Sometimes it is not easy to categorize one’s book. Genres can be
blurred by a theme or character, and usually that is because we all have
different literary tastes. Author Susanne Leist is one of these
authors. She combined her love for mysteries, thrillers and the
paranormal with her book,
The Dead Game, which is the first book in a trilogy. Here she is to talk about her writing, her book and her self-publishing:
MC: Many dream of one day writing a book. What prompted you to turn that dream into reality?
SL: I have been reading murder mysteries and
thrillers since I was a teenager. I’ve read all types of mysteries, from
Agatha Christie to Sherlock Holmes. In recent years, I’ve begun to
read paranormal mysteries. These books bring fantasy and the surreal to
the simple murder mystery.
It is hard to find books that combine paranormal with mystery. That
is why I decided to write a paranormal, murder mystery of my own. It is
the type of book that I search for and love to read.
My book, The Dead Game, has dead bodies and suspects like a
traditional murder mystery. However, it also has humans, vampires, and
vampire derivatives. And don’t forget the haunted house—we must have one
of these.
MC: How did you balance writing your book with work and family?
SL: At this point of my life I have time to write.
One daughter is married and the other is in college. Since I’m not
working, I have free time to devote to my craft.
My writing didn’t begin as a craft. It began as a hobby, which grew
over the years into a book. With a finished book in hand, I decided that
it was time to publish. Since I self-published, I had to enter
cyberspace to find readers. Soon I had Facebook, Twitter, and Google
accounts. I even created blogs. I entered a whole new world. I’ve met
many Indie authors, independent authors, who are very supportive of each
other.
I am no longer alone.
MC: What intrigues you more: the paranormal or mysteries?
SL: I enjoy books that challenge me. I need a murder
or a mystery to hold my attention. All the clues must tie in together
at the end. The resolution must be satisfying. That is a true mystery
for me, a la Agatha Christie.
The
paranormal also calls out to me. I love haunted houses, creepy
settings, feelings of being stalked…To me, this entails a killer or
villain. Most paranormal stories have villains and dead bodies, so they
can easily become mysteries.
MC: How are your vampires different from all the others out there?
SL: My vampires have been created from my creepy
imagination. They look human—that is until they attack. Then they have
the red or green glowing eyes. They stand out from other vampires by the
way they form alliances and mate.
Human vampires are a product of a human and a vampire. Their powers
are different from a vampire’s power. Vampires can fly, shape-shift,
control minds, and be killed by fire. They must stay out of the
sunlight—unless they are protected by a special green glass. Human
vampires don’t have these powers but only the power of suggestion. They
are stronger and live longer than humans. They die of old age—if they’re
not killed beforehand.
These facts are revealed over time in the book, and are kind of, a spoiler.
MC: You chose to self-publish your book. What made you choose this route?
SL: I self-published my book. However, I wouldn’t recommend this unless an author has his or her marketing in place beforehand.
At the end of August, Outskirts press, the self-publishing company,
informed me that my book was published. I’d thought that this meant it
was ready for print. I was waiting for them to send out a Press Release
and a Wholesaler’s Summary of my book. Little did I know that my poor
book was sitting alone on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, without any
words or background.
That same day, I wrote up my bio and summaries of the book. I opened
online accounts and blogs. I hadn’t known what a blog was but soon I had
three of them.
That same week, I joined reading groups and whatever else came up on my computer screen.
Now, four months later, I can sit back and breathe a little. I never
want to go through those last few months again. If I had connections, or
knew about the publishing business, I would have published the
traditional way. It would have been harder at the beginning. Afterwards,
I wouldn’t have had to navigate through cyberspace on my own.
My advice to a new author is to make sure that you are prepared
before you launch your book. If you are prepared, then you can take the
traditional path or the newer route of self-publishing.
MC: What can we expect from Susanne Leist in the future?
SL: My plan for now is to find readers and a target
audience for my book. The Dead Game is the first in a series of three
books. The first book resolves the murder mystery, but at the same time,
opens a Pandora’s box of new mysteries. Its surprise ending will lead
to more surprises.
Once my book is established
in the marketplace, I will begin my work on the second book. I have
an outline and notes all ready to be written. My writing often leads me
in unknown directions, so I won’t know how the book will end until it
does.
Susanne Leist:
Twitter
Blog
Goodreads
The Dead Game:
Goodreads
Amazon
The
paranormal also calls out to me. I love haunted houses, creepy
settings, feelings of being stalked…To me, this entails a killer or
villain. Most paranormal stories have villains and dead bodies, so they
can easily become mysteries.
