Friends and neighbors, if you’re an avid reader or involved in the sales of books in any way, you’ve probably already heard of indie publishing’s biggest success, John Locke. If you’re a writer, as well, perhaps you know he’s sold over a million books on his own, without the support of a publisher, via Amazon’s Kindle store. If you’re a “business geek,” perhaps you’ve heard about the deal Locke successfully inked with Simon & Schuster, allowing the publishing house to print and distribute his books for ground-breakingly low cover prices, while maintaining ownership of his own rights.
To put it simply, folks, if publishing books were a high stakes business (and it can be!), then John Locke is the Donald Trump of indie publishing (with less punchlines about bad comb-overs). His success is literally changing the way authors make money from their books–I know, I know, you don’t want to know about that side of things. You just like to read books, right? I hear ya, loud and clear.
Well, luckily for us, John Locke is a local fellow, and he made made my day when he found time in his extremely busy schedule to answer some questions.
Tell me about your latest book. What makes you most proud of it?
Wish List has been chosen by Simon & Schuster to be distributed in bookstores and retail outlets throughout America and Canada. It debuted at #8 on the Wal-Mart best seller’s list, and they have discounted it to $3.74 in paperback to help me build my audience! The book is also available in Barnes & Noble and other book stores, drug stores, supermarkets and airport news stands for only $4.99! What I’m most proud about, it’s already sold nearly 250,000 ebook copies through word of mouth alone! It’s a wild, crazy adventure, and although people either love it or hate it, they can’t put it down! Like most of my books, this is a one-sitting read.
There are a lot of sexy legs on your book covers. Tell us more about your Donovan Creed books. I get the impression he’s sort of a James Bond type. Would your books appeal to Ian Fleming fans?
70% of my fans are women, 45 years and above. Through research, my publisher, a lady, discovered that women enjoy looking at other women’s legs even more than men do. So she designs the covers with that in mind, and it has worked well. One of the first reviews I received said, “Donovan Creed is James Bond on steroids!”
What do you love most about writing? You wrote so many books so quickly! (Ten books in two years.) What’s the best part of the process, for you?
Working away in the middle of the night and laughing out loud, knowing I’ve just written something that will crack my fans up. I love to do that, make them laugh. The second part of the process I enjoy is receiving their emails of support, and responding to them. I still answer all emails personally, and have received as many as 400 in a single day, several times.
What do your readers love most about your books? How are they reacting to your announcement that you will write less books this year?
They love the fact my books take their minds off their troubles and problems and make them smile and laugh out loud. They understand my books are fun, breezy reads, and not meant to be literature. In other words, my books are vacation reads, not Shakespeare. But how many people take Shakespeare to the beach or pool? As for my announcement that I will write fewer books this year, my readers say they hope I’m kidding!
[Note: I have a feeling if someone had taken Shakespeare to the pool, he’d never have gotten any writing done! ;)]
Where would Louisville & Southern Indiana readers know you from? Obviously, avid readers, fellow writers, and local newshounds know you’re a best-selling author, but how do your neighbors know you? Are you “John, who hangs out at Churchill Downs” or “JP the bigtime Cardinals fan”?
I’m Annie Locke’s husband. She’s the famous one in the family! Most know me through Annie and the kids. I’m always at their sporting events and practices.
Who are some of your favorite writers from the local area?
I’m embarrassed to say I don’t know any local authors!
How is it possible that you’ve not met any local authors? I would think that, like me, they’d be lining up to meet you. I about did backflips when I read you were from Louisville.
I would feel remiss if I didn’t note for our readers: Sue Grafton is from Louisville, Hunter S. Thompson was from here, and we’ve got a respectable list of midlisters and newly published stars a-twinkling. Elizabeth Bevarly is a career romance novelist, Kelly Creagh is a new voice in YA, and Frank Bill from nearby Corydon has recently made a gritty literary splash, as well. Those are just off the top of my head, but there are several more I hope to interview for this column, so definitely stay tuned, LouisvilleKY.com readers.
I hated to answer that question, but I had to be honest. I’ve heard of Sue Grafton, of course, but I’m sorry to say I’ve never read her work. I know about Hunter Thompson, certainly, and have read some of the old columns (and lots of stories about him) but haven’t read any of his books. It’s okay, none of these people have heard of me, either! In fact, most of my friends didn’t know I was an author until a few weeks ago, when the Courier-Journal article came out. I tend to keep a low profile, and I’ve never been a student of writing. I expect most local authors don’t consider me to be a “real” author yet, so no one is “lining up,” and that’s good because I have so little time these days. In fact, I’ve only done one in-person interview in the three years I’ve been writing, and that was in February, when Guillermo Abril flew in from Madrid and spent three days with me. Even the Courier-Journal interview was done by phone. It’s not that I dislike meeting people, it’s just that I have so little time. For example, it is exactly 1:27 am as I write these words, and I just finished answering 61 reader emails. Now I’m getting ready to write a scene for my next book!
Tell me about your favorite local bookstores/libraries/coffeeshops (whatever applies). What makes them special? If you don’t fall prey to the “coffee-addicted writer surrounded by books” stereotype, then tell us more about your personal reading habits. Do you still find the time to read, with all you do?
Despite the fact I’m a New York Times best-selling author, writing is a part-time activity for me. I work most of the day and write most of the night, and don’t have much time to read other authors’ books. I can sometimes be found at Barnes & Noble in the Summit, where I enjoy browsing while waiting to pick my son up from school. I was there yesterday, in fact! As for the stereotype of the “coffee-addicted writer surrounded by books,” surprisingly, I don’t drink coffee!
What’s next on the writing slate?
I’m currently working on a novel about a world-class surgeon who has serious issues. Very serious issues! My books feature outrageous, often bizarre characters, insane situations, and like my other books, this one will make you laugh. In the meantime, if your readers get a chance, I hope they’ll swing by Kroger, Wal-Mart or Barnes & Noble and pick up a copy of Wish List in paperback. Or perhaps they’ll download Saving Rachel, on Kindle, Nook, iPad, Smashwords, Kobo, eReader, etc. These two books have sold a half-million copies between them, and Saving Rachel takes place right here in Louisville, which your readers should enjoy!
Thanks again to John for being part of the local author spotlight here on LouisvilleKY.com. I, for one, will be looking for a copy of Saving Rachel. I do enjoy Louisville books, and who couldn’t use a little escapism? It was a true pleasure getting to know a bit more about the author and the books behind the publishing sensation. In the end, it is good writing and great personalities that keep readers coming back, isn’t it?
If you are, or if you know, a Louisville area author (Southern Indiana counts!) you’d like to see in the spotlight here, please get in touch with me at Leslea.Tash@gmail.com and please put “LouisvilleKY.com Author Spotlight” in your email subject. Books covering the local area as a subject matter or setting are welcome, as well. Thanks!
Leslea Tash is a local freelance journalist-turned-novelist. She publishes dark fantasy, including the Indiana-based novel This Brilliant Darkness under the pen name Red Tash. She always welcomes your feedback on this column either here on the LouisvilleKY.com site, on Facebook, or on her websites or twitter. Just about anywhere works. Get in touch!
