Follow up interview with Colby Marshall
Mary: I’ve put the link above so everyone can read what Colby said in August. This will be all new. Colby, what has happened since we last chatted with you? On the Colby as a person front, not author—that’s next.
Colby: Well, my biggest news would be that I gave birth to my beautiful little baby girl in September! Batgirl is now four months old and teething. She enjoys hippopotamus holding blankets, cool teething rings, nursery rhymes, and Hunger Games death matches. It’s been the biggest thrill of my life, and my husband and I are completely enamored of her!
Mary: Congratulations on the beautiful little one, I've seen some of the pictures you've posted.
When you spoke to us last, you had a contract for Chain of Command. What were the next steps? Editing, reviews? Tell us the publishing journey you’ve been on since last we spoke.
Colby: Chain of Command went through three rounds of revisions before it was time for publication. It ended up coming out a month early—a soft release—so it was available to buy in December. I got a lot of strong reviews on Amazon, but because of the early release, we haven’t yet gotten in any “big” reviews. That said, we’re still hoping! It’s been great so far, getting to hear from fans reading the book. I’ll sometimes get messages from people letting me know what stars should play the characters in a Chain of Command movie, which is always fun.
Mary: Well I can tell you that I love Noah and Mac (McKenzie)! I see there is another book in your future. No, I’m not a physic, well I’d like to be. Anyway, I found out on your web site. So tell us about the new one. Is it a sequel?
Colby: Yes! The Trade is the second book in the McKenzie McClendon thriller series. It’s about a brilliant and ruthless surgeon who is providing infants for the black market baby trade. McKenzie needs an angle on this story to keep her job—and her home. When her ex informs her he thinks his wife and son may have been victims of the Cradle Robber, she launches a frantic search to find the killer and her ex’s son. It’s definitely more of a psychological thriller as to where Chain of Command was political, but all of your favorite characters are back, including McKenzie, Noah, and Jig. It also showcases a few other new characters, as well!
Mary: Are there more books with McKenzie McClendon? If so, how many can we expect, and do you know how long we’ll have to wait?
Colby: Right now, I’m planning to write more McKenzie books, but I’m not sure how long you’ll have to wait. I’ve started the newest McKenzie thriller, tentatively titled Lost Inventory, but my main focus is another series on submission. My FBI profiler series follows Dr. Jenna Ramey, a forensic psychiatrist with grapheme-color synesthesia—a condition that causes her to associate letters, numbers, days of the week, people, and feelings with the experiences of colors. She uses this rare condition to solve crimes. The first of this series, Colorblind, is out on submission to editors with my agent, and I’m currently writing the sequel to Colorblind, which is called Paint by Number.
Mary: Hmm, that will definitely go on my TBR list!
In this day of vast opportunities; traditional NY publishing, small publishers, and the ever growing Indie publishing (self pubbed), what advice would you give to a new writer?
Colby: Anytime someone approaches me with questions about publishing in today’s world and their options, my first question is, “Have you written your book?” My biggest piece of advice for new writers is yes, learn about the industry, but if you’re not writing your book, you’re wasting time worrying over who will publish it. As for the various routes, they all have their own pros and cons, and I think writers themselves are the only people who know which direction is right to take. Don’t take one just because it’s easier or faster, though. Take a path because you’ve learned about it and feel it’s the direction best suited to your personal strengths and what exactly your writing dream is. For example, if the mere thought of social networking gives you the hives, yet you desire your book to gain thousands of readers, self-publishing might not be the best option for you. Either way, get that book written first. Then you can start figuring out which direction it makes the most sense to go in. You can’t publish—self or traditional—something that isn’t there.
Mary: Colby, please refresh everyone’s memory and for those who haven’t gone back to read your earlier interview, where can your fans find you? Social media, etc.
Colby: I’m on facebook and twitter, and you can find me on my website at www.colbymarshall.com. I’ve actually got a brand new members-only page on my website that I’m really excited about called the SWAT Team, which readers can join to gain access to exclusive content, such as deleted scenes from Chain of Command, sneak peeks at new books, and other fun extras. Every member has access to the content on the front page, which includes my personal Vlog, but then, they can also get access to more bonus content by completing team mission tactics, like tweeting about the book and reporting back to the website to let me know they did. It’s an exciting new way to give readers something extra for helping me to promote the book, and I love having a chance to see what they think of the sneak peeks!
Blurb:
The road to the Oval Office is paved in blood…
The simultaneous assassinations of the President and Vice President catapults the Speaker of the House into the White House as the first female President of the United States. Evidence points to a former Navy SEAL as one of the assassins.
Relegated to writing sidebar stories instead of headlines, journalist McKenzie McClendon composes a scathing story about the Navy training killers.
Former Navy SEAL Noah Hutchins doesn’t believe his partner could have committed the heinous crime. They’d endured the horrors of Afghanistan together. His buddy was a hero, not a murderer.
Thrown together in a search for the truth—and a career-making story—McKenzie and Noah must unravel a dangerous web of lies that includes a radical foreign faction, a violent ultra-feminist group, and corrupt politicians willing to kill to keep their secrets.
Reveiw:
I have promised to give reviews to fellow author friends in the past and lived to regret it. Because I was caught between being honest and not hurting my friends feelings. So at the beginning of 2013 I vowed to myself that I'd ask my author friends to visit my blog and promise I would try to read their book, but with how busy I am I can't guarantee it. That gave me an out if I didn't enjoy it, or worse couldn't finish it. So why am I telling you this? Because I am so happy that I can give an honest review of Chain of Command. Didn't have to say I didn't read it, etc.
I absolutely loved McKenzie and Noah, the sparks flew. And the story kept me riveted to my bus seat. There wasn't a moment I wanted to put it down. In fact I couldn't put it down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. It's been a long time since I've found an author I am actually acquainted with, after I read their first book I wanted to actually read the next book of the series. Colby will definitely be on my Auto Buy list from now on! So, when was The Trade coming out?
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| I give this a 5.5 Dahlia's! |
Thank you again, Colby for visiting. Please come back and visit again.
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