Check out this great interview I did with fellow writer, Adam C. Mitchell.
Having a chat with… Author Derek Barton
I had the privilege to chat with American Horror Author Derek Barton a head of him launching a 4 part guest blog series on this site. Check out his Interview below, my review of his book on the Author Review Page ” Consequences Within Chaos” and his first article on the blog tomorrow…
1. Name
Derek Barton
2. Place of Birth
Small town in Indiana
3. Present Occupation (other than author)
A sales supervisor for a healthcare call center. (snooozzzzeee)
4. Hobbies
Hiking, video games, movies
5. Memberships in Organizations
I am a member to several Facebook groups but nothing outside of that.
6. Current Book Description Just finished my last installment of the Elude series I have been writing. It follows a desperate cat-and-mouse chase between a young ex-con, Vic Vicente, and a sadistic serial killer who keeps placing bodies and blame on Vic. The core of the story is how Vic has to elude the detectives on his case and elude the real murderer using only his wits and street instincts.
Book Blurb: Stepping blindly into a horrific murder scene, a young ex-con, Vicente Vargas, must flee from the police while eluding the real killer who continues to pin more bodies on him in this intricate cat-and-mouse game. Cut off from all friends and family, tried and convicted by the press, Vic must survive on his wits and cunning on the gritty streets of Phoenix, Arizona long enough to clear his name.
7. How did you come to write this book?
I liked the idea of a serial killer who chooses a “patsy” for his crimes only his pawn doesn’t behave in the expected patterns. The killer’s flaw is his own racism.
8. Other publication’s you have out (books listed in order of release:)
A/ Consequences Within Chaos
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYT2OS9/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i2
B/ In Four Days
C/ The Bleeding Crown
D/ Elude: Part One
E/ Elude: Part Two
https://authorcentral.amazon.com/gp/books/book-detail-page?ie=UTF8&bookASIN=1728977983&index=default
9. Blogs and Websites (With links):
Author website @ https://rivyen.wordpress.com/
Facebook Page @ https://www.facebook.com/NovelistDerekBarton/
Twitter Accont @ https://twitter.com/Rivyen
and my Patreon Page @ https://www.patreon.com/user?u=16518751
10. Are there any special markets where we can find your work?
Not at this time.
11. Are there any book-stores where we can browse your work?
I am at a local bookstore called Bookman’s Exchange in Phoenix, Arizona. A small selection of my earlier works.
12. Do You have a mailing list?
Yes, I do for a monthly newsletter which I update my core fans with my progress, what book giveaways I am running and where I can be found for personal book signings.
13. Any reviews of your work you would like to share?
Yes, William Bitner Jr, an online book reviewer, read and wrote up a great review of Elude: Part Three. Check it out here: https://booksinmylibraryblog.wordpress.com/2019/04/10/elude-part-three-by-derek-barton/
14. Do you have any Endorser or specific people you would like to thank for whatever reason?
Yes, I would like to thank and give a shout out to my patrons Susanna Willey, Deborah West & Jon Paul Rai on Patreon.com. Their help and support mean a lot and let me do more for my entire fan base than I could alone.
15. What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?
What is the first book that made you cry? I remember sitting in my class in grade school reading Watership Down and the character Bigwig was ensnared. I thought he died, and I burst into tears in the middle of class…pretty embarrassing, but I had my own rabbit and it hit a nerve.
16. In your opinion what is the most unethical practice in the publishing industry?
Of course, plagiarism is the worst offense any writer can make, but I think another issue I have noticed is this “writers selling to writers” trend. Professional writers offering “expert” tips, strategies, etc to help less experienced writers and they just pour out the same information found everywhere for free online with exorbitant fees or monthly payments. I am not saying that there isn’t good reference material out there, but it seems like too many writers are profiting and making a big paycheck off the backs of less experienced or successful writers.
17. Does writing energize or exhaust you?
It can definitely do both, but if the thrill of telling a story or entertaining someone isn’t there then you should rethink what you are in it for. I love it where a fan or a reader wants to discuss an event in one of my stories and wants to know the reasons behind my decisions. It means that I touched them, and my story engaged them – it’s such a great interaction and motivation to me. Writing keeps me breathing!
18. What are common traps for aspiring writers?
A trap I fell into was the belief I could do my own editing. It seems easy enough to just go back through and read your work, but editing is a completely different mode of thinking and analyzing. You really need to hire out for it. The other trap I see is the lack of building your email list. Putting your book on Amazon won’t be enough to build your platform. You have to keep shouting in that crowded room of a thousand new faces on Amazon. If you don’t market or make yourself seen, your work will be never noted and go unseen.
19. What is your writing Kryptonite?
Not having an outline. I’m a total plotter. Writer’s block to me is an empty white screen and no notes on the side to follow. In fact, until I really saw the benefit to an outline, I never completed a story I wrote until in my thirties. I would always start strong, peter out and flounder in the middle and never reach the end of the stories. All I had accomplished was a drawer filled with half-attempts.
20. Have you ever gotten reader’s block?
No, I haven’t. However, I cannot find time to sit and read. I’m a huge audiobook fan and that is the only way I can get through books now. Too many responsibilities require my time so I make use of driving time, standing in line, working out, and other opportunities to pop on my audio book. It is another reason I have even gotten three of my stories on Audible.com. Consequences Within Chaos, The Bleeding Crown and In Four Days are all in audio book formats. Elude is the process of being made into an audio book.
21. Have you got a pen name you use?
No. I have no use or desire to create one at this time.
22.. Do you try more to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?
To me, you have to do a bit of both to be successful. Give the reader what they’re looking for but with a touch of a twist or something unique added.
23. What other authors are you friends with, and how do they help you become a better writer?
I have my father who was always an inspiration for me to become a writer. I have several friends that are writers (Nesa Miller, Adam Mitchell, Logan Fox, Jon Paul Rai and Susanne Lambdin) that I ask questions or seek advice often. It’s a journey and everyone can learn something new from anyone. And we all become stronger for sharing experiences, sharing services and sharing support.
24. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
I am definitely trying to build a world of work within the fantasy side of my writing (Consequences Within Chaos and The Bleeding Crown). My horror stories (In Four Days and Elude) accidentally became linked when one of the surviving characters in In Four Days became a perfect fit for a character needed in Elude. And now, I am working on a new horror/crime series called Evade that will have another big connection to In Four Days.
To read the rest of the interview CLICK HERE!
The Official Website of Author Derek Barton 