Today’s interview with Tom Krantz explores the various programs Amazon offers to writers  Hello, Tom. Welcome to Blood Red Pencil. You promote and market the works of fantasy writer S. K. Randolph , right? Hi, Linda! Yes, I am privileged to assist my spouse in our “afloat business.” (We are retired and live on a boat cruising amongst the islands along the coast of Southeast Alaska) This month at BRP, we are featuring all things Amazon — all things pertaining to writers, that is. Few would argue that any marketplace in the world is larger or more diverse than Amazon. How have you taken advantage of the various avenues available to authors? When thinking of Amazon one must remember that it is a large family of international organizations and businesses. Revenue from the sale of books (printed, digital, and audio books) is a small sliver of the business. Some suggest Amazon is “out to get” self-publishers. The reality is we have a wonderfully flexible and encompassing partner...

S. K. Randolph began her transition into her new job as full-time author while she still worked as Director of Dance at St. Paul’s School in New Hampshire. Her day job provided a steady income as well as a model of success. She transferred that model—the value of working with the right team—to her new job as a writer. As noted in Part 1 of her guest post , she delegated jobs that fell outside her experience to those whose expertise qualified them as vital team members, emulating on a small scale the role played for decades by big publishing houses in seeking success for their writers. (Above on the right is the cover for Encounter s, a companion short for The Unfolding Trilogy .) The arts have been part of my life all my life. My career began in ballet. By the time I retired in 2010, I had moved through the ranks from dancer to award-winning choreographer. One of the biggest lessons I learned: it does not matter how talented you are or how good you are. Succeedi...

The challenge of becoming a successful author is faced daily by thousands of aspiring writers. Most come from different backgrounds, different jobs, different circumstances. Yet their writing and marketing commonalities provide the basis for sharing models that may inspire others to create their own models for success. Former dance instructor and award-winning choreographer S. K. Randolph , author of two fantasy novels and several “shorts,” shares the ups and downs of her experience, beginning with the early stages, in this two-part guest post. The long work day was over. My dancers had equated themselves particularly well in their rehearsals for the Spring Dance Concert, and I hummed to myself as I entered the campus post office to pick up my mail. The small, round building, an ice house in its former life, bustled with teenaged students. Their giggling exuberance made me smile. The letter the postman put in my hand made my stomach tighten. Hurrying across the street to the dorm ...

Yesterday, we posted the first part of an interview with fantasy writer S. K. Randolph , author of The Dimensioner's Revenge . Today, as Paul Harvey would have said, we have the rest of the story. 5. What is your goal with this book? Borderline dyslexia created some early stumbling blocks for me as a reader. When these challenges were overcome in fifth grade, the miracle of reading opened up a whole new world. Books provided an escape, a place to learn new things, and an avenue for exploring life in wonderful ways. My goal is to entice young people to read, to keep reading, and to get out from in front of the computer. With that vision in mind, I wrote The DiMensioner’s Revenge , the story of four young people and the impact life has on them—the lessons they learn and what they discover about themselves during a birthday adventure gone awry. As a former educator, I could not help providing life lessons, but my hope is that they are a natural part of the growth of the characters rat...

For almost eight years, S.K. Randolph worked on her debut fantasy novel, The DiMensioner’s Revenge . This month (July 2011), it went to press. Her dream became a reality. A few days ago, I asked her about the long process that culminated in the publication of her book, which will be available after August 1. Her candid responses may be both helpful and encouraging to many writers who visit Blood Red Pencil. 1. When did the idea for The DiMensioner’s Revenge come to you, and when did you begin writing? Since I read my first science fiction/fantasy novel, I have wanted to create my own world, my own universe, my own creatures and characters. A trip to New York City eight years ago left me thinking about kids playing in the streets and in concrete school yards. What if—somewhere in the depths of a city—a magic portal would transport children to a place where they could explore and play, a place with forests and mountains, a barn filled with animals, and a garden. As I began exploring th...