Koriander Bullard
Author Bio: Koriander is an author, graphic designer, cartoonist and is the owner of Koriander Publishing. She is an avid wrestling fan who enjoys time at home with her husband, John.
Author Interview:
1.What inspires you most to write?
Being honest, my dreams. With Ki-Chan: Demon Hunter, that book series began as dreams I had following a concussion from school bullying. Some of my other book ideas came from light little dreams I've had here and there.
2. What is your favorite genre?
I really love sci-fi. I like intelligence mixed in with my fantasy.
3. Who is one author you admire if any and why?
I've always loved Douglas Adams; he knew how to make his books lively. Lately though, I'm starting to appreciate Stephen King. In reading about his road to the best seller's lists, I never realized just how hard he struggled to make it.
4. How do you overcome blank writing spells?
I listen to Disturbed. I find that if I sit in a quiet place and listen to a few of their songs randomly that it helps me to visualize the emotions of my characters.
5. What legal publishing advice can you give?
In the United States, your work is copyrighted to you as soon as it's in tangible form, like as soon as it's a book. But for extra protection, spend that $35 or $55 to register your book with the US Copyright office and never, I mean never, sell off that copyright to anyone. You and your family will thank your decision to hang on in decades to come.
6. How many books have you written, are any a bestseller yet?
So far five, and then my shot story "Didn't I tell you not to leave your towel" was part of the Amazon bestseller 42 and Beyond. I'm retooling that story into a full novel, but I'm not sure when I'll publish it.
7. If you had the opportunity to rewrite one movie script which would it be, why?
Just one? LOL well this one will surprise you, but I would choose Little Mermaid 2. I really liked Melody's character, but I feel like the movie didn't do her any justice. I feel like Disney left a lot on the table there.
8. What are some difficulties you've experienced in your writing career; how do you handle book critiques/criticism?
Difficulties arose when I put my trust into a former friend, whom I now have a restraining order against. She wanted to pick fights with other authors and spread rumors about me, and it was very hurtful. Another pitfall was in my first three years, I spent money on services that didn't get me too many readers and were run by people who did a fair amount of guilting me into making decisions I wasn't comfortable with. So, if I combine those experiences, then I can offer the advice to always trust your gut. If you don't feel comfortable with something or you feel guilty, get out of that situation fast. As for critics, you have to understand that there are some people who love drama. They want to imagine problems where they don't exist. It takes practice, but you have to block out the negativity if you want to keep going. There is a difference between constructive criticism and just being a troll. The difference shows in the number of stars given. Anything less than four isn't a valid opinion, and the worse their grammar is, the less likely it is anyone else would take it seriously.
9. What are your best experiences in your writing career?
My first five-star reviews. I read every review I get and when I see that someone out there has found something to love about one of my books that even I didn't think about, it makes my heart warm and it makes me want to keep going. Another experience was my first ever book signing at the Bourbonnais Barnes and Noble in Illinois. They treated me like a superstar and welcomed Ki-Chan: Demon Hunter with loving arms. And having so many people come to my table was exciting! Even though I wrote this book for adults only, I had parents reading parts - albeit without naughty language - to their kids. I wonder if this was the feeling Stan Lee had seeing parents reading the safe parts of Deadpool to their kids?
10. Do you prefer to write in silence and or have some sort sound in the background?
I usually like to have my playlist in the background. I have a mix of Nü-metal and pop that helps me to think. If I'm really stumped, I might mix in some Beethoven or some ambient music if my head hurts.
11. What are some encouraging words you'd give to another author/writer?
If you feel scared and nervous about publishing a book, publish it anyway. Keep writing. That anxious "waiting behind the curtain" feeling is your body's way of showing that you care about this on a deep level. It will give way to butterflies. If you didn't worry about your book, that would be bad because it would show you don't care as much about the book as you do the attention, and it will show in your writing. If you start second guessing publishing that book, publish it anyway. Once it's up for sale and people start to enjoy the type of magic you make, you will start to feel much better.
12. How did you decide the pricing of your material; how did you go about promotion/advertising and distribution of your work?
The pricing is something I go back and forth with. I try to keep the costs low, because most of my readers are on a budget. I use recycled paper only and I limit gloss to the cover. But the ink sometimes blows the cost sky high because most book and magazine inks are still made with petroleum. So, if your gas prices go up, so do the ink prices and oddly, Vaseline too. Go fig. As for promotion? I usually do a bulk of it on my own via Koriander Publishing.
13. Why should anyone read your book?
My characters aren't exactly glamorous. They're not reborn royalty, they don't own anything more expensive than a classic video game console and a purple gas guzzling van, they wear t-shirts and jeans. They're the clumsy, brash, loudmouth, Midwestern college kids you'd want to hang around. They're more real. They just happen to fight demons, fly and use superpowers.
14. Did you have a book coach?
Nope. Did this all on my own.
15. What was your favorite subject in school?
Art and science. I really loved those two.
16. Are you self-published or have an established publishing contract elsewhere?
42 and Beyond was through Hydra, Summer Solstice was through A Writer for Life LLC. But everything else is just me via Koriander Publishing and I am quite happy with that. If I ever decided to go with a traditional publisher, I'd have to have full control and a final say in everything.