My Personal Path To Publication - Jason McIntyre

Hey Everyone!  I've been waiting for today because I am introducing you to an amazing writer!  It's a interesting story how I met Jason.  I was in an ER with a sick child and was browsing my kindle for free reads and stumbled on his novella Road Markers.  I can only call it fate.  I fell in love with his writing.  Literally.  I call it a cross between my hero Stephen King and my scary love/boyfriend Wes Craven.  His wording and pacing grips me, shakes me by the shoulders, slaps me in the face and screams at me to "get ahold of myself!"  And I crawl back, like a sicko sycophant, begging for more.  I stalked him on facebook and he has graciously agreed to be my friend and then appear here today.  I expect the restraining order any day now.  I am in the middle of two of his other works, BLED, which is brand new and he is promoting here today, and THALO BLUE and also in the throes of a painful writer's crush.  While I seek out a 12-step program for my problem (the first step is admitting it, right?) you please enjoy the literary stylings of Jason's journey.

1.   How long have you been writing?

Since November 7th, 1989.  Just kidding. I've been writing since I was twelve or thirteen but to remember exactly when would be a challenge I've not the strength for.  The first fiction I recall writing with a serious intent to share was a story about aliens landing in a young girl's backyard. It was supposed to fill the blank page on the back of the school newspaper since we had no more hard news. As if there was actually such a thing as hard news in the fifth grade!

2.   Are you published and if so, how long have you been a published author?  If not, what’s your plan?

I'm a self-published author with two long novels, two novellas and several short stories available at present. More are coming all the time. Two new short story collections and another novella will arrive before the year is out.

3.   Which route did you choose for becoming published, the traditional route, with an agent, the “indie” route, going directly to the publishers yourself, or deciding to self-publish?

Self-published.

4.   Why did you choose that particular route?

It offered me the most freedom for writing what I want, releasing fast, and getting the stories into the hands of the readers. After my first stories got some pickup I continued with this route so that readers who began enjoying my books could get more material fast. In fact, I've turned down some offers from traditional publishers that couldn't compete with what I've been able to achieve on my own.

5.   How long did it take you to write your first novel?

The first draft took three months. There was another four or five of tweaking, sharing, re-drafting, regretting some feedback I followed and some that I ignored. Then a few more months to get it just right.

6.   How long did it take you to publish it?

Twenty minutes.

7.   How many times did it get rejected before it got published?

I didn't send out my first novel. I sent out my second to agents, editors and publishers, then I waited, and waited and waited.  I got close to two hundred rejections and another six or seven hundred that simply never responded.

8.   Tell us about worst rejection letter.

I can't remember the exact wording but it was very indicative of the kind of rejection slips I received as a whole. It said, and I paraphrase, "This is amaaaaazing! You are an incredible writer and I was riveted by this book. I want all my friends to read it. Unfortunately, I can't take you on as a client because, at present, there is no way I could sell this book. It doesn't stick to any one genre and it is so unusual and fresh that I fear no one would buy it. Thank you and good luck."

9.   What was the best news you ever got in your writing life and how did it make you feel?

My short story, The Night Walk Men, recently reached number one on Amazon's Kindle Top 100 downloads. A short time later, I did the math and discovered that my books had, altogether, been downloaded more than 113,000 times by readers across every retail website.

How did it make me feel? I'm still processing the news! I'll let you know when it truly sinks in.

10. What’s the worst piece of advice you ever got?

"Change your style, change your content. Change."  Sure, edits are fine, adjustments and advice are always needed. But readers or other writers who tell you to change who you are as a writer should be the only thing you ignore without any consideration. Every other kind of advice should be given at least a moment of consideration.

11. Now, tell us the best!

"Get your stories out there, any way you can."

12. What’s the one thing you would want an aspiring writer to take away from your personal path to publication?

There is no one right way. What was the Robert Frost poem, "Two roads diverged in a wood and I, I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference."

And Fleetwood Mac also sang, "You can go your own way." My advice is look to others for inspiration, but not a recipe. No one will ever duplicate the same level of success as another by copying them.

13. Where can we read your blog?  Buy your books?  Connect with you on facebook?  On Twitter?  Your website?

http://www.thefarthestreaches com  > The Farthest Reaches is my author website and blog. All news and links to my books from all retailers can be found here.

http://twitter.com/#!/JasonCMcIntyre

http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJasonMcIntyre

http://www.amazon.com/Jason-McIntyre/e/B0049YW78G > My books at Amazon

Bled: About the Novella

She only wanted to leave. But he took that option from her. Now she wants it back.

Set on the same island as the reader favorite Shed, the latest literary suspense novella from bestselling author Jason McIntyre picks up the Dovetail Cove saga with this story of one lonely woman...trapped.

Tina McLeod is on the cusp of a new life. Extraordinary change is rare in her world but this newsflash means she can finally leave her small island town for good. No more pouring coffee for townsfolk in Main Street’s greasy spoon, no more living under the weight of her born-again mother. That is, until Frank Moort comes in for his usual lunch and dessert on an ordinary Friday in May. 

Bled sees things turn backwards and upside down for each of them. Their encounter is prolonged and grotesque, the sort of thing splashing the covers of big city newspapers. Both are changed. And neither will come out clean on the other side.

A story about taking what’s not yours, Bled explores pushing back when you’ve been pushed too far. It paints in red the horrors from our most commonplace of surroundings: right out in the open where nothing can hide behind closed doors and shut mouths.

About the Author

Jason McIntyre has lived and worked in varied places across the globe. His writing also meanders from the pastoral to the garish, from the fantastical to the morbid. Vibrant characters and vivid surroundings stay with him and coalesce into novels and stories. Before his time as an editor, writer and communications professional, he spent several years as a graphic designer and commercial artist.

McIntyre's writing has been called darkly noir and sophisticated, styled after the likes of Chuck Palahniuk but with the pacing and mass appeal of Stephen King. The books tackle the family life subject matter of Jonathan Franzen but also eerie discoveries one might find in a Ray Bradbury story or those of Rod Serling.

Jason McIntyre’s books include the #1 Kindle Suspense, The Night Walk Men, Bestsellers On The Gathering Storm and Shed, plus the multi-layered coming-of-age literary suspense Thalo Blue.

Bled: Teaser Trailer

link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaSd5IpoNU4  or http://youtu.be/CaSd5IpoNU4

And this is the link to BLED on Amazon ('cuz you know you want to BUY IT NOW!)  http://to.ly/b8HF

Okay, seriously, was I wrong?  Jason is all that AND CHOCOLATE CRACKERS!  I am not often wrong on my shopping excursions.  I have totally found shoes in my size for $4.99 before.  Who knew this time I would come home with a new author?  Enjoy everyone!  And stay tuned for the blog next week, we have the likes of Crystal Ward, Elaine Cantrell, Cynthia Vespia, Felicia Rogers, and Jillian Jenkins.  Why, with all those romance authors around, it'll be a regular love-fest.  Have a great weekend everyone!