Saturday 10 August 2013

Author Interview: Gerald Simpkins

Gerald Simpkins has written the Forever Young series.


1. What is your name and where do you call home?
Gerald Simpkins.  I live in the southeastern United States.

2. Do you have a pen name?
No.

3. What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or less words, what would you say?
Forever Young Irina.  A 17- year old girl who is mercilessly bullied overcomes the greatest odds even as her world is turned upside down.

4. Do you have plans for a new book?  Is this book part of a series?
Yes.  It is a part of the Forever Young vampire series.

5. What or who inspired you to start writing?  And how long have you been writing?
I saw a bad vampire movie and thought of the ways in which it could have been better.  I have been writing since Feb 2012.

6. Do you gift books to readers for book reviews?
Yes.

7. How did you come up with the cover?  Who designed the cover of your book?
I wanted something that conveyed the vampire theme and I designed it myself.  I actually did the first mockup with some nail polish, glue, and scissors!

8. Is there anything you would change about your book covers?
Yes, but I lack the know-how and paperback books that are produced on demand are not competitive in the world of e-books.  In fact they cannot compete with mass-produced books that come from the major publishing houses.  For those reasons pursuit of better/more expressive cover art is impractical in my case.

9. Do you have a playlist in mind for any of your books? 
No.

10. Did you listen to any particular songs whilst writing your books?
Yes.  Classical piano.

11. Would you have different book covers for different countries?
No.

12. How did you come up with the title for your book?
In my novels Vampires live forever if not slain.  Since they are frozen in time so to speak, they are forever young.  That is why I chose to call my series Forever Young.

13. Is there anything you would change about your book?  And why?
No.  Forever Young Irina was meant to introduce some of my vampire clan to Y A readers as an extraordinary story of a 17-year old girl who life is impacted by them in an incredible way.

14. Do you have a book trailer?  And what are your thoughts on book trailers?
No, but I think they are good tools to help reach readers, and I wish I had the know-how to create them.

15. Do you have a “Dreamcast” in mind for any of your books?
No.

16. What is your opinion of ARCs?
I am in favour of giving them out to bloggers and reviewers.

17. Are you a self-published / Indie author?
Yes.

18. Have you ever read a book more than once? And if so what was it?
No, excepting for non-fiction.

19. Have you ever bought a specific edition of a book because of its cover? (For example a UK, US or Canadian version)
No.

20. What is your opinion of novellas?
I’ve never read one, but I can see that writing a novella is a good way for beginning authors like me to refine their skills without investing a lot of time in a full length novel.  It is also a way to showcase your style in an easily-digested work.  In retrospect I would have written several to test the waters.

21. Have you ever read a book just based on its cover?
Not that I recall.

22. Has the quality of the cover of a book ever put you off of reading it?
Yes.

23. What is your favourite film based on a book?
Godfather, and Last of the Mohicans.

24. What is your favourite book genre at the moment?
Historical Fiction.

25. What books have made it onto your wishlist recently? And why?
1812. Although I plan to continue the story I began with Forever Young Irina in the 21st century, I also want to continue the original series from which Irina came.  Toward that end, my next book in the ‘Forever Young’ series will be set during the French revolution and the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte to become dictator of France.  The book after that will be set in America during the war of 1812.  I love the history of that era of America and earlier times as well.

26. What book are you reading at the moment? And in what format?
Currently none.

27. Do you have any advice for other writers?  And what’s the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing?
Be persistent and read as much as possible.  Be flexible and willing to adapt to the changing landscape of publishing, as well as constructive criticism.  Do be diligent regarding research of your chosen genre.  Go to blog sites and determine the target readership for your work.  Don’t allow yourself to become discouraged.

28. Do you have any hobbies that aren’t related to reading & writing?
Yes.  I garden, raise chickens for eggs, weld, and do all manner of automotive maintenance.

29. Where can your readers follow you?







Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview and allowing us a glimpse into your writing world!

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