|
|
|
|
Blogs by L.T. Suzuki
John Betcher Interview 4/11/2011 8:31:54 PM Mystery/Thriller author John Betcher discusses his novels and the writing life! LTS: For today’s guest blog, I’d like to introduce you to author John Betcher, a writer of mysteries and thrillers. I’d like to begin by having you share a little information about yourself with our readers. I know you’ve practiced law for over two decades, but what else would you like to share with our readers?
JB: I hold a Bachelor's Degree, cum laude, in English from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Minnesota Law School in Minneapolis. As you say, I’ve practiced law for more than twenty-five years in the Mississippi River community of Red Wing, Minnesota. I’ve also been a long-time supporter and coach of youth volleyball there.
I’ve published three feature articles in COACHING VOLLEYBALL, the Journal of the American Volleyball Coaches Association. My most recent article was the cover story for the April/May, 2009 Issue. My book on volleyball coaching philosophies entitled THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF VOLLEYBALL COACHING, Insights From the Trenches, has been selling nationwide and is currently available at Amazon.com.
I’ve also published a series of "Beck" suspense/thriller novels. The first two are THE 19TH ELEMENT, a James Becker Thriller and THE MISSING ELEMENT, A James Becker Mystery. My latest release is entitled, A HIGHER COURT - One Man's Search for the Truth of God's Existence.
I have a wonderful wife and two great kids – both currently attending college. My wife and I live in a 1910-vintage Georgian Colonial with screen porches, front and back.
LTS: Like practicing law, volleyball has been huge in your life, so when did fiction writing fit into all of this? Has writing stories always been a part of your life and becoming a published author a life long dream?
JB: Activities related to being a father to our two daughters and practicing law have occupied the majority of my time for the past twenty-two years. In spring of 2009, our younger daughter graduated from high school. Her graduation marked an end to my active involvement in youth sports coaching, as well as diminishing time spent directly involved in school concerts, athletics, award ceremonies, teacher conferences, etc. In short, becoming an empty-nester brought with it the anticipated void in my usual schedule.
Writing fiction filled that time void nicely.
LTS: Your debut novel, ‘The 19th Element’ was followed up by ‘The Missing Element’. What was the inspiration behind these stories and can you tell us a little bit about your protagonist, James Becker?
JB: James “Beck” Becker is one of four main characters in the Element Series. He is a retired Military Intelligence Operative who has returned to his hometown of Red Wing, Minnesota with his wife, Beth, an ex-CIA Code-Cracker.
Beck embodies a combination of Midwestern values gleaned from his youth, with survival instincts he acquired while a member of the Special Forces. His cover story has him working as a small town attorney. But in reality, he spends more time helping his friends Gunner and Bull fight crime and terrorism than he does practicing law.
The stories are inspired by real world conflicts. ‘The 19th Element’ has an Al Qaeda-backed terror group plotting to assault a U.S. Nuclear Power Plant. ‘The Missing Element’ addresses the uncomfortably black box that high technology has become . . . where, on occasion, humans are the “missing element.”
LTS: Without giving away too much, can you reveal what’s in store for the reader when they crack open one of your ‘Becker’ novels?
JB: They will be transported to a comfortable small town in the Midwest . . . a town rich with culture, and coincidentally, a hotbed of international intrigue. The four main characters – Beck, his wife Beth, local Chief Deputy Sheriff Doug “Gunner” Gunderson and enigmatic American Indian Terry “Bull” Red Feather – are each remarkable and likeable in their own way.
For example, Gunner’s a “play-it-by-the-book” small town cop. He’s not sophisticated; but his lawman instincts are good and his heart is in the right place.
Bull is nearly everyone’s favorite character in the Element Series. He’s physically formidable and word-miserly. His actions speak for him. His background is military; but we learn little about his life in Books One and Two. Bull has a visitor from his past in Book Three – which I’ll tell you more about later.
Beth is beautiful, fit, savvy and a self-described “computer goddess.” Her relationship with Beck is just a little too perfect. But I like it that way.
LTS: How close is James Becker to you in terms of personality, life experiences, etc.?
JB: Beck espouses some of my values, such as: honesty, loyalty, fidelity, a good sense of humor and above all, a devotion to preparedness. And he loves his wife. Our similarities end there. His life has been far more interesting than mine, owing in large part to the extensive research I perform before writing each novel.
LTS: The road to publication is difficult at the best of times. Do you have any advice you’d like to share with the author struggling to find representation?
JB: There are no easy answers in publishing these days. The contraction of the Publishers’ midlist books, and the new role for literary agents acting as gate-keepers to the traditional publishing industry, has created huge challenges for everyone involved to carry out their roles effectively and comprehensively. As a result, a good book is more likely to fail during the Query Phase than ever before. Agents are swamped with queries and publishers are accepting fewer and fewer new authors. Finding an agent to represent you, and then having that agent find a publisher who is willing to invest in your work, is harder than ever.
Self-publishing is an avenue that some, including me, have chosen when they don’t have success on the traditional paths. But self-publishing is definitely NOT for everybody. You need to learn, or pay for, the many different talents to bring a decent book to market, and then convince buyers to BUY it. It’s a fulltime endeavor.
LTS: Becoming a published author is truly a difficult road to travel, what made you decide on self-publishing your novels?
JB: I did a lot of work on Query Letters for the first two Element books, and some again for ‘A Higher Court.’ I’m sure I’ve sent out hundreds of queries to hundreds of agents.
I tried to do everything the right way. I joined a query-writing group at AgentQueryConnect. I researched the types of books various agents were seriously considering using AgentQuery.com. I revised my query letters multiple times – both before and after initial submissions.
After nearly of a year of trying the traditional route, I decided my chances were better going self-pub. I’ve got some good computer skills. My wife is artistic. I’m persistent. It was a realistic avenue for me.
LTS: Excellent advice, John! Now, what are some of the challenges authors contemplating self-publishing should consider before travelling this road?
JB: Expect it to require creativity, persistence, learning of new skills, making tough artistic and economic decisions and exhibiting extreme patience. I can’t emphasize patience enough. Self-publishing is a marathon endeavor. Unless you are incredibly lucky, your book will not sell quickly, or without a lot of help from you.
Also, you have to be prepared to put up with the opinions of some writers who still believe that self-publishing means “bad writing,”“poor quality” “awful editing” and an author with a “over-developed confidence in their own abilities.” These perceptions are fading – but they’re not gone yet. A self-published author needs to have a thick skin and remain professional at all times. It’s not always easy.
LTS: I’m curious about your writing style. Are you one of those disciplined writers who must dedicate a certain time each day to producing so many words, or are you more relaxed and tend to write when it strikes your fancy?
JB: I do the research whenever I can get access to the best experts. It might take months to complete the research for a new book. I want to learn something new in every book. And I want to show my readers something new as well.
Once I’ve got the research done, I write as many hours a day as I can possibly squeeze in. I try for a minimum of 1,500 words on each writing day – though I may need to skip some days entirely. I’ve written as many as 7,500 words of first draft material in a single day. Usually, it’s a matter of weeks from starting the actual writing to completion of the first draft.
LTS: Still on the subject of writing styles, are you a plotter or pantser? The readers would like to know if you tend to plot out your story line in great detail or if your writing is more organic with the characters and events unfolding as you write.
JB: Generally, I go into the research faze of a book not having a clear idea of its plot or substance. I learn a lot from personal interviews of experts in relevant disciplines. It is usually while questioning the folks with all the knowledge that the plot forms in my mind. Then I do supplementary research (mostly on the web) to fill in details like weapon specs or details of remote locations. Once the plot is fully researched and formed, I tend to stick to the plan.
So to sum up, I’m a pantster during the research stage, and a plotter thereafter.
LTS: Some authors meditate, others need to fuel up on coffee or listen to music. Do you have any rituals, ones that can be shared with the readers, that you must do before you hunker down for a writing session?
JB: I only have my usual daily rituals. I try to spend some time with God before I do anything. Other than that, I get to the writing as soon as my schedule will allow.
LTS: At one time or another, most writers hit the wall and their work stalls because of the dreaded writer’s block. What do you do to get around or over this mental wall to resume writing?
JB: This is a good question. I just wrote a blog post myself on this very issue.
I guess I’ve never experienced complete Writer’s Block. If I feel like I’m not writing very well on a particular day, then I write poorly that day – but I keep on with the story. I can’t edit an empty page. I can always fix or dump the bad stuff in a rewrite or edit. Eventually, I will feel like I’m writing better again and keep on going from there. This way, I always get to the end of my first draft without major delays.
LTS: Who is your favourite author and how has he/she inspired you to write or influenced your writing style or choice of genre?
JB: “Favorite” questions are always hard for me. Here are a few of my faves: the late Robert B. Parker (especially his Spenser Detective Series), Brian Haig, Vince Flynn, Barry Eisler and J.R.R. Tolkien. There are lots more.
The author who had the greatest influence on my writing style – and on my cast of characters – is the late Robert B. Parker. Readers familiar with Parker’s Spenser books will recognize the similarities.
LTS: What is the most profound discovery you’ve made in terms of your writing and how it has touched the lives of others?
JB: Wow. “Profound” is a pretty powerful word. The Element Series is targeted primarily for entertainment and escapism. I guess I’m very pleased that many people have told me they enjoy the books. Several have also appreciated the cautionary undercurrents in the stories (about the dangers of nuclear power and “black box” technology).
‘A Higher Court’ has had a greater impact on its readers. One told me: “This book had me thinking about myself and my beliefs and why I came to feel the way I do about God. I've read over 60 books this year and none stayed in my mind like this book did and still does.”
Several reviewers have begun their reviews of ‘A Higher Court’ with “WOW!” Reactions like that are profoundly gratifying.
LTS: What is the most important lesson you’ve learned on the road to publication?
JB: “Assiduousness is a virtue.” Literary Agent Jason Allen Ashlock once told me this. The other lesson is to develop EXTREME patience. Don’t expect responses to your emails. Don’t expect reviewers who said they would review your book to actually review your book. (Just be glad when some do.) Everything takes a long time. Exercise patience.
LTS: What are you reading now, and how did this particular book make it onto your to-read list?
JB: I’m currently reading ‘Piety and Murder’ by Thomas Drinkard. Tom is a fellow member of The Independent Author Network. I like to try to read books by fellow indies when I am able.
LTS: What do you foresee in your future over the next five years and do you hope to branch out from mysteries/thrillers into other genres? Can your fans expect a sequel to ‘The Missing Element’ in the near future?
JB: Last question first . . . I just completed the first draft of ‘The Covert Element’ today. It will deal with affects and influences of Mexican drug cartels in Minnesota. There’ll be the usual core characters, and lots of action.
‘A Higher Court’ is already a divergence from the suspense/thriller genre. It was a book I felt . . . not sure of the right word here . . . compelled? . . . to write. If I get a similar urge to delve into religious fiction again, I will probably pursue it. But my five-year plan as of this moment is to keep writing thrillers. If I keep exercising my writing muscle, my hope is that it will continually grow stronger. I’m not much for quitting something once I’ve begun.
LTS: Thank you so much for taking the time to share in your novels and your writing wisdom, John. Catch you on Twitter!
For more information about John and his novels, check out: http://www.independentauthornetwork.com/john-l-betcher.html
Website: www.johnbetcher.com
Follow John L. Betcher on Twitter: .JohnBetcher
Where to buy the book: Amazon, Barnes & Noble Online and wherever books are sold. All Books are available in trade paperback, Kindle, Nook and all other popular eBook formats.
Post a Comment new!
More Blogs by L.T. Suzuki Erica Lucke Dean Interview - Saturday, May 18, 2013 Amber Lea Easton Interview - Sunday, May 12, 2013 Ruth Nestvold Interview - Saturday, May 04, 2013 Rose Garcia Interview - Saturday, April 20, 2013 Robert Pruneda Interview - Saturday, April 13, 2013 Lance Burson Interview - Saturday, April 06, 2013 Rachel Thompson Interview: - Saturday, March 23, 2013 Samantha Martin Interview - Saturday, March 16, 2013 Lisette Brodey Interview - Saturday, March 09, 2013 Jack Whyte Interview Part Two - Saturday, March 02, 2013 Jack Whyte Interview Part One - Saturday, February 23, 2013 Molly Greene Interview - Saturday, February 16, 2013 Dionne Lister Interview - Saturday, February 09, 2013 Anita Reynolds MacArthur Interview: - Saturday, February 02, 2013 Alicia Kat Dillman Interview - Saturday, January 26, 2013 John Gregory Hancock Interview - Saturday, January 19, 2013 Adriana Ryan Interview - Saturday, January 12, 2013 Jennifer McConnel Interview - Friday, January 04, 2013 S.M. Boyce Interview - Saturday, December 15, 2012 James Tallett Interview - Saturday, December 08, 2012 Melissa McPhail Interview - Saturday, December 01, 2012 Roz Morris Interview - Sunday, November 18, 2012 Tania Johansson Interview - Saturday, November 10, 2012 Dale Ivan Smith Interview - Sunday, November 04, 2012 Respect Your Readers - Sunday, October 28, 2012 Greta van der Rol Interview - Sunday, October 21, 2012 Justin Bog Interview - Saturday, October 13, 2012 Thanksgiving Day: Gratitude - Saturday, October 06, 2012 Steena Holmes Interview - Saturday, September 29, 2012 Kenneth Hoss Interview - Saturday, September 22, 2012 Patty Jansen Interview - Saturday, September 15, 2012 Joshua E. Bigger Interview - Saturday, September 08, 2012 Joyce Damask Interview - Saturday, September 01, 2012 Marketing & Twitter - Saturday, August 25, 2012 Henry Herz Interview - Saturday, August 18, 2012 Kristin Bair O'Keeffe Interview - Sunday, August 12, 2012 William Linde Interview - Saturday, August 04, 2012 Micheal Rivers Interview - Saturday, July 21, 2012 Robert James Russell Interview - Saturday, July 14, 2012 Becka Sutton Interview - Saturday, July 07, 2012 Canadian Authors Feature - Saturday, June 30, 2012 Gini Koch Interview - Sunday, June 17, 2012 M. Pax Interview - Saturday, June 09, 2012 Karina Halle Interview - Saturday, June 02, 2012 Novice Writing Mistakes - Sunday, May 27, 2012 Pippa Jay Interview - Sunday, May 20, 2012 Glenn Starkey Interview - Saturday, May 12, 2012 Maurice G. Nicholson Interview - Saturday, May 05, 2012 How I Select Followers on Twitter - Saturday, April 28, 2012 Shaun Allan Interview - Sunday, April 22, 2012 Darlene Foster Interview - Saturday, April 14, 2012 Kim Aleksander Interview - Saturday, April 07, 2012 Hope Collier Interview - Saturday, March 31, 2012 John Kolson’s Writeado: A New Online Writing Tool - Saturday, March 24, 2012 Jeff Shanley Interview - Saturday, March 17, 2012 Stephen England Interview - Saturday, March 10, 2012 Everett Powers Interview - Saturday, March 03, 2012 The Kindle Prime Experiment - Saturday, February 25, 2012 Edward Lazellari Interview - Saturday, February 18, 2012 Connie J. Jasperson Interview - Saturday, February 11, 2012 Sally Dubats - Saturday, February 04, 2012 Selecting Writers For My Author Feature - Sunday, January 29, 2012 Tarek Refaat Interview - Sunday, January 22, 2012 Toby Neal Interview: - Saturday, January 14, 2012 Thomas A. Knight Interview - Sunday, January 08, 2012 Linda Poitevin Interview - Sunday, January 01, 2012 2011: A Year in Review - Monday, December 26, 2011 Angeline Kace Interview - Sunday, December 18, 2011 Eden Baylee Interview - Saturday, December 10, 2011 Cyndi Tefft Interview - Saturday, December 03, 2011 The Conference Experience - Sunday, November 27, 2011 A.R. Silverberry Interview - Sunday, November 20, 2011 Suzy Turner Interview - Sunday, November 13, 2011 Patti Roberts Interview - Sunday, November 06, 2011 Raine Thomas Interview - Sunday, October 23, 2011 LK Gardner-Griffie Interview - Saturday, October 15, 2011 Jonathan Gould Interview - Saturday, October 08, 2011 Brian Rathbone Interview - Saturday, October 01, 2011 Matthew Merrick Interview - Sunday, September 25, 2011 Dean Lappi Interview - Saturday, September 17, 2011 J.T. Ellison Interview - Sunday, September 11, 2011 Carolyn Arnold Interview - Sunday, September 04, 2011 John Kolson Interview - Sunday, August 21, 2011 Megan Curd Interview - Saturday, August 06, 2011 Elena Aitken - Sunday, July 31, 2011 When Book Reviews are Misleading… - Sunday, July 24, 2011 Deborah Riley-Magnus - Saturday, July 16, 2011 Jessica Subject Interview - Sunday, July 10, 2011 J. Alexander Greenwood Interview: - Sunday, July 03, 2011 When Social Networking is no so social... - Monday, June 27, 2011 Dannie C. Hill - Monday, June 20, 2011 Shay Fabbro Interview - Tuesday, June 14, 2011 Genevieve P. Ching Interview - Monday, June 06, 2011 Al Boudreau Interview - Monday, May 30, 2011 Jennifer Hudock Interview - Monday, May 23, 2011 Paul Mansfield Keefe Interview - Monday, May 16, 2011 Rusty Fischer Interview - Monday, May 09, 2011 Jason McIntyre Interview - Monday, May 02, 2011 Emlyn Chand & Novel Publicity - Monday, April 25, 2011 Steve Umstead Interview - Monday, April 18, 2011 John Betcher Interview - Monday, April 11, 2011 Kimberly Kinrade Interview - Monday, April 04, 2011 Inspiration & Where You Find It - Monday, March 28, 2011 Christie Yant - Tuesday, March 22, 2011 Amy J. Rose David Interview - Monday, March 14, 2011 George H. Sirois Interview - Monday, March 07, 2011 Linda Nagata Interview - Monday, February 28, 2011 Adventures in Editing or... Is it Done Yet? - Monday, February 21, 2011 Greg Messel Interview - Monday, February 14, 2011 Jen Wylie Interview - Monday, February 07, 2011 Katie M. John Interview - Monday, January 31, 2011 How Do You Measure Success: - Tuesday, January 25, 2011 Avery Tingle Interview - Monday, January 17, 2011 Kristie Cook Interview - Tuesday, January 11, 2011 Ren Cummins - Tuesday, January 04, 2011 A Wish For the New Year - Tuesday, December 28, 2010 Trish Wolfe Interview - Monday, December 20, 2010 Jesi Lea Ryan Interview - Monday, December 13, 2010 Cat Connor Interview - Monday, December 06, 2010 How to Make a Story Ring True - Monday, November 29, 2010 Sharon Bially Interview - Monday, November 22, 2010 Donna Carrick Interview - Monday, November 15, 2010 Brenda Sedore Interview - Tuesday, November 09, 2010 Robert Feagan Interview - Monday, November 01, 2010 Of Book Signings, Volunteering & Option Agreements… - Tuesday, October 26, 2010 Daryl Sedore Interview - Monday, October 18, 2010 Seven Day Blog Tour Begins October 17th - Tuesday, October 12, 2010 Todd A. Ritter Interview - Monday, October 04, 2010 Cheryl Kaye Tardif Interview - Monday, September 27, 2010 Claude Bouchard Interview - Tuesday, September 21, 2010 Dr. Peter Clement Interview - Tuesday, September 14, 2010 Elizabeth Isaacs Interview - Monday, September 06, 2010 Introducing a New YA Fantasy - Monday, August 30, 2010 Interview with Author Gene Doucette - Monday, August 23, 2010 It's All About the Books Part 2 - Monday, August 16, 2010 It's All About the Books - Monday, August 09, 2010 When to Abandon Your Manuscript - Monday, August 02, 2010 1st Anniversary Blog: A Celebration of Authors - Tuesday, July 27, 2010 Kathy Chung & the SiWC Part Twp - Tuesday, July 20, 2010 Kathy Chung & the Surrey International Writers Conference Part One - Tuesday, July 13, 2010 Deanna Jewel Interview - Tuesday, July 06, 2010 The Happiest Indie Author (me) in the World! - Tuesday, June 29, 2010 The Author Effect - Tuesday, June 22, 2010 Jacqueline Pearce Interview - Tuesday, June 15, 2010 Peggy Richardson Interview - Tuesday, June 08, 2010 Wendy Nelson Tokunaga Interview - Tuesday, June 01, 2010 The Importance of a Critique Group - Saturday, May 29, 2010 Zoe Winters Interview - Tuesday, May 18, 2010 Zoe Winters Interview - Tuesday, May 11, 2010 Tonya R. Moore Interview - Monday, May 03, 2010 Write On Bowen! - Monday, April 26, 2010 Dayna Hester Interview - Monday, April 19, 2010 Luke Romyn Interview - Monday, April 12, 2010 Rhonda Carpenter Interview - Monday, March 29, 2010 Lacey Weatherford Interview - Monday, March 22, 2010 K.M. Weiland Interview - Tuesday, March 16, 2010 Mark Coker, CEO of Smashwords Interview! - Tuesday, March 09, 2010 Jo Lynne Valerie Interview - Tuesday, March 02, 2010 Dan McNeil Interview - Tuesday, February 23, 2010 Catherine McKenzie Interview - Tuesday, February 16, 2010 8 Years of Writing! 8 eBook Winners! - Sunday, February 07, 2010 Birthday Blog (or an Ode to Aging Gracelessly) - Monday, January 18, 2010 Interview with Paranormal Author Kate Austin - Monday, January 11, 2010 Riley Carney Interview - Tuesday, January 05, 2010 Ask an Editor - Monday, December 28, 2009 Lee Edward Fodi Interview - Monday, December 21, 2009 Interview with YA Author James McCann - Tuesday, December 15, 2009 Researching Historical Fiction with Diana Gabaldon - Tuesday, December 08, 2009 kc dyer Interview & Enter to Win an Autographed Novel! - Tuesday, December 01, 2009 Bev Katz Rosenbaum Interview - Tuesday, November 24, 2009 Writing Tips I Learned from Terry Brooks - Tuesday, November 17, 2009 An Interview with Tamara Sheehan - Monday, November 09, 2009 YA Author Loreena M. Lee Interview - Tuesday, November 03, 2009 Why Do I Blog About Other Authors? - Thursday, October 29, 2009 Critique by Author Jack Whyte - Tuesday, October 27, 2009 BookCamp 2009 - Monday, October 19, 2009 Participating at VCON 34 - Wednesday, October 14, 2009 Therese Walsh Interview - Tuesday, October 06, 2009 Interview with Debra Purdy Kong - Tuesday, September 29, 2009 Twitter – The Power of the Tweet - Tuesday, September 22, 2009 Part Two: Publishing in a Foreign Market - Tuesday, September 15, 2009 An Interview with author Christopher Belton - Tuesday, September 08, 2009 Part Two of the Caroline Leavitt Interview: - Thursday, September 03, 2009 An Interview with Author & Book Reviewer Caroline Leavitt - Tuesday, September 01, 2009 An Interview with Kathleen Bolton - Tuesday, August 25, 2009 Interview with author/artist Scott Kessman: - Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Interview with author/artist Scott Kessman: - Tuesday, August 18, 2009 Part 2 of the Kim Falconer Interview - Thursday, August 13, 2009 An Interview with Kim Falconer - Tuesday, August 11, 2009 Part 2 An Interview with Alan Baxter - Thursday, August 06, 2009 An Interview with Alan Baxter - Tuesday, August 04, 2009 If You Write It, They Will Come (buy it)… Not! - Sunday, July 26, 2009 Lori A. May: Author Extraordinaire - Tuesday, July 21, 2009 Merits of a Writers Conference - Sunday, July 19, 2009 Part 2 Publishing in the Digital Age - Thursday, July 16, 2009 Publishing in the Digital Age - Monday, July 13, 2009 Writing Tips for the Novice Novelist - Tuesday, July 07, 2009 Flog the Blog - Tuesday, June 30, 2009 Do's & Don't of a TV interview - Saturday, June 27, 2009 Mortality & Writing - Friday, June 26, 2009 The Art of Editing 101 - Tuesday, June 23, 2009 How To Write When Suffering from Bad Memory Retention - Saturday, June 20, 2009 Finding Inspiration from Others - Thursday, June 18, 2009 To Blog or Twitter... - Tuesday, June 16, 2009
|
|