Pump Up Your Book Chats with Joe Sergi

Joe Sergi is an author that lives outside of Washington, DC with his wife, Yee, and daughter, Elizabeth. He has published short prose stories and articles in the horror, science fiction, and super hero genres. Joe has also written for comics in the romance, horror, science fiction, and super hero genres. Sky Girl and the Superheroic Legacy is his first novel. In 2008, Joe was selected as a semi-finalist in the Who Wants to Create a Superheroine contest sponsored by the Shadowline Imprint of Image Comics. When not writing, Joe works for an unnamed government agency.

Joe’s publications can be found at www.joesergi.net. For more about Sky Girl and the Superheroic Legacy, visit the book’s website at www.skygirlnovel.com.

Thank you for this interview, Joe.  Do you remember writing stories as a child or did the writing bug come later?  Do you remember your first published piece?

I have always been a storyteller.  As a child, I spent a lot of my time in imaginary worlds with imaginary friends and fantastic creatures.  Luckily, I had teachers and parents that encouraged this behavior rather than medicating me.  My parents tell me that they used to get notes about my vivid imagination. I also have very fond memories of sitting in the back of the car on long family trips with my markers and crayons and making my own comic books. In college and law school, I found an outlet for my creativity through standup comedy and acting.  As an adult, I decided that I wanted to be a litigator.  Many people think this is because a trial attorney is just a story teller with the judge or jury as the audience (nonfiction of course).

I remember the details of my first publication as if it were yesterday.  Although I had published a few articles in high school and college, as well as some law review articles, my first real publication was in Trail of Indiscretion Magazine.  I met the publishers at the Baltimore ComicCon.  I was so impressed with their magazine that I wrote the first draft of Death Imitates Art on the train on the way home.  Death Imitates Art is about an author, who is promoting his novel about a Cult at a science fiction convention. He meets a group of warriors who thinks that the cult is real and madness ensues.  I submitted it and, although they liked the concept, a lot of rewriting was necessary.  I learned a lot through that story—especially what not to do.

What do you consider as the most frustrating side of becoming a published author and what has been the most rewarding?

The most rewarding part of being a writer is a no brainer.  It is the people.  I love going to conventions and meeting people to tell them about my books.  I love the people that take the time to read my books and just come by and say hello and tell me they liked it.  I just finished four days at Balticon in Maryland.  I appeared on two panels and did a reading and signing.  I am exhausted, worn out, and have no voice.  But, you know what? I would not have traded that experience.  I got to meet some great people and introduce them to my book.  Some of them bought it and some of them didn’t.  One person bought Sky Girl, read it in one night, and rushed back to tell me how much they enjoyed it.  I felt really good that day.  There is a second, less tangible part of being a writer and that is the moment when you realize that your characters have come to life.  For example, a major character doesn’t make it through the second book.  I never intended for this event to occur.  But, when I wrote that part of the story, I realized that there was no other way the tale could be told.  Someone once said that a writer doesn’t tell stories, they discover them.  When that happens, it is a great feeling.

Without a doubt, the most frustrating side of being an author is the rejection.  It doesn’t matter how many stories or comics you sell.  You still put yourself out there with every new project.  It is very hard not to think that a publisher is rejecting you rather than your story and a writer needs a thick skin.  I try to use the rejection as motivation.  For example, when I was submitting Sky Girl and the Superheroic Legacy for publication to the major publishing houses and to agents, I kept hearing the same thing.  They liked the story, the book was well written, but they believed that a Superhero prose book would not be marketable.  That killed me; those companies were stereotyping comic geeks as people who would only read books with pictures.  It simply isn’t true.  Finally, after having a lot of other publishers rejecting me, iEnovel took a chance on me and my book.  I hope to prove all of those other people wrong.  I truly believe that there is a place for superheroic fiction in mainstream literature.

Are you married or single and how do you combine the writing life with home life?  Do you have support?

I have been married to my wife, Yee for ten years.  I often joke that she is the only one who would put up with me.  Although I think she would much rather do something (or anything) else, she is very supportive and reads my stories and listens to my ideas as I ramble on about superheroes, zombies and aliens.  She is also my harshest critic and frequently informs me that my books are “not her genre.”

My five year old daughter Elizabeth is more supportive than she will ever know. She accompanies me to conventions and book fairs (frequently in her Sky Girl costume).  She also gives hugs upon demand when the work gets tough, which is always helpful. What she doesn’t realize is that she is the inspiration for Sky Girl.  As a comic fan, I wanted to bring her into my comic world and give her the same enjoyment I get from these books. But, as a father, I wanted to find a strong role model for her, which was lacking in the current pop culture. I created Sky Girl because she presents both a fun action story and is a good normal kid.  I think she likes it since she is always asking to dress up as Sky Girl. And if you ever meet me at a show, there is a very good chance that you might just see her in her costume at my table.

I am not going to lie and say things are perfect with my family.  I get a lot of flack for not coming down for dinner when I’m finalizing a short story or for typing on my blackberry in the mall when an idea hits me, but it could be much worse.  Writing is a pretty solitary thing.  It is good to have people around you when you are not doing it.

What do you like to do for fun when you’re not writing?  Where do you like to vacation?  Can you tell us briefly about this?

I love comics.  And although it sounds strange, when I am not writing them or books about them, I am reading them.  I spend a large chunk of my disposable income on those books.  Not only do I get a regular weekly shipment of new floppy books from DCBService.com (who is now carrying Sky Girl and the Superheroic Legacy as well as some of my comics such as Tales from the Comics Experience).  But, I also buy as many trade paperbacks as I can (usually at conventions from the discount table).  In fact, I am a member of the Comics Experience Book Club, which meets once a month and critically discusses a trade paperback sometimes with the creator. When not reading comics, I listen to podcasts about comics and am a frequent guest on some of them, like Comic Geek Speak (even before I was a published author). And while my tastes used to be solely about superheroes, I have expanded my horizons and currently read some great indy books.

I also love everything about movies and television. I could watch a good science fiction or action movie 10 times in a row.  I remember, when I was younger, I used to go to the matinee by myself because I couldn’t wait to see Jurassic Park or Batman and then see the movie again with my girlfriend on the same night.  Now, I just don’t have the time.  But, you will still see me at the midnight showing of Batman or Superman.  As for TV, I loved shows liked Buffy, Alias and Star Trek.  This season, I have been enjoying Doctor Who on BBC and Chuck.

My final passion is Disney, which we will discuss more in a second.  I own every Disney movie ever made (and most of the soundtracks).  I am thoroughly enjoying experiencing them through the eyes of my daughter.

If you could be anywhere in the world for one hour right now, where would that place be and why?

As I just mentioned, I am a huge Disney fan.  In fact, I got married in Disney World ten years ago in view of Cinderella’s Castle.  Wedding guests included Belle and the Beast, Lumiere, and, of course, Mickey and Minnie.  When I need to recharge, I go to the Disney parks, or take a Disney Cruise.  When travelling to California for work, I try to visit the Disneyland Park at least once (although I also admit to owning season passes to Universal Studios Hollywood).  Like I mentioned above with regard to the Disney movies, I love experiencing these parks through my daughter’s five year old eyes.  There is a lot of magic in the world.  Kids see and, if they are not paying attention, adults miss it.  There is a magical escapism that Disney creates that cannot be duplicated anywhere else. (Although Universal Studio Island of Adventures comes really close.). Plus, the Disney customer service is the best on the planet.  I can’t wait to see what will happen in Florida with Disney’s new Fantasy Land expansion and Universal’s Wonderous World of Harry Potter.  As a matter of fact, I just returned from a one week vacation to Disney World and I am ready to head back, if only for an hour.

Who is your biggest fan?

This is a tough one since so many people have been so supportive.  My friends Karen and Kari have traveled great distances (and braved the geekiness) to attend my conventions.  My friend Kaycee was willing to give me one more edit when I know she didn’t really have the time.  My wife puts up with me as I ramble on for hours about things she really doesn’t care about.  My daughter dresses up (and I think I mentioned the on-demand hugging).  And my mother, God bless her soul, tries to sell my books to her friends with absolutely no concept or understanding about what they are about.  I am not even sure that she has finished one.

Where’s your favorite place to write at home?

I love to wait until everyone is asleep, make a big cup of tea, put on a movie soundtrack, sit on the couch and write.  Of course, I feel it the next morning when I have to get up for work.

Do you have any pets?

I had a cat named Gabby who died of cancer a few years ago.  I remember the day I got her. I had gone to the pound with every intention of getting a dog.  I sat on the floor to fill out the paperwork.  She came over, plopped on my lap, and purred defiantly.  It was love at first site.  I named her Gabby because no one would let me call her Xena, warrior cat.  She meant the world to me and I spent a small fortune to try and save her when she was diagnosed. I couldn’t even put her down when the time came.  Thankfully, my wife was there to help me through it.  I still miss her.  She was a great cat.

Tell us a secret no one else knows.

I’ll give you two.  First, I write every one of my stories (including the novel, Sky Girl and the Superheroic Legacy and the answers to these questions,) on my blackberry.

Second, like Jason in Sky Girl and the Superheroic Legacy, I am a geek.  However, unlike Jason, who flies his geek flag proudly, I tried to hide my geekiness. In college and law school, I snuck out to the comic shops at night so no one knew I bought them.  I would never give any hint as to the level of passion I had with science fiction books, television, and movies.  And, I would not have been caught dead at a convention.  I even (gasp) feigned interest in sports.  At some point, I decided it was more important to be who you are.  I have certainly experienced friends and coworkers who believe writing comics, science fiction, and young adult novels are childish and a waste.  I feel sorry for those people.

What’s on your to do list today?

I have a senior litigation counsel position with the Government, I write, and I teach at George Mason University Law School. So, today’s to do list is very full and consists of grading exams, reviewing a brief, preparing for an oral argument, and doing a reading at the Balticon science fiction convention in Maryland.  Despite all of these activities, I always try to do at least one thing each day related to writing.  Some days it is promoting and marketing Sky Girl and the Superheroic Legacy or submitting a story for publication; on others it is writing a comic script or drafting a short story.  For example, before I go to bed tonight, I plan to finish this interview, finalize the edits on a horror short story, review the lettering job on a manga comic I wrote, and plot out a four issue limited series for Andy Schmidt’s Comics Experience advanced writing class.   I am a firm believer that dreams are very important and should be pursued.  In the words of Disney’s newest princess, “wishing on a star only gets you half way there.”

Now I’ve got a couple of fun questions for you.  If Tom Hanks, in the movie Cast Away, unearthed a copy of your book, how would that help him find a way off the island?

After reading Sky Girl and the Superheroic Legacy, Tom Hanks would realize that comic book characters are real.  He would then fashion a bow, don green tights, defeat the drug dealers who will inevitably arrive on the island, use their stolen boat to return to the mainland, and fight crime in Star City under the guise of Green Arrow.  (It’s really not that farfetched when you consider the whole “Wilson” thing.)

You have a chance to appear on the hit talent show for authors, American Book Idol, with judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Kara Dioguardi and the newest addition, Ellen DeGeneres, to determine whether your book will make it to Hollywood and become a big screenplay where you’d make millions of dollars.  What would impress them more – your book cover, an excerpt or your author photo – and why?

I envision the following exchange regarding Sky Girl:

Randy: Hey Dog, I was looking at your Chapter Zero excerpt. It was really cool. Why did you go for that rather than a traditional prologue?

Joe: It’s not really a prologue since it directly ties into the novel and the overall plot of the trilogy. But, because the main story takes place 16 years later, and because comic book stories have a zero issue I thought it made logical sense to call it Chapter Zero.

Kara: You made it Chapter Zero.  Touchdown!

Simon: Kara, that is what the other host used to say.  You really need your own catchphrase.  Joe, I noticed your Chapter Zero and I knew exactly why you did it. Personally, I think it is horrible.

Ellen: Simon! That is so rude.

(crowd begins to boo)

Simon: Will you let me finish, you Johnny-come-lately.  I meant that it is horrible that no one has ever thought of this before.

Ellen: Well okay then.  Everybody dance.

Simon:  I wonder if they still have that seat for me on The View.

You just got word that your book has received the 2010 NY Times Bestselling Book Award and you have to attend the ceremony to give an acceptance speech.  Anyone who’s anyone will be there and it’s your shot for stardom.  What would you say and who would you thank?

After the obligatory thank yous (family, friends, and publishers) I would have to give a nod to the great comic book legends that came before. The ones that provided the inspiration for Sky Girl, beginning with Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and continuing with Will Eisner, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and far too many others to mention.  These creators made next to nothing and created an industry that would inspire creators for decades.  Time permitting; I would rattle off as many more names as I could think of until they played me off the stage.

I understand that you are touring with Pump Up Your Book Promotion in June via a virtual book tour.  Can you tell us all why you chose a virtual book tour to promote your book online?

The main benefit of a virtual book tour is the fact that it will last forever.  All the reviews and interviews will be available through search engines for years to come.  This is the same reasons why I did not post those pictures of me in my Speedos on Facebook.

Thank you for this interview, Joe. Good luck on your virtual book tour!

Thank you for having me.  I hope this hasn’t been too painful for you. I enjoyed coming on and discussing my writing. I also realized that I did not mention that the official website for Sky Girl and the Superheroic Legacy can be found at www.skygirlnovel.com.