AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Rick Karlsruher

1.     Tell me a about yourself. What got you started in writing?

I’ve had a wide-ranging life and career. I started out working a bit in the music business, did live promotions, international trade, but wrote from time-to-time for many years. I’ve written everything from ad copy to lyrics to scripts and books. I tend to write more comedy than anything.

How do you schedule your writing time? When do you write?

I’m not sure I’d recommend my schedule for most. I’m an all or nothing type of writer. I don’t do formulas. Once I get an idea, I start. I’ve been known to write 14-18 hours in a day until I finish a section and then go a week until I figure out what’s next. I actually wrote the first draft of a hundred plus page script over a weekend.

How and where do you write? Do you prefer a lap top or some other method of getting your words down?

My typing is so bad that I try to use the biggest screen I have at the time.

4.     What's your favorite part about writing? Your least favorite part about writing?

I love the excitement of coming up with the idea. I dislike proofreading and editing. I can’t do it for myself. I know what I think it says whether those are the words on the page of not.

5.     How did you come up with your book idea? How long did it take you to write your book?

This is a very unusual story. Standoff was originally a script that I wrote decades ago. Comedy legends Dick Martin (Laugh-In) and Matty Simmons (Founder of National Lampoon, Producer of Animal House, Vacation and more) loved it. The studios thought we were too far ahead of our time. In late 2015, I saw a new Cold War starting and decided to make Standoff into a book.

The original idea came to me, because I believed the concept of a shooting war in the Cold War would end the world and thought the best way to bring this out was comedy.

       What types of marketing do you do to promote your writing?

I have a mailing list and use Twitter. My editor, Nancy Hartwell, has had a very successful book and chose to become my publicist. We’ve set a goal of 100 interviews for the rest of this year.

       What are you currently working on? Do you have a new book out?

I’m basically working on making Standoff a success and trying to find some investment for my website www.noveltunity.com. We try to help new/unknown writers get discovered. We’re in a holding pattern at this moment, but hope to be back in the game in fall.

8.     Do you have a project on the back burner? Tell me about it.

he project I have is to make Standoff a success and then into twofer movie. My first book A Story Almost Told (which got to #1 in its genre on Amazon and Smashwords) tells of my horrific odyssey in trying get Standoff made into a movie. It’s a perfect tie-in.

9.     What would you tell a beginning writer who wants to publish but doesn't believe he/she has enough talent?

The great baseball philosopher, Tug McGraw said, “You Gotta Believe”. This is the #1, #2, #3 and #4 step. Next, you’ve got to ignore the negative noise around you. It’s hard, but you have to do it.

Also, write what interests you. Don’t listen to those who tell you to churn out book after book just to have product out there. If you don’t believe in it and love it, you can’t write it well or sell it.

I’d like to thank Kathryn for inviting me to share this with all of you. Believe that you can do it and you will!

Here’s a link to Standoff https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/714636

Read 10% for free, then you can buy it. Please keep pasta, coffee or anything that can stain your clothes or spill into your computer away while reading Standoff. I am responsible for any damage outbursts of laughter may cause. J

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