Pump Up Your Book Chats with Vincent Zandri

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Vincent Zandri is an award-winning novelist, essayist and freelance photojournalist. His novel As Catch Can (Delacorte) was touted in two pre-publication articles by Publishers Weekly and was called “Brilliant” upon its publication by The New York Post. The Boston Herald attributed it as “The most arresting first crime novel to break into print this season.” Other novels include the bestselling, Moonlight Falls,Godchild (Bantam/Dell) and Permanence (NPI). Translated into several languages including Japanese and the Dutch, Zandri’s novels have also been sought out by numerous major movie producers, including Heyday Productions and DreamWorks. Presently he is the author of the blogs, Dangerous Dispatches and Embedded in Africa for Russia Today TV (RT). He also writes for other global publications, including Culture 11, Globalia and Globalspec. Zandri’s nonfiction has appeared in New York Newsday, Hudson Valley Magazine, Game and Fish Magazine and others, while his essays and short fiction have been featured in many journals including Fugue, Maryland Review and Orange Coast Magazine. He holds an M.F.A. in Writing from Vermont College and is a 2010 International Thriller Writer’s Awards panel judge. Zandri currently divides his time between New York and Europe. He is the drummer for the Albany-based punk band to Blisterz.

His latest book is the bestselling thriller novel, The Remains.

You can visit his website at www.vincentzandri.com or his blog at www.vincentzandri.blogspot.com.

Q: Can you tell us why you wrote your book?

I wanted to write a story about identical twins and the connection they still share when one of them has died. I also wanted to somehow incorporate an autistic savant into the story, and I wanted to make him a hero. I found that autistic savant in the form of the real life character in the late Francis Scaramuzzi, who used to be a janitor at my high school. Not long before his death, it was discovered that he went home at night and created these wonderful paintings.

http://vincentzandri.blogspot.com/2010/08/twins-powerful-bond.html

Q: Which part of the book was the hardest to write?

All of it! But in particular, the parts about painting and how it works, trying to get the terminology to work. Also the parts about the villain, Joseph Whelan. He attacked and abducted my main character, Rebecca Underhill and her twin sister Molly when they were only 12. I had to get the details of that event across in the book not in graphic form, but more or less intuited. That took some honing of my skills as an author.

Q: Does your book have an underlying message that readers should know about?

I think this book more than any other I’ve written examines my faith in what’s out there after we die. Whether we live on in some form or another, and if there is a heaven and a God. In this novel, Rebecca questions the existence of the almighty, but without spoiling anything, by the time the novel is over, she becomes a changed woman.

Q: What was one of your favorite books as a child?

I loved War of the Worlds which I read at night under the covers with a flashlight. Same with Huckleberry Finn. Later, A Farewell to Arms. Those novels definitely stick out in my memory, although there were lots more.

Q: What is your favorite book as an adult?

Charlie Huston’s Caught Stealing. That’s my favorite book right now. He’s a modern noir master.

Q: What are you reading now?

Charlie Huston’s, Sleepers. I’m reading everything of his.

Q: Do you remember when the writing bug hit?

Around my second year in high school. That’s when I was introduced to Hemingway. His writing, his life, his adventures. I think I knew then I wanted to do what that cool white bearded guy used to do.

Q: Besides books, what else do you write? Do you write for publications?

I’m a full-time freelance journalist. I write for global publications like RT (Russia Today TV). I’ve had to cut back quite a bit with having signed three new contracts with StoneGate Ink.

http://rt.com/About_Us/Blogs/Embedded_in_Africa/2009-06-05.html

Q: Do you have a writing tip you’d like to share?

Write as much as you can. Read all the classics, and then read what you like. Try and start out with some short stories, and then progress to a novel length work. If it’s terrible, start another one. Stay in the game no matter what. Never give up no matter the rejections. A successful writer is a published writer.

Q: Would you like to tell us about your home life? Where you live? Family? Pets?

I spend most of my time in Albany, New York. But I also live in Florence, Italy for part of the year. I travel as much as possible. Sometimes on assignment. Other times just to go. My two sons live with me. They’re in high school and college.

Q: Where’s your favorite place to write at home?

In my bedroom, for the most part. I write in a lot of hotel rooms too.

Q: What do you do to get away from it all?

Like I mentioned, I head to Italy for a month or two every year. If I’m not on assignment, I work only on my novels.

Q: Were you the kind of child who always had a book in his hand?

No. Well, yes. What I mean is, as a young kid, I was fascinated with World War II, my grandfather having been a Captain of ground infantry and wounded twice, once in the Battle of the Bulge. So I begged for books and magazines on the subject, even if I didn’t understand them.

Q: Can you remember your favorite book?

As a ten year old, War of The Worlds, and The Old Testament, especially the passion.

Q: Do you remember writing stories when you were a child?

Not necessarily, but I acted lots of stories out. Even the Passion of the Christ, building my own cross. My parents caught me, and were seriously worried. Ha! True story.

Q: What was the first thing you did as far as promoting your book?

Alert Kindleboards.

Q: Are you familiar with the social networks and do you actively participate?

Yes, everyday, every other hour. I’m a social media hound!!!

Q: How do you think book promotion has changed over the years?

It’s no longer necessary to do book signings exclusively. Now, in the time it takes me to drink a large Dunkin Donuts coffee, I can utilize my social media connections, blogs, trailers, Pump Up Your Book Promotions, Twitter, Facebook, Blog Talk Radio, etc. to get the word out. I can even sell books while waiting for a plane.

Q: What is the most frustrating part of being an author?

Getting paid only every six months.

Q: What is the most rewarding?

Knowing at the end of the day, I did some pretty great writing.

Q: How do you think book publishing has changed over the years?

The form in which it is published is always changing. We started with drawings on cave walls, then moved on to stone tablets, then papyrus. Soon we had paper scrolls, then a printing press, and now we have digital books that can printed on demand, and finally we have electronic EBooks. The process is still the same though. I sit alone in the morning at dark-thirty, with a pen and a blank sheet of paper. One day however, in the future, we will be back to drawing on cave walls.

Q: If you had one wish, what would that be?

Healthy kids.

Q: If you could be anywhere in the world other than where you are right now, where would that place be?

Paris, the Lipp. I would be eating choucroute garnie

Q: Your book has just been awarded a Pulitzer. Who would you thank?

My mother.

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Maria Andrade, DEFIANCE AND REDEMPTION

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Irene Woodbury, HONEYMOON ROULETTE

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Arabella Sheraton, THE LORD BLACKWOOD REGENCY ROMANCE SERIES

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Wendy Leighton-Porter, THE SHADOW OF ATLANTIS

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M.B. Lewis, THE PILATE SCROLL

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Kathleen Shaputis, HIS KILT DROPPED HERE

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Joni Ankerson, TO KILL OR BE KILLED

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Aiken Brown, SON OF A SOLDIER

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Laura Preble, ANNA INCOGNITO

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Lena Gregory, GRAVE CONSEQUENCES

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Jennifer Chase, FLOWERS ON HER GRAVE

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Elysia Strife, A PROMISE IN ASH

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Miri Leshem-Pelly, SCRIBBLE & AUTHOR

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Shami Stovall, KNIGHTMARE ARCANIST

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Suzanne M. Hurley, THE TEDDY BEAR EYE CLUB

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Sharon House, BRIMSTONE AND WATER

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Michael Allan Scott, GREY DAZE

"Just wanted to thank you for putting together a great tour for You Won't Remember This. I think the author was pleasantly surprised and overall very pleased."
Bacon Press Books

"Dorothy, thanks so much for another great VBT!!! The Twitter-Party was a new feature this time that I particularly enjoyed. I will continue to recommend PUYB to my writer-friends, because you are simply the best!!!"
T.M. Wallace, WINTERGARDEN

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Deborah Serani, DEPRESSION AND YOUR CHILD

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Ashley Fontainne, GROWL

"Thanks for a very good experience with Pump Up Your Book. Fighter Pilot's Daughter has sold out of the first printing (still available as POD on Rowman & Littlefield's site, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.). My editor at R & L says there's a very good chance the book will come out in paperback in the summer. He asked me "Did you hire a publicist or something?" I told him about you, and he was impressed."
Mary Lawlor, FIGHTER PILOT'S DAUGHTER

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Lee Papa, TEMPLE OF ALL KNOWING

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Madeline Wynn, DAUGHTER OF THE FALLEN

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Mary Lawlor, FIGHTER PILOT'S DAUGHTER

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Karen-Anne Stewart, ASH TO STEELE

"When it comes to looking for a virtual book tour coordinator, Dorothy Thompson of Pump Up Your Book Tours is simply the best. I have tried several virtual book tour coordinators and have even set up a book tour on my own, but none of them were as successful as my tours with Pump Up Your Book Tour, which has the combination of expertise and experience needed to get the author the results they need. On this latest tour, TWELVE TO MURDER made it up to number three on Amazon! Thank you, Dorothy!"
Lauren Carr, Best-Selling Mystery Author of Mac Faraday, and Lovers in Crime, Mysteries

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Monique Roy, ACROSS GREAT DIVIDES

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Kaylin McFarren, BURIED THREADS

"Thank you for a great virtual book tour. I thought it went really well and it was great to have a wave of PR that flowed through the two month period of my book release. I'm working on my next book - and will definitely reach out to you when it comes time to market! You were a delight to work with and really made me feel looked after. As I've mentioned before, I just don't know how you do it all."
--Deborah Serani, DEPRESSION AND YOUR CHILD

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--Carol Nicolas, THE SIXTH POWER

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--Jo Sparkes, THE BIRR ELIXIR

"I just wanted to let you know that tonight Steven Manchester's Twelve Months became The Story Plant's first #1 Kindle bestseller. This couldn't have happened without you. Barb's cover is an absolute showstopper, Sue's copyediting boosted the overall work, Jackie's proofreading kept all of us honest, and Tracee Gleichner's blog tour started what has become an avalanche of great reviews."
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--Kathy Holmes Eckardt, REAL WOMEN WEAR RED

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–Vincent Zandri, MOONLIGHT FALLS and THE REMAINS

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–-World Ahead Media

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--Mary Ann Loesch, NEPHILIM

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Question of the Day

How do you make sales happen for you?

A lot of hard work! I sponsor a lot of on line parties, festivals and contests. Book sales don’t magically happen, believe me. An author has to work hard to earn her readers. And then she has to work hard to keep them by giving them something they’ll enjoy reading. I try hard to make my books worth a reader’s time.

-- Sheila Roberts, Author of Winter at the Beach