NOSTALGIC MOMENT with John J. Zelenski 2018

 

  January 31, 2018


When One Door Closes, Don’t Jump Through The First Window


As many in the publishing world may be aware, Tate Publishing & Enterprises ceased operations several months ago and left many authors, including myself, angry, hurt, and confused. Many questions immediately surfaced such as rights to ownership, back payment of royalties, and of course the huge decision on how and where to republish our works. Slowly and painfully, questions were answered and the last one that remained was ultimately the most important to me.


How do I get my books back into the marketplace?


As authors in today’s world, we have more choices than ever on how to publish (or republish) our works and perhaps that creates a problem in and of itself– choices. CreateSpace and a number of indie publishing platforms are readily available for those who have the time, patience, and tech savvy to tackle self-publishing. You remain in complete control of your works and all money is yours to keep from sales. Then there is traditional publishing -the high and lofty Holy Grail for most authors. The credibility and respect that comes from being accepted by a traditional press is certainly something to be proud of and can potentially open many doors to possibilities that self-publishing cannot.


Speaking for myself, I chose to search out a traditional publisher that could bring my books back to market, that would allow me to remain in control of rights and give me the personal attention that I felt my books deserved. I believe I have found such a company with my new publisher Peasantry Press. Their team is a talented group of people and very receptive to my thoughts and insights concerning the uniqueness of my novels.

But what about you? Should you find yourself in a similar situation, my best advice to give would be to step back and allow some time. Time first of all to heal – the anger, bitterness, and other negative feelings that can block a sound decision. Immediately jumping into another bad situation can bring you back to exactly the same ugly spot down the road, or worse yet, cause you to lose your rights to your works. Whether you chose the self-publishing model or choose to seek out a traditional publisher, there should never be a need to sign anything on a whim, especially without some prayerful thought and consideration to how these choices may affect you five or ten years down the road.


In the world of publishing, as many can attest to, time can be our biggest nemesis…. or sometimes it can be our greatest ally. Take your time, find the publisher that works best for your needs, and remember to close that drafty window of impulsion.

Born in beautiful Northeastern, Pennsylvania, John was raised in a strict Christian home where “the fear of the Lord” was taught and put into practice daily. It was a different type of fear however, which proved to be the catapult that started John on the road to the supernatural.

When John and his family moved to their new home in 1977, a series of strange and otherworldly events followed their arrival. Only after two ministers performed a cleansing in each of the rooms of the home, did the paranormal activities cease. Having seen firsthand that there is more to life than meets the physical eye, John started a lifelong journey of research and dedication toward understanding the supernatural. John states, “The supernatural is usually thought of in terms like ghosts, and goblins, but in all actuality, the supernatural simply means that which cannot be explained by natural forces or laws. This can mean evil manifestations yes, but also miracles, supernatural blessings, and divine providence.”

Taking this knowledge and blending it with his passion for storytelling, John’s first work was the award-winning novel, Walker’s Vale. Combining elements of his own experiences with a natural flair for descriptive writing, Walker’s Vale has been released in two editions to fabulous reviews of critics, comparing the storytelling to that of Ted Dekker and Frank Perietti.

Johns’ follow-up to Walker’s Vale was another award-winning effort titled, The Journal of Ezekiel Walker. This novel and prequel to Walker’s Vale, retells the eerie history of the small, fictional town of Walker’s Vale, Pennsylvania. John states, “It was a great honor and pleasure to have The Journal of Ezekiel Walker endorsed by friend and Christian music legend, Les Carlsen of Bloodgood.”

John’s writing accomplishments include being selected as one of the Fifty Great Writers You Should Be Reading, The Spirt-Filled Recognition of Achievement, Five Star Seal from Reader’s Favorite, and placing within the final Top Ten of the 2018 Author Academy Awards. Other short stories by John have appeared on The Untold Podcast and in Hello Horror Literary Journal. John is also an active member of the Horror Writers Association.

John has appeared on television, radio, print, and in public speaking events to tell his story.

When not writing, John enjoys spending time with his family, collecting sports cards and memorabilia, and playing bass guitar.

His motto resides in the words of one of his favorite characters in Walker’s Vale in that, “Not everything in this life can be explained.”

Social inks are: www.johnjzelenski.com https://twitter.com/johnzelenski https://www.facebook.com/WalkersVale?fref=ts http://www.amazon.com/John-J.-Zelenski/e/B00S05HZXW/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

When One Door Closes, Don’t Jump Through The First Window

By John J. Zelenski  

As many in the publishing world may be aware, Tate Publishing & Enterprises ceased operations several months ago and left many authors, including myself, angry, hurt, and confused.  Many questions immediately surfaced such as rights to ownership, back payment of royalties, and of course the huge decision on how and where to republish our works.  Slowly and painfully, questions were answered and the last one that remained was ultimately the most important to me. 

How do I get my books back into the marketplace?

As authors in today’s world, we have more choices than ever on how to publish (or republish) our works and perhaps that creates a problem in and of itself– choices.  Createspace and a number of indie publishing platforms are readily available for those who have the time, patience, and tech savvy to tackle self-publishing.  You remain in complete control of your works and all money is yours to keep from sales.  Then there is traditional publishing -the high and lofty Holy Grail for most authors.  The credibility and respect that comes from being accepted by a traditional press is certainly something to be proud of, and can potentially open many doors to possibilities that self-publishing cannot.

Speaking for myself, I chose to search out a traditional publisher that could bring my books back to market, that would allow me to remain in control of rights, and give me the personal attention that I felt my books deserved.  I believe I have found such a company with my new publisher Peasantry Press.  Their team is a great group of very talented people and very receptive to my thoughts and insights concerning the uniqueness of my novels. 

But what about you?  Should you find yourself in a similar situation, my best advice to give would be to step back and allow some time.  Time first of all to heal – the anger, bitterness, and other negative feelings that can block a sound decision.  Immediately jumping into another bad situation can bring you back to exactly the same ugly spot down the road, or worse yet, cause you to lose your rights to your works. Whether you chose the self-publishing model or choose to seek out a traditional publisher, there should never be a need to sign anything on a whim, especially without some prayerful thought and consideration to how these choices may affect you five or ten years down the road.  

In the world of publishing, as many can attest to, time can be our biggest nemesis….or sometimes it can be our greatest ally.  Take your time, find the publisher that works best for your needs, and remember to close that drafty window of impulsion. 

_____________________________________________________________ 

John J. Zelenski is an award-winning author who has appeared on television, radio, and has been featured in numerous print articles as well as receiving high-profile reviews from the popular community. Having been inspired, in part, to write his first novel Walker's Vale, by his own paranormal experiences as a child, John has developed a keen understanding of the supernatural. His second novel and prequel to Walker's Vale - The Journal of Ezekiel Walker - continues with the saga of Walker's Vale, with a future third installment presently in the works. Walker's Vale, the film will be released through Allegentsia Productions. John, along with his wife and two children, love to watch the seasons change in beautiful Northeast Pennsylvania.  Social inks are: www.johnjzelenski.com   https://twitter.com/johnzelenski  https://www.facebook.com/WalkersVale?fref=ts   http://www.amazon.com/John-J.-Zelenski/e/B00S05HZXW/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

The Three P’s of a First Book Signing

By John J. Zelenski 

At last, your book is finally available in print by your publisher and ready to be stocked on the shelves of your local bookstore!  Congratulations on a monumental and personal achievement that few can say they’ve accomplished!  It’s now time for your first book signing event!  Yes, you will be the star of the show!  The lights, the camera, the press…..well, not exactly yet.

A book signing event for your new book is a necessary and extremely fun part of the journey towards building your own personal brand.   However, there are a few key things to point out when it’s your time to shine. 

Preparation – Some publishers will take the time to actually set up the entire event on an author’s behalf.  But unless you are selling 5000 copies of your book per week, don’t count on this method.  And of course, if you are self-published, you should realize that the entire burden will fall upon your shoulders – and that’s not a bad thing at all!  This puts you in the driver’s seat, so to speak, by allowing  you the time to contact venues, arrange your schedule, order books (if necessary), and most importantly, “get in the zone” mentally for your big day.  And remember, you don’t need to sit at the front door of a Barnes & Noble to have a successful book signing.  You can have a great signing at a library or a small coffee shop. 

Perspiration - Obviously, getting the word out about your event is first and foremost.  Creating an invitation via social media is probably the most effective way, but should not be the only route to let others know about your event.  You can create flyers or push cards fairly inexpensively at your local print shop or even from your home computer.  Then hand them out to anyone who will take them.  Leave them at strategic places like community post boards at churches, grocery stores, laundromats, and yes, even book stores.  Remember, this will be your event.  It will be up to you to make everyone aware that you will be signing autographed copies of your book! 

Presentation – I cannot stress how important first impressions will be.  This very well could be the factor to whether or not you get asked to come back with your next book.  Your body language, demeanor, and table set-up will speak volumes about how you view yourself as an author. And may I add, that although this is your time to shine, keep your ego in check.  A little humility certainly goes a long way in paving the road for relationships that may last for the rest of your life.  Bring a box of doughnuts for the guests.  Maybe even asking the event coordinator if you can help set up or break down the table is not out of the question.

So the lights, camera, and the press….perhaps they just might be in your future.

___________________________________________________________________

John J. Zelenski is an award-winning author who has appeared on television, radio, and has been featured in numerous print articles as well as receiving high-profile reviews from the popular community. Having been inspired, in part, to write his first novel Walker's Vale, by his own paranormal experiences as a child, John has developed a keen understanding of the supernatural. His second novel and prequel to Walker's Vale - The Journal of Ezekiel Walker - continues with the saga of Walker's Vale, with a future third installment presently in the works.
Walker's Vale, the film will be released through Allegentsia Productions with possible filming scheduled to begin sometime in 2015. John, along with his wife and two children, love to watch the seasons change in beautiful Northeast Pennsylvania. My social media links are: www.johnjzelenski.com   https://twitter.com/johnzelenski   https://www.facebook.com/WalkersVale?fref=ts  http://www.amazon.com/John-J.-Zelenski/e/B00S05HZXW/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Which Craft?

By John J. Zelenski 

It seems obvious that the word “craft” can be associated with various meanings when applied within different contexts. To some, the term craft could be identified with beer or micro brewing. To others, perhaps crocheting, flower arrangement, or a trip to the local hobby store comes to mind?  Conceivably to a few, a large ship or vessel, either from space (we’ll leave those folks alone) or crashing through the ocean’s mighty billows, will register within the brain.  And yet to others, a delicious ham sandwich smothered in…oh wait, not that kind of craft!

What may not be as obvious to some is how the word craft is applied within our chosen passion – writing!  I believe a rough definition of how the term can relate to writers might be conveyed as:

“The art form or profession of manipulating words into mental pictures that requires above average skill.”

We as writers are gifted with the endeavor of taking a canvas (paper) and painting (with words) scenes, dialogue, and interactions that should leave the viewer (reader) feeling that they are smack dab in the middle of our romantic, beautiful, historic, mysterious, horrific, adventures.  This sounds easy on the surface, but to accomplish the task, the writer needs to be a master of his crafts. 

To me, the art of writing is made up of several different sub-crafts that must come together as one to produce a final masterpiece.  I believe every writer has their own special insight when it comes to their field of expertise.  Since I write primarily in the supernatural/paranormal genre, I must be extremely well-versed and knowledgeable in the field of ghosts, demons, angels and the unexplainable.  

That is where my stories and ideas are born and the roots begin to sprout.  Then, I must master the craft of developing the story into a plausible plot that may or may not include twists and turns and things that will leave you scratching your head.  Next, the craft of creating and developing my characters must be excellent so that they will flow seamlessly into the story and develop their own personalities as the story unfolds.  The “word craft” is arguably the hardest to master as each word must be used as a precise stroke; the end result should ultimately lead the reader to swallow hard, take a deep breath, and quickly turn to the next page – engulfed in pure trepidation!

When all of these “crafts” come together as a fully functioning unit, the end result is a printed master craft of living words.  So “which craft” is your forte?  Me?  I think I‘ll have a bologna on white bread with….mustard!

___________________________________________________________________

John J. Zelenski is an award-winning author who has appeared on television, radio, and has been featured in numerous print articles as well as receiving high-profile reviews from the popular community. Having been inspired, in part, to write his first novel Walker's Vale, by his own paranormal experiences as a child, John has developed a keen understanding of the supernatural. His second novel and prequel to Walker's Vale - The Journal of Ezekiel Walker - continues with the saga of Walker's Vale, with a future third installment presently in the works.
Walker's Vale, the film will be released through Allegentsia Productions with possible filming scheduled to begin sometime in 2015. John, along with his wife and two children, love to watch the seasons change in beautiful Northeast Pennsylvania. My social media links are: www.johnjzelenski.com   https://twitter.com/johnzelenski   https://www.facebook.com/WalkersVale?fref=ts  http://www.amazon.com/John-J.-Zelenski/e/B00S05HZXW/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0