My Name is Russell Fink by Mike Snyder

[wgjones3]

I just picked up my copy tonight at the local Barnes & Nobel, can't wait to start reading it... I've been waiting for this one for two years now!

[michaelsnyder]

See, I found you here encouraging me again. Must be a disease!

Thanks, man. Really and truly. And I hope you like it at least a little bit.

Your friend,

Mike

[David Meigs]

William, you're going to love it. I know I did. :D

Snyderman, you did good. My Name Is Russel Fink rocks! !thumbsup!

[Merry]

It's out? I'm in the middle of having the flu right now, but Sunday I will plan on getting myself down to B & N for a copy. I've been waiting for this.

[wgjones3]

Yeah Merry, Amazon had the release date at March 1, and even last night at B&N the computer said the title was scheduled for March release but it also had a big green IN STOCK button next to it... needless to say, I was thrilled. Our supply chain module ended yesterday with a Six Sigma certification exam and ever since the book was listed on Amazon (however many months ago that was), I've been hoping I could score a copy locally right after that exam. Unfortunately I got in last night too late to read more than a chapter, but I'm about to fix that...

[wgjones3]

See, I found you here encouraging me again. Must be a disease!

Thanks, man. Really and truly. And I hope you like it at least a little bit.

So far so good! The opening chapter hypochondria sounds like something I'd pull to get out of work.. :)

Did you ever give Confederacy of Dunces a listen?

[PattyU]

I just checked this out on Amazon, and the book sounds really interesting. Did it just came out? It already has three 5 star reviews.

[wgjones3]

Ohmigosh! I just now noticed that the little pictures of Sonny at the bottom of the page are flip book pictures. That is AWESOME.

I just finished part one and all that pizza talk is making me hungry. Man what a book. Mike, this is seriously on my all-time top five list. So many great lines... the thousand dollar cup of tea, Here's the church, here's the steeple, we don't want your naked people.... I started seeing influences from "All Healed Up" early on and I can't believe how powerful that's made the story so far. I gotta admit, this isn't at all what I was expecting but so far it's every bit as good as I knew it would be.

This is seriously good stuff.

[deliamelton]

I'm a member of CFBA (Christian Fiction Blog Alliance) and we did an introduction to this book. I joined too late to get an ARC but after reading all of the great reviews and comments about this book I added it to my B&N list (a list of all the books I'm planning on buying on my next B&B trip).

I can't wait to read it!

[Merry]

Ohmigosh! I just now noticed that the little pictures of Sonny at the bottom of the page are flip book pictures. That is AWESOME.

I just finished part one and all that pizza talk is making me hungry. Man what a book. Mike, this is seriously on my all-time top five list. So many great lines... the thousand dollar cup of tea, Here's the church, here's the steeple, we don't want your naked people.... I started seeing influences from "All Healed Up" early on and I can't believe how powerful that's made the story so far. I gotta admit, this isn't at all what I was expecting but so far it's every bit as good as I knew it would be.

This is seriously good stuff.

Yay!!!!thumbsup!!thumbsup!!thumbsup!

[Merry]

Michael- Next time you come back here, if you don't mind, would you be willing to share what you had to do to get published? Did you have to send 'Russell Fink' out to a bunch of agents or publishing houses...or...well, how'd it go?

[michaelsnyder]

Merry, I'd be happy to. And I'll try to be brief, but if I'm too vague or something just let me know. I love talking about writing and publishing and the process and stuff.

When I first started writing, I spent twice as much time with my nose in books-on-writing than I did composing new prose. I think I read 32 titles in the first 18 months. I didn't try to memorize, just absorb. Getting 'hung up' on various rules and techniques can really stifle creativity...at least for me.

Then I went to the FL Christian Writer's conference (my wife is from Orlando) out of convenience more than anything. I wanted to be a wallflower and just learn, but a guy named Mark Mynheir grabbed me by the arm (he's really strong!) and dragged me to the signup table to meet with editors, authors, and agents. I CANNOT recommend strongly enough going to conferences and sticking your nose in places. I can't wait till I get to attend another one. In FL I met the guy who would become my first agent and the guy who is now my agent (Steve Laube...he was a publisher at the time).

I finished a rather lame suspense-ish novel and it didn't sell...it didn't sell a lot!!! It got rejected by some houses more than once! At some point in all this I decided to write ONLY stuff I wanted to write, figuring that life was too short to 'write for the market' and totally convinced I'd never get published anyway. So I started writing short stories until I found a character I loved. Then the character started telling me his story...and as amusing and fun as that was, I just knew it wouldn't sell.

So I went to another conference, disguised as a wallflower...then realized how dumb that was (for me!) and started pitching my three chapters of a fairly nutty story. I even called the genre "neurotica". So that year I hooked up with my agent and started generating interest. I finished the novel and Zondervan bought it roughly a year later, on my oldest son's birthday.

The moral of the story (if there is one...but it's my favorite soapbox) is to write what you love and don't worry about markets and who's buying what and all that stuff. I'm convinced that my love for my characters (and eventually my story) is what sold the manuscript. I could be wrong, but I don't think so.

I'll shut up now, but let me know if I left anything out or whatever. And seriously, thanks for asking!

Mike

[michaelsnyder]

Man, I'm glad to hear you're liking it. You have no idea how much that means to me. As a matter of fact, don't let me forget...my sister-in-law is making some t-shirts...and if you promise to wear it at least once, I'll send you the church/steeple one. In fact, I need to check with her and see where we are in this process. For some reason she thinks her pregnancy is more important than marketing my books!

Mike

[wgjones3]

I just finished MNiRF last night... great ending. I wanted more. Can't wait for the next release!

And of course I'd wear it!

[Merry]

Aw, Mike, it appears I have no choice: must save pitiful teacher earnings and get to a writers conference. Those sound like the only places where actual success is going on.

Okay, sure...what are conferences like? I was on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange once at opening bell and I have this strange impression of them being a bit like that.... (FINK! FINK! FINK!...Pork bellies?) Is there a method for getting around the place? Or do you just sign up for different seminars and calmly go about your business?

WG gave me some good advice that sounds like something you were already doing and that is to just keep writing short stories. I have a goal this year of writing one short story every week or two. I figure it could only help.

And yeah, anything you feel like rambling on about concerning the whole writing/publishing process...go right ahead. I mean, I got my copy of 'Russel Fink' today and, man, you're doing something right.

[michaelsnyder]

Merry,

Oh yeah, there's definitely a method to the madness. Maybe even a progression to follow. If you haven't yet (and I'm not sure where you're from), find a local conference to attend. I think the first one I attended was like $45 (and I still resented paying it!). There were no real heavyweights there and no publishing contracts or real agents in sight. But it was still helpful...the atmosphere and the spirit of 'helps' was merely a miniature version of the bigger conferences.

When you do make it to one of the bigger ones, I would STRONGLY recommend you find a pal who's been to that conference before. I know ACFW actually has a program to match rookie attendees up with former conferees. You can get three times as much out of a conference by simply having someone show you the ropes a little bit. After that, it's just basic etiquette (listen more than you talk, mind your pleases and thank you's, pray a lot!!!).

Something else too...most of the big conferences have scholarship programs as well. I 'worked' my way through Mount Hermon a few years ago by volunteering to play on the worship band. But usually there's just grant money to be hand for the asking. And there is no shame in asking. As soon as I can afford it, I plan to sponsor conferees as well. That's how strongly I feel about it. So if you could maybe loan me a couple of grand...

In the meantime, there's always 'one more' book on writing to be read too. I'm one of those that still thinks those things can be darn helpful...provided you take everything with a grain of salt. I like to learn the so-called rules so I can trample them to smithereens!

Lastly, THANK YOU for buying my book. It really, really means a lot.

I'll be quiet now.

Mike

[whitehawke]

When does your book hit New Zealand shelves?

[Merry]

Whoa! Reeeeaallly? You've made me so glad I asked! Nope, definitely not too ashamed to ask about grant money...I live in south Florida, BTW, I was encouraged when you said Orlando had a writers conference. I might have to start there, but yeah, it's about time to get started somwehere, y'know?

Man, you're a wealth of info, bro. I'll be back with my next of questions, but right now your book is calling me!

[michaelsnyder]

Huh, that's a great question. I wish I had an answer for that one. I'll try to find out tomorrow if I can.

Of course, the first thing I thought of was to get some in the hands of Flight of the Conchords and just have them stock the shelves personally!

Mike

[michaelsnyder]

Merry,

Okay, I know, I know...I keep threatening to be quiet.

Here's the link...http://www.flwriters.org/

Apparently, you have exactly one year to get ready for this one (just realized it's going on right now). And it's in Bradenton actually, not Orlando (I just dropped my wife and kids off in Orlando on the way...her family lives there). And this is a great, great, GREAT conference to target as your first 'real' industry conference. I have never been in a place where the spirit of helpfulness and generosity was more prevalent. Seriously, start praying now about how to get there. You won't be sorry.

And no, they don't pay me to say those things. That conference will always be special to me though. A couple of the connections I made there were instrumental in my book deal all those years later.

Now I'll be quiet...maybe...

Mike

[whitehawke]

Huh, that's a great question. I wish I had an answer for that one. I'll try to find out tomorrow if I can.

Of course, the first thing I thought of was to get some in the hands of Flight of the Conchords and just have them stock the shelves personally!

Mike
Hey, now there's a thought. You could fly over and do a parachute drop. :)http://bestsmileys.com/fun/1.gif
I hear you have a wonderful book.