Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
In episode 26, Mark chats with author Armand Rosamilia who is originally from New Jersey and currently lives in sunny Florida with his wife. Armand is not only a hybrid author with more than 150 stories, and numerous books published both via traditional publishers and via indie-publishing methods, but he is also a podcaster and the co-owner of the Project Entertainment Network.
This episode’s tongue twister comes from Edward, who sent the short quick tongue twister “Eddie edited it” which Mark is to say 5 times really fast in a cartoonish character voice.
The Terrible Tongue Twister segment (AKA “Twisting by the Fool”) is sponsored by Findaway Voices, who provide all the tools that an independent author or small publisher needs in order to get into the digital audiobook market.
Mark then thanks Patreon patrons who support the show and reminds users they can support the show via Patreon or by simply sharing the show with a friend or leaving a review.
In their chat, Mark and Armand talk about:
- How Armand prioritizes his time with all of the various tasks on his plate, and the important support from his wife who helps keep him on track
- The opportunities that allowed him to leave his job 7 years ago to begin writing full time
- The fear that continues to drive his writing to this day
- The difference between creative writing on his own (as an admitted pantser) and adapting a screenplay into a novelization
- The “what if” that drives most of Armand’s writing, including looking at a group of people on the beach and imagining what if zombies started to appear coming out of the surf
- How Armand was able to adapt his “pantser” habit when collaborating with another writer who was a “plotter”
- The combination of working with traditional publishers and self=publishing that allows Armand to embrace the best of both worlds
- How the desire to write a single zombie novel just to “get it out of his system” turned into the “Dying Days” series of nine books that are among his top-selling books
- The radio DJ work that Armand used to do which led to a couple of podcasts that he is host/co-host of
- The “Mando Method” of writing that Armand practices (named after him), in which he writes for the first 15 minutes of every hour, and then has the remaining 45 minutes of that hour to play, check emails, do whatever. Doing this 3 or 4 times a day gets him 2,000 or 3,000 words written per day
- Project Entertainment Network, which Armand and his wife owns (see links below for the great podcast lineup from this Network)
- The amazingly supportive community that surrounds the “Scares that Care” convention held in Williamsburg, Virginia in August
- The Beers N Fears Brewery Tour that Armand started and how it has worked as it has grown over the past three years
- The “Any Book for $10 or 3 books for $20” model they use for simplicity on the Beers N Fears tour; with a reminder that it’s not about how much profit they can make off each book sale, bur rather more about reaching new readers
- The “Belford Stories” series set in the town that he grew up in that Armand has written about and how the series has been popular with the local community
- How Armand uses his Patreon page to connect with and provide unique, early and exclusive content for his reader community
- Common advice that Armand offers to authors regarding a common “how much do you need to earn to consider writing full time” question
- And much more . . .
After the interview, Mark reflects on the thinking outside the box marketing of doing the Beers N Fears Tour as well as the connection and community Armand is engaged with on his own Patreon site, at the brewery and with a number of community-centric events, especially the charitable ones mentioned. He is also reminded, based on the success of the Belford Stories books, of the magic that can happen when you focus on giving a community the type of story that they want and that you enjoy creating.
Mark also shares an update on how the Free Kobo Promo on his Nocturnal Screams story collection series has been going, providing updated numbers on Kobo as well as Apple, Nook and Google Play. He mentions having started a batch of BookBub Ads targeting readers for each of the retailers and will measure those results.
Links of interest
- Armand’s website
- Project Entertainment Network
- Beers N Fears Book Tour Links
- Findaway Voices
- Grain & Grit Beer Co
- Mark’s Nocturnal Screams Series (First in Series FREE Promo Test)
Armand Rosamilia is a New Jersey boy currently living in sunny Florida, where he writes when he’s not sleeping. He’s happily married to a woman who helps his career and is supportive, which is all he ever wanted in life. He’s written over 150 stories that are currently available, including horror, zombies, contemporary fiction, thrillers and more. His goal is to write a good story and not worry about genre labels. He not only runs two successful podcasts, but he owns the network they’re on: Project Entertainment Network. You can find him at www.armandrosamilia.com for not only his latest releases but interviews and guest posts with other authors he likes!
The music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
RSS options for this podcast: Mark Leslie at Libsyn or Feedburner
