DBC: Today we have
an interview with Brian Bandell, reporter for the South Florida Business Journal (website.) He is also the author of the recently released thriller Mute. Brian Bandell is also a member of Authonomy.com http://www.authonomy.com/where they say they are a community of more than booklovers, which I agree with since I have met great writers such as Dina Rea, David Ware, and Cyrus Hood. And today is no different, I have another great writer and he is Brian Bandell.
So let’s get right into it. Whether it be journalism, science-fiction, or just a story in general tell us what inspired you to want to write?
Brian: I was compelled to write. As Kathryn Rusch had said “Every time you write you get better at it.” I remember when I was at the University of Miami, sitting in front of Lake Osceola when I got the idea to write Mute. Mute is actually the fourth book that I have completed and I am actually working on my fifth.
DBC: So briefly, tell us about Mute.
Brian: Mute is a story about isolation. A young girl is found in the Everglades not far from two murder victims. The main character Monique (Moni) is half white half black child protective services detective that has been tasked with trying to GET the girl to talk. Her input is not really accepted in the investigation the homicide detectives are only interested in if the girl talks.
In this this thriller, things from Moni’s past will come back to relate and reflect a light on this case. There are also some supernatural occurrences that take place in the story. Certain animals that USUALLY don’t attack people are attacking and there is a unique bacteria in the area that is CHANGING THE LAGOON IN BIZARRE WAYS.
DBC: This question is to help the unpublished such as myself, as far as getting Mute published, did you use an agent or did you do “the leg work” yourself?
Brian: I tried to get an agent at first. I came close and actually MET one but he really wasn’t all that comfortable with Mute due to some of the Sci-Fi nature that was in it. At the same time I was looking for a publisher and I found Silver Leaf Books. So at that point I no longer needed an agent.
DBC: I’ve been told as a writer to FOCUS ON one genre and build a fan base there. So I ask your opinion on that subject. From your emails and speaking with you, you seem vaster than just sticking with the murder thriller mystery writing. So how do you weigh in on this?
Brian: On Authonomy you can classify your book in four genres but in reality a book store is only going to classify your book in one category and place it in one section of the book store. But it’s not uncommon, Dean Koontz has books that will be thrillers but will have a bit of Sci-Fi in them. Mute is a thriller with a bit of Sci-Fi in it, BUT THERE IS MORE SCI-FI AS THE STORY GOES ON.
DBC: So I have to ask, I like the idea behind the cover, was it your idea?
Brian: Well for Authonomy, I needed a book cover vs. using one of their covers so I went online and started looking for images with a mute concept and I found one I liked and I used it. As I got closer to time to start publication, I wanted to get the rights to the cover so I tracked down who the photographer was and the unique thing about her, she herself is mute. She is an Australian photographer by the name El Cesana.
DBC: Brian I thank you for taking the time to do this interview for me. I know I dropped the ball several times in trying to get this done. I’m thankful that you were very patient during the process.
Mute is available now through Silver Leaf Books and available for purchase for your Kindle by going to the following link.
http://www.amazon.com/Mute-ebook/dp/B008GHMQ60/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1341154061&sr=1-5&keywords=mute
To learn more about Brian, you can visit his bio page at Silver Leaf Books, http://silverleafbooks.com/Authors_Bandell.htm or his Blog at Blogspot http://brianbandell.blogspot.com/.
He can also be followed on twitter @brianbandell, or you can read his business articles for the South Florida Business Journal, http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/.
In closing, I would also like to thank Authonomy www.authonomy.com . This community of writers has helped me grow as a writer and you will also find many great talents at that site just like Brian Bandell.
Terrill
an interview with Brian Bandell, reporter for the South Florida Business Journal (website.) He is also the author of the recently released thriller Mute. Brian Bandell is also a member of Authonomy.com http://www.authonomy.com/where they say they are a community of more than booklovers, which I agree with since I have met great writers such as Dina Rea, David Ware, and Cyrus Hood. And today is no different, I have another great writer and he is Brian Bandell.
So let’s get right into it. Whether it be journalism, science-fiction, or just a story in general tell us what inspired you to want to write?
Brian: I was compelled to write. As Kathryn Rusch had said “Every time you write you get better at it.” I remember when I was at the University of Miami, sitting in front of Lake Osceola when I got the idea to write Mute. Mute is actually the fourth book that I have completed and I am actually working on my fifth.
DBC: So briefly, tell us about Mute.
Brian: Mute is a story about isolation. A young girl is found in the Everglades not far from two murder victims. The main character Monique (Moni) is half white half black child protective services detective that has been tasked with trying to GET the girl to talk. Her input is not really accepted in the investigation the homicide detectives are only interested in if the girl talks.
In this this thriller, things from Moni’s past will come back to relate and reflect a light on this case. There are also some supernatural occurrences that take place in the story. Certain animals that USUALLY don’t attack people are attacking and there is a unique bacteria in the area that is CHANGING THE LAGOON IN BIZARRE WAYS.
DBC: This question is to help the unpublished such as myself, as far as getting Mute published, did you use an agent or did you do “the leg work” yourself?
Brian: I tried to get an agent at first. I came close and actually MET one but he really wasn’t all that comfortable with Mute due to some of the Sci-Fi nature that was in it. At the same time I was looking for a publisher and I found Silver Leaf Books. So at that point I no longer needed an agent.
DBC: I’ve been told as a writer to FOCUS ON one genre and build a fan base there. So I ask your opinion on that subject. From your emails and speaking with you, you seem vaster than just sticking with the murder thriller mystery writing. So how do you weigh in on this?
Brian: On Authonomy you can classify your book in four genres but in reality a book store is only going to classify your book in one category and place it in one section of the book store. But it’s not uncommon, Dean Koontz has books that will be thrillers but will have a bit of Sci-Fi in them. Mute is a thriller with a bit of Sci-Fi in it, BUT THERE IS MORE SCI-FI AS THE STORY GOES ON.
DBC: So I have to ask, I like the idea behind the cover, was it your idea?
Brian: Well for Authonomy, I needed a book cover vs. using one of their covers so I went online and started looking for images with a mute concept and I found one I liked and I used it. As I got closer to time to start publication, I wanted to get the rights to the cover so I tracked down who the photographer was and the unique thing about her, she herself is mute. She is an Australian photographer by the name El Cesana.
DBC: Brian I thank you for taking the time to do this interview for me. I know I dropped the ball several times in trying to get this done. I’m thankful that you were very patient during the process.
Mute is available now through Silver Leaf Books and available for purchase for your Kindle by going to the following link.
http://www.amazon.com/Mute-ebook/dp/B008GHMQ60/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1341154061&sr=1-5&keywords=mute
To learn more about Brian, you can visit his bio page at Silver Leaf Books, http://silverleafbooks.com/Authors_Bandell.htm or his Blog at Blogspot http://brianbandell.blogspot.com/.
He can also be followed on twitter @brianbandell, or you can read his business articles for the South Florida Business Journal, http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/.
In closing, I would also like to thank Authonomy www.authonomy.com . This community of writers has helped me grow as a writer and you will also find many great talents at that site just like Brian Bandell.
Terrill
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