Susan Morgan is Out of the Ordinary!

Today we welcome Susan Morgan to our writing blog. She is discussing her book OUT OF THE ORDINARY. It's fiction, sort of a combined action/adventure/romance and the story is about an ordinary woman, no special skills or training, just a mom who finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time — in the middle of an attack on a suburban mall by a well armed, well financed group of rebels, though these are not foreign born fanatics, these are our own people. The heroine of the story by chance comes into contact with an undercover government agent who has been watching the group but had vastly underestimated their strength. Together they are taken by the rebels who survive the authorities counter attack to an isolated stronghold where they have to work together to survive.

YVONNE: Is this the first book you have written?
SUSAN: Actually it's the second, the first is something I did in college, tentatively titled After the Fall, and walked away from for a time. I focused my writing energies, especially after the birth of my three children, on Out of the Ordinary. But now, having finished and published this work, it's gotten me thinking about that earlier novel. I've been through it again, and am nearly ready to start sending it around to publishers.

And since I work as a freelance writer part time, I have ghostwritten about 6 or 7 full length ebooks, a few more mini ebooks, hundreds of Web articles and a huge number of long form sales letters. Before going freelance I worked in the corporate world as a direct mail copywriter and was involved with the writing, editing and production of full color catalogs that were hundreds of pages long.

YVONNE: How long did it take to write this book?
SUSAN: Out of the Ordinary took about 5 years, part time of course. I also run a freelance writing business and I'm a mom of three kids, two cats and a dog, so I've not had the luxury of full time devotion to a project.

YVONNE: How did you publish your book?
SUSAN: I published through booklocker.com, a print on demand (POD) publisher that I'd been getting newsletters from for about 2 years. I submitted my novel and was elated when thney accepted it for publication. I was amazed how quick and easy the whole thing was! They worked with me to design a cover, format the manuscript and get it up and available online. Now you can go directly to the booklocker site (barnes&noble or amazon too) and you can find, and order my book. You'll then get a professionally printed copy in about a week, depending on where you live of course.

YVONNE: Did you work with an agent? If so, how did you find the agent?
SUSAN: I didn't, frankly because I'd heard so many horror stories about fees and scams I stopped looking early on. I'm thinking that once I get to a point where an agent would be helpful, I'll know more about how to find one and what to watch for.

YVONNE: Where is your book available?
SUSAN: As I mentioned, you can buy them directly from booklocker.com, which I highly recommend. They are a family orientated, trustworthy business… long track record, good people. If you'd prefer, you can also go on barnesandnoble.com or amazon.com and type in Out of the Ordinary. You'll find a few similarly named books, but not that many.

I do have a blog that I must admit I don't update as regularly as I should — about 2 times a month is all I can manage. Still, the content is irreverent and totally topical. If you'd like, you can take a peek by going to http://smm110861.wordpress.com/

YVONNE: As far as marketing, do you do more online publicity or print/radio/TV promotion?
SUSAN: Most definitely online, and that is purposeful. I believe that most of my readers are those who have bought books online before, so they're comfortable with the process. I think that the promo needs to be where the buyers are. Right in front of them at just the right time. I'll be spending my promotions budget on online opportunities for now.

Of course, print, radio and TV are pricey, and I don't have pockets that deep. I do also promote to my family and friends, and have my own little postcards I can hand out at nail salons, my kids games or anywhere I see a chance to get the word out. It's small and simple, but it's working!

YVONNE: Have you hired a publicist to help promote this book? Have you worked with a publicist on any of your books?
SUSAN: I've never worked with a publicist, but I sure would like to. I can only imagine how much help it would be to have someone who knows the ropes… knows how to present things and who to present them to for maximum impact. Again, it's a financial issue, I haven't been able, as yet, to afford to bring on someone in this role. When the time comes, I surely will.

YVONNE: Any other comments or things you would like for us to know?
SUSAN: First and foremost, that even though my story involves violent circumstances and hateful, horrible people, I in no way condone or support this thinking or the use of terrorism in any form as a means to an end. In fact, I came a hairs-breath from deleting the 2/3 finished draft I had of Out of the Ordinary on 9/11/01. In the end, I couldn't bring myself to throw all that work away.

My aim in writing this book was to tell a story that makes it clear these actions, these groups will always fail because the men who join them are no different than the men they hate. In Out of the Ordinary, the bad guys, in the end, are defeated by their own schemes, their own demons, their own weaknesses, as such men always well be.

Just published online @ http://www.booklocker.com/books/2934.html
Portfolio @ http://www.Writing.Com/authors/smm110861
Blog @ http://smm110861.wordpress.com/