Welcome Michael thanks for talking to us today and letting us have a little insight into you and your books.
Q: Tell us about The Fossegrimen Folly.
It centres on eleven year old Shylock. He is an introverted boy that is sent to summer camp in Northern Minnesota. Beyond the cabins in the trees and new friendships, he discovers that Camp Lac Igam is different. Adventures and mythical creatures abound. This first instalment is an adventure that forces young Shy to learn to deal with bullies, believe in himself, and be courageous for his friends. When he discovers his special ability to see through fairy deceptions, he finds himself face to face with the mythical fossegrimen. The treasure hunt begins, but can they survive the consequences of what they find?
Q: What’s your genre and why did you choose it?
I would qualify this book as both YA and Fantasy/Adventure. I have always liked the Fantasy genre, and this book contains many creatures and aspects of stories I used to tell my children.
Q: What’s the biggest obstacle you faced with your writing journey?
This one is an easy question. My biggest obstacle is time… by far. I have a full-time job and three active kids. Need I say more?
Q: Where do you get your ideas and inspiration from?
I draw on many stories that I have read. In general the ideas come mostly from my imagination, and from the stories that I would make up for my kids when they were younger. My wife inspires me to keep writing and fight through the difficult times.
Q: Who or what are your influences?
In terms of authors, I enjoy and am inspired by Tolkien (of course), Robert Jordan, George R.R. Martin, Madeline L'Engle, J.K. Rowling, and many, many more. This series in particular was influenced by a book called War for the Oaks, and a series of children's books called The Spiderwick Chronicles.
Q: Are you self-published, legacy or a combination?
I am self-published.
Q: What was the hardest part of your self-pub journey?
Finding the time to write was the most difficult part of this experience. I also struggled with the editing process… specifically; I hurried the book out too quickly.
Q: What format are your books available in?
All e-book formats.
Q: How many books have you published so far?
This is my first.
Q: What things did you outsource, if any at all?
I only outsourced the cover. It was not too expensive…. I had a very clear vision of what I wanted and DigitalDonna.com did a great job.
Q: What’s the best bit of advice you received when starting out?
Edit, edit, edit… and then edit again. I wish I would have followed it.
Q: What advice would you offer to the future Debut Authors out there?
I would advise them to allow more time than what they think they will need to get that first book out. Ensuring you are maximizing all of your self marketing tools prior to releasing the book is crucial. I feel like I am still catching up. Do the research ahead of time, and have a plan.
Q: What’s next for you? Any projects in the pipeline for us to look forward to?
I am in the process of writing book 2 of the Camp Lac Igam series and hope to have it out by early fall. Shy is heading back to camp for a second summer, but many things have changed and he and his friends will have increasingly more serious issues to deal with.
Q: Give us one of your favourite quotes……………….
"'tis the world's plague, when madmen lead the blind" -King Lear- William Shakespeare
Q: And finally tell us something random about yourself to make us chuckle………………………….
I can recite the opening monologue of The A-Team, or Casey at the Bat, but I cannot remember a joke if my life depended on it!
Thanks so much for joining us here Michael, it was great chatting to you!!
You can find Michael Almich and his book The Fossegrimen Folly by following these links:-
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