWAY FROM ME!!! D:<

What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing against being published or the other way around?

If you don’t have money or luck, you’re going to have a bad time.  A very bad time.

It’s the downside to the indie market - no matter how good you actually are, it’s NOTHING without marketing.  Even then, the worst part is that most brick and mortar stores (which SHOULD be the backbone of our work) won’t carry you without a “buy back” clause.  Let’s not even get started about libraries - unless you know someone or ARE someone, you’re not gonna get stocked.

There are ways and there are ways around these issues, but the problem is each time it succeeds for a would-be author the places spackle it over so it can’t be done again.  Consider, if you will, the writer who simply left their books at Barnes and Nobles shelves after figuring out their ISBN was in the system already.  Perhaps it was a glitch, perhaps it was a hack, whatever.

Do you think it’ll happen again?  Hell no.

Same thing with writers simply leaving their books at a library - it’s going to get caught and sold, thrown away, or given away.

Each time the rules are broken or bent, it makes it a little harder on all of us.  With that stated, things ARE going to have to change, and probably soon.

Either outlets like Createspace or Lulu are going to have to address this situation or I foresee writers simply shifting to digital only…and even that will bode ill, since the industry does best when we address all formats.

Limitations will gain us nothing in the industry, I tell you.

How do you market your books?

I’ve tried so many things and have watched each attempt fail.  Takeovers, groups, viral content, Twitter, Facebook…it’s gotten to the point where I pull back simply to focus on my writing.

I’ve tried marketers, PR people, hell I even hired a guy from Bangladesh on Upwork once to at least take over my pages and free my time up that way.

That ended pretty disastrously as well.

At this point, word of mouth is the only thing that even works consistently anymore.

Why did you choose this route?

Which one?  I’ve done it all.  All I CAN do is keep goin’ at it, thinking outside or even inside the box.

Would you or do you use a PR agency?

I’d love to use one.  If you can hit me up with one, please do!

Do you have any advice for other authors on how to market their books?

Despite my grumping, try everything.  If it works for you, great!  If it doesn’t, don’t waste time doing it - try something else entirely, or come at the situation from a different angle.

What part of your writing time do you devote to marketing your book?

Too much, to be honest.

What do you do to get book reviews?

Bother people.  A LOT.  I have yet to pay for a review, but I’ve had a few that were “hey, read this for free and leave a review, yeah?”

Otherwise I’m looking at a few services.  Kirkus, for instance, which can also get me plugged into magazines and newspaper journalist types.

At least I hope so.

How successful has your quest for reviews been so far?

Next question.

Do you have a strategy for finding reviewers?

Nope.  I simply ask, and constantly remind my newsfeed that I need reviews.  Reviews are life, reviews are love!

What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?

I actually have none, and try to accept all reviews, either good or bad.  You HAVE to have a thick skin in this industry, and if you don’t…well.

Leave.

As for troll reviews, I’ve only ever had one and the little jerkass pushed me into the top 40 for the first time for Amazon’s “action” genre.

While I’ll never approach the comment section of the Funimation page and invite those weeaboos to ever read anything that’s not a freakin’ manga again, I do yearly give thanks to that bandwagon jumping idjit.

Any amusing story about marketing books that happened to you?

Y’know, I’ve had a LOT of fun doing conventions and selling books.  I do especially well in Portland, at the convention center - I have yet to NOT sell out there!

On the other hand, I’ve had absolutely dismal sales at conventions at the Doubletree Hotel, for some reason.

One time I was hanging out at an afterparty scene, and noted a guy who was sitting alone in front of one of those huge windows.  This was, like, on the fifth or tenth floor and there was a great view overlooking the city, right?

So I walk up to the guy, who looks up at me.  I nod to him and say the following:

“Y’know, this is the part of the movie where someone comes up to you, an absolute stranger, and tells you exactly what you need to hear.  Perhaps it’s a secret mission, or just words of encouragement.  But this is not a movie, and this is not that time.”

He nodded to me and went back to looking out the window.

I still think I accidentally tipped off a CIA ghost or somethin’.

What’s your views on social media for marketing?

Don’t do it.  Twitter sucks, Facebook sucks, everything sucks.  Unless you have money.

Then do it to it, friend!

Serious, I have practically a complex regarding Twitter and Facebook honestly and consistently freakin’ censoring and suppressing my posts.  It’s gotten to the point where I don’t do events at all anymore!

Which social network worked best for you?

Facebook, despite my complaints.  I have a pretty well developed feed there, and the people who get hype over my work are there.

Any tips on what to do and what not to do?

Do everything, keep whatever works.

Did you do a press release, Goodreads book launch or anything else to promote your work and did it work?

I have, and nothing works.  I’m hoping that’ll change soon…but man.

It can get frustrating.

Did you get interviewed by local press/radio for your book launch?

Unless you have a following, they don’t want to have anything to do with you.  It’s hard out here, friend!

Is there any marketing technique you used that had an immediate impact on your sales figures?

Nope.  Fiverr turned into a wreck.

Did you make any marketing mistakes or is there anything you would avoid in future?

Honestly, just saving up a couple thousand dollars and completely bypass Fiverr and SEOClerks, or even Upwork.  NONE of these places work for virtual assistants, social media marketing, or anything else beyond photoshop/visual graphics work.

Just save up a couple thousand and try to find a PR firm/marketing group that can get you read by Oprah or something.

Why do you think that other well written books just don’t sell?

It’s all about the marketing.  Every industry, not just literature, is geared so that only that which sells the best is represented the best…and it’s a horrible thing to consider.

The cream does not rise to the top.

The first thing you have to recognize, and this is speaking from a man mired in at least TWO industries, is that you need more than just talent.  Talent alone will not guarantee you success, nor will hard work.

Mostly it’s networking, sometimes it’s blind luck.  It’s almost always good marketing and handling your network resources.

What do you think of “trailers” for books?

Like anything else, they can be an incredible way to introduce people to your written work.

Do you have a trailer or do you intend to create one for your own book/s?

I’m actually having one worked on that’ll be done soon enough.  Just gotta get it dooooone.

Do you think that giving books away free works and why?

Yes and no.  Honestly, it can be a great way to introduce people to your work…but there are far, far too many entitled types who believe ALL creative work should be free or, even worse, paid in “exposure.”

When exposurebucks pays the bills and helps me live, I’ll totes accept it.

Did you format your own book?

I did, and got quite good at it!  Now I get to leave that up to Foundations, freeing me up SO MUCH TIME!  I’m not even joking, it’s a freakin’ blessing!

It took me a solid month, A STRAIGHT FREAKING MONTH to finish and publish the Omnibus Generalis Volume 1.  I look forward to not having to do that ever again!

In what formats is your book available?

Digital and physical copy.

If formatted by someone else, how did you select them and what was your experience?

I’m giving it to Foundations and never thinking about it again!  If all I gotta focus on is writing and interacting with my readers, all the better.

How do you relax?

>:)

What is your favourite motivational phrase.

“No.” - Grumpy Cat / Tarder Sauce

What is your favourite positive saying?

Asking why you’re writing it as “favourite” instead of “favorite.”

What is your favourite book and why?

The Generalist: End of an Era.

The novel that will cap off the 24 episodic taboo run of this series. :3  See you then!

What is your favourite quote?

“There is money in chaos/there is money in division/there is money in race/there is money in religion” - Anubis Unit, “The Mean Measures of Today”

What is your favourite film and why?

There’s so many to cooooount!  Let’s say…Shoot ‘Em Up, yeah.  Definitely inspirational when it comes to action and great music!

Where can you see yourself in 5 years time?

Beating Stephen King in the octagon to reign supreme as the heavyweight champion (writer) of the world.

What is your favourite movie and why?

…wat? :V

What advice would you give to your younger self?

LEAVE.  YOUR PARENTS ARE GOING TO TURN INTO IDIOTS WHEN YOU TURN 18.  JUST FREAKIN’ LEAVE.  DO NOT GO TO A COLLEGE IN CALIFORNIA.

AT THE SAME TIME DON’T GO TO NEW ORLEANS - HURRICANE KATRINA IS GONNA KICK EVERYONE’S ASS.

JUST GO TO A COLLEGE IN WASHINGTON OR SOMETHING.

DO NOT STAY IN CALIFORNIA.

LEAVE.

Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?

William Shakespeare, so I can show him what the current world of literature looks like.

Wait, no, Martin Luther King, Jr. so I can show him how badly he’s misquoted nowadays.

NO, wait!  I know, George R.R. Martin so we can both flip his fans off.

Wait, wait, noooo!  I know!  Ted “Bully” Theodore “Goddamn” Roosevelt, so we can take over the freakin’ world together.

Roosevelt/Duder 2016

A vote for us is a vote to kick the entire world in the ass.

And the saddest part is that I can say all three of these guys for the same reason - because I’m a sadist.

If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why?

Honestly, my ego won’t allow for anything less than my own works.  Why would I want to do anyone else’s stuff?

What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Just write.  Write and let everything fall where it shall.

That manuscript you’ve been thinking about writing for the past two years?  Stop kibbitzing and write the damn thing.

Those notes you’ve been compiling for a decade?  Stop it.  You’re fine.  Just write it.

The difference between a true author and a person schlepping around is all in taking that ultimate step and just writing the damn thing.

Write.  That is all.

…oh, and stay out of my genre.  I’ll freakin’ gank you.

Where do you see publishing going in the future?

Hopefully not in the garbage bin!  The bubble for e-books have long since popped, and we’re all rolling around in the wreckage of the aftermath of a nuclear bomb.  We NEED to get indies onto physical shelves and properly represented, but so long as writers are treated like serfs…well.

I do hope things get better.

NOW, what would be nice is what happened to me - using the indie market as a way to get into the traditionally published realm, and perhaps even vice versa.  As a brand, life is best when we can cover every angle and provide for our readers, whether that be digital, audio, physical copy, or even standalone apps.

Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included?

Stay in school.  Brush your damn teeth.  Learn how to cull people from your life if they’re being toxic, and keep your focus on getting things done.

Don’t talk shit about what you’re going to do, freakin’ DO it!

How can readers discover more about you and you work?

Website: The Pen Is My Sword - http://www.thepenismysword.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorOfTheThings
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GeneralistMarketing
Twitter: @ThatBastardFB
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/n282/thomas-duder-author-of-the-things/
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Duder/e/B009FOKSNQ
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/tomduder
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/thomasduder
Book Links:

The Generalist - Taboo 0: Double Feature Show!
Smashwords - https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/670644
Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/Generalist-Taboo-Double-Feature-Show-ebook/dp/B01LXS7XU6

To listen to some great tunes and see what else I’m about, check out Anubis Unit too~!

Anubis Unit - http://www.anubisunit.com
Facebook -  http://www.facebook.com/AnubisUnit

Be kind and leave a review!  Doesn’t matter if it’s good or bad, just let it be honest.

No matter what it is you’re doin’, do it to the best that you can and then some.  Kick freakin’ ass, friends!

Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to take part in this interview.