ALSO, which is so very important, there is a call for submissions for An Honest Lie, Theme: Petulant Parables at http://lifeatohp.debrincase.com/

 

Have a safe holiday!

 

Wait! We’re not K-Mart!       

 

HOWEVER, we have a special for you right now!

 

All E-books are only $3.00 each, but if you desire to purchase the “Trifecta” (all three e-books) from your author’s voting portal, that author earns 250 points towards the goal of winning the contest. Think about Christmas gifts!

Here is the sales link for you!

http://debrincase.com/blog4/get-your-copy-of-the-e-book/

Yes, you heard me right! Yance Wyatt has pulled ahead of the group and here’s the scoop on his marketing story!

***

***

Deborah: I hear congratulations are in order for you! Debrin told me that you’re outselling everyone! That’s awesome!

Yance: Thank you for congratulating me on my sales thus far.

Deborah: Now, we want to hear how you’ve marketed and sold them. Please explain how and what you’ve done to achieve this stellar performance!

Yance: For years, I have been meticulously gathering evidence of my friends’ and family’s indiscretions in case the day came when I could blackmail them into buying one of my books. I’m kidding, of course. Sort of. Although I didn’t blackmail them per se, I did commit a little lighthearted coercion in the mass email I sent to inform them of the contest and implore them for help: “Forward this email to everyone you know. If you do, something good will happen to you today. If you don’t, nothing good will ever happen to you again, ever.” That said, I know they would have mobilized with or without this appeal to their superstition, being that I am blessed with a benevolent support network, spearheaded by a trio of trusted publicists: my wife, mother, and father.

What surprised me wasn’t the fact of their collective support but the extent of it. When the first tally of votes was posted on the website, I was taken aback by the total. Not until Thanksgiving break, though, did I slow down long enough to put this number in perspective, that is, to think of the actual people parting with their hard-earned money despite the bleak economy. I thought of the physical act of them pulling their credit cards out of their wallets and purses. And the thought brought me to tears. It was humbling. If any of you are reading this interview, thank you.

In addition to the sheer generosity of my friends and family, my lack of an online presence may have ironically amplified this show of support. I don’t have a Facebook account nor do I Tweet or Twitter or otherwise engage in ornithological onomatopoeia. Knowing me as a man of few words (in the virtual world as opposed to in person), maybe folks were more inclined to listen when at last I popped up like a slaphappy jack-in-the-box and spoke. I don’t necessarily recommend this method of self-promotion to other authors, as it must be prefigured by years of spring-loaded seclusion.

Deborah: Way to go, Yance! Thanks for sharing your story with us! There you go, Readers! Yance proved it can be done, by hook or crook and a loving family with a lot of friends!

***

Yance Wyatt lives and works in Los Angeles, California, where he is the Director of the Writing Center at the University of Southern California. In addition to freelance creative writing, Yance also teaches critical and creative writing at USC. His published works include “The Shark’s Gut”, published in ZYZZYVA: West Coast Writers & Artistis, Volume 88; “The Ninth Life” published in THEMA: Many Plots  / One Premise, Volume 23; “Piss and Vinegar” published in Burnt Bridge: Stories that Don’t Apologize, Volume 1; and “Legal Tender” published in Blue Moon Literary & Art Review, Volume 6. Yance’s story “Legal Tender” was nominated for The Pushcart Prize, Best of the Small Presses, 2010. You can learn more about this award at http://www.pushcartprize.com/. Yance was also the winner of the 2009 Silver Brad Award for his full-length feature film screenplay entitled, “Eminent Domain.” You can learn more about this award by visiting http://moviescriptcontest.com/winnerscircle.html.

It is good to see everyone back today for a special interview with our publisher, Debrin Case!

Debrin is one of those enigmas, who runs between the fine line of genius and crazy at the same time. Whenever we meet, my mind flashes back to Truman Capote, without the flagrance.  Like Capote, he shows his love for writing and literature, his intellectual flare with questions and answers, but most of all, his aura and essence of being.

It’s almost Thanksgiving and a little chilly, so grab some mulled cider to get into the mood and join Debrin and I for an informative and a somewhat whacky time together!  Three, two, one, you’re on Debrin!

***

 

***

Deborah: I understand you have recently completed a national marketing campaign which took you all around the country. Could you explain what the campaign was for?

Debrin: Seriously, I was running away from home.

In the grand tradition of Toby Tyler and various other wayward souls before myself I was hitting the road and off to join the circus, and being the rather original fellow that I pretend to be I decided to start my own Circus.

Now technically, my Circus began when the first volume of An Honest Lie was published, however I knew that if I intended to tame lions and perform aerial stunts of death defying feats, I couldn’t continue to hold my show under the roof of my condo in Dallas. So with a few hundred books under arm, a suitcase with a week’s worth of clothes and pre-booked classes across the country I jumped on a train bound for Austin and set out to give more publicity to Open Heart Publishing.

The journey went rather well for a first run. I met many great new writers, alumni that I had published and hadn’t had the privilege of meeting before, artists of many persuasions, weirdoes, freaks, republicans, drunks, ministers and just average folk who were way above and beyond average. I sold a number of books, taught a number of classes and drank a few beers for good measure. A huge thanks goes out to all of my new friends from the road and here is my hope that you will continue being the amazing people that I had the privilege of getting to meet along the way.

 

Deborah: It sounds like you had a fantastic time with a conundrum of people! You spoke of teaching classes, what advice can you give to writers who wish to protect their work?

Debrin: First off let me state for the record that although artistic theft can happen, it is a very rare thing. Far rarer than you may imagine, spontaneous ideas are rather common though and just because two or more writers are working on the same conceptual idea it does not mean that one or the other stole from anyone… even if the concepts are very similar.

So my first bit of advice is to simply relax. However, if you are truly serious about protecting your work because you truly feel that there is a need to protect it, you should consider placing a writer’s copyright on your work. It’s a simple process, simply print out your original work and mail it to yourself in a certified letter before you submit it anywhere.

This letter is never to be opened unless needed in a court of law to prove that your story was your original idea and when you wrote it. This simple process could protect you from plagiarism.

 

Deborah: Very sound advice!  And a lot cheaper than putting a copyright on your work which will later be changed by the editor. As a publisher, why it is so important for submitting authors to follow Open Heart Publishing’s submission guidelines?

Debrin: It’s important to follow all guidelines for any submission you present to any publisher. Publishers don’t set these guidelines arbitrarily; in fact these guidelines are there to make the process as easy as possible for everyone involved. When a publisher sees that you are making an effort to follow their guidelines it shows to them that you are mature enough of an individual to consider working with. I know this is the first place I look when I consider a submission, even before I read a piece to find out if it is a decent story or not.

Hate to bust the myth that your story will be good enough without following the guidelines, as far as Open Heart Publishing is concerned, guidelines are our first priority.

First rule, did the author follow the guidelines we have established? Second, does it fit the theme? Third, Do I like it? Is it a story that I believe comes from an author with more to say? Fourth, does one or more of the staff also like the piece? Fifth, does the story fit within the paradigm of An Honest Lie as it is defined by Open Heart Publishing? If I answer no to any of these guidelines then that’s an automatic rejection letter, it’s that simple. 

Yes, there is the minutest of chances that I could miss out on something absolutely amazing, but far more often than not, it truly isn’t worth the extra effort needed to make such a piece ready for publication.

 

Deborah: You are absolutely right!  There have to be guidelines, otherwise, I’d hate to imagine what could be submitted! Let me ask you this. How was Open Heart Publishing founded? 

Debrin: Open Heart Publishing was founded in the grand tradition of transubstantiation and sheer bravado, of course. Where did I place that Top hat?

 

Deborah: It’s right next to you and I know you’ll put it on for the answer to this next question! I love the idea of An Honest Lie being anthologies, what is the concept behind An Honest Lie, and how did you come up with the name?

Debrin: I feel it would be a travesty for me to interpret either the meaning of this year’s theme, the meaning of our masthead, or even how we came up with the name of our masthead. This is something I would rather leave to the interpretation of the individual reader as opposed to defining it and ruining all of the fun.

  

Deborah: You didn’t let me down with that answer! Here’s another Top Hat question. In addition to publishing, Open Heart Publishing also offers a yearly Opportunity Project. Could you tell us about the Opportunity Project and what its goals are? 

Debrin: The mission statement of the Opportunity Project speaks for itself “Giving a Voice to our Future, Today”. 

Birthed from a spirit of Philanthropy, Open Heart Publishing works hand in hand with youth organizations to instruct future generations about the positive changes they can make in the world around them, as well as the limitless opportunity their lives will offer them, so long as they are willing to look for those opportunities.  Through the crafts of writing, art, editing, marketing, and publishing, these groups create a book the children can then sell.  100% of the profits benefit a charity of the children’s choosing. 

Our first project was “The Cave of Colors,” which became a beautifully crafted communal project spearheaded by the children in the 1 – 3 grade Sunday school class. It inspired other members of that community to get involved through music and voice acting for an accompanying C.D.

Our next project is with the Macie Love Foundation and more details will be coming soon.

 

Deborah: This is such a great opportunity! It’s so wonderful to be involved with a great company that offers projects like this! With these opportunities, I understand there’s advancement through voting portals. Would you explain what An Honest Lie’s voting portals are and what their use is?

Debrin: Gladly, every year (as many of you already know) Open Heart Publishing runs a contest for the authors of An Honest Lie. The competition is based upon which author is the most popular based upon votes and sales of the book from that individual author. Our yearly winner is then given a book contract with Open Heart Publishing, and working as a united team we produce their book (Our first Winner Eric Trant has a book that is due to be released this year as well so keep your eyes open for it).

There are two ways to vote for your favorite author. The first and most efficient way to show your support for your favorite author is simply to buy a book from their individual voting portal. By doing so, you give your favorite author 500 voting points, and a greater chance at winning our competition.

The second way to vote for your favorite author is by visiting their voting portal (aka a webpage) that will allow you to vote once per day for your favorite author. Though it only gives one vote per click, it still enables an author’s supporters a chance to help their friend win, without making a single purchase.

Though highly unlikely it is quite possible for an author to win without a single book sale. We believe in leveling the playing field as much as possible.

 

Deborah: That’s a genius way of advancement for an author! Here’s another question for advice to the author. In your opinion, what elements are required for an outstanding story/novel?

Debrin: For any story to be worthwhile the reader must believe in the authenticity of the tale… even if it as outlandish as prepubescent teens learning the magickal arts at a boarding school somewhere in the United Kingdom. 

The story must feel true; it has to be believable even if it is only definable by the logic found upon the pages as you read them. If it feels forced then the story isn’t crafted as well as it could be.              

  

Deborah: That is so very true and should be noted by all authors! This, I’m sure, is a question many readers have, but haven’t asked. Does Open Heart Publishing accept novel submissions?

Debrin: Open Heart Publishing does accept novel submissions, but only from authors that we have worked with previously. We do not have open submissions on non-anthology projects, but rather prefer to work with authors who have already been a part of the Open Heart Publishing family. 

 

Deborah: There you go readers! Get those anthology stories submitted! Each publishing house is different as far as what they accept, and Open Heart Publishing is no different. What genre, or type, work does Open Heart Publishing accept?

Debrin: Fiction, in various disguises and ambiguities. We will accept sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, literary, modern, spy stories, horror, suspense, romance, etc. The genre isn’t as important as the content of the piece. Hell, we’ll even accept true stories so long as you don’t ruin it for us by letting us know its nonfiction.

 

Deborah: This really opens up the field for our readers as well as future submissions! With submissions there are rejections. What advice would you give to authors whose submitted piece was not accepted?

Debrin: Pay attention to that rejection letter. There was a reason it wasn’t accepted, and more often than not you can determine the reasoning behind the rejection letter.

Often when people experience rejection letters their first reaction is to view it as a rejection of themselves as a writer. Nothing could be further from the truth, the rejection letter is simply stating that the piece you had submitted is not what the editor or publishing house is looking for.

If the staff took the time to write a personal letter or even made some other kind of contact with you pay attention to what they are saying, perhaps it is something you overlooked before you submitted (did you forget to run a spell check?) or maybe though the piece is well written it doesn’t fit what they are going for. 

If it is too hard to reread that rejection letter (and some writers out there are excessively sensitive) ask a dear friend or colleague to do so for you and then tell you what they feel it means. Sometimes hearing a trusted friend or colleague explain their interpretation of a rejection letter can help you discern what is intended. 

Take their advice or at least listen to what they have to say and then move on to the next project, do not let it steal the wind from your sails.

 

Deborah: That’s some awesome advice for writers! However, authors are super sensitive about their work, in your opinion, what is the best way for authors to handle rejection letters?

Debrin: The best way to handle a rejection letter is to simply relax and remember that not every arrow you fire will hit the target… heck, you may even be aiming at the wrong target.

I will say that if you don’t have at least a stack of rejection letters looming over you somewhere then perhaps you aren’t submitting enough. Like many things in life getting published is a numbers game. If your story is truly ready to be published it will eventually find a home. 

Want to know if the place you are submitting your work to will publish your story? Read their previously published material and find out if your work fits within their paradigm. Know your market and you will have much better success in your writing endeavors. 

 

Deborah: You really have some great advice, but then, you do know your job. On a personal basis now, would you tell us about your own writing endeavors?

Debrin: I am currently working on getting ready for NaNoWriMo, I have stocked up on Condiment Lollipops (ahem… Catch Up, Suckers) for my fellow writers who are picking up the gauntlet with me as we get ready for this grueling competition. 

Besides this frivolity I am also working on a book I have tentatively named “The care and feeding of your fat girl”.

 

Deborah: What I think is awesome, is that you are filled with so many ideas for stories, not only for yourself, but also Open Heart Publishing! I’ve heard of NaNoWriMo, but many of our readers may not know what it is. Could you tell them about it?

Debrin: NaNoWriMo is the National Novel Writing Month.  It’s a yearly internet-based creative writing project which challenges participants to write a 50,000 word novel between November 1 and November 30.

There are no official prizes.  Anyone who reaches the 50,000 word mark is declared a winner. Beginning November 25, participants can submit their novel to be automatically verified for length. Those who complete their novel, receive a printable certificate, as well as an icon they can display on the web, plus inclusion on the list of winners. No precautions are taken to prevent cheating, since the only reward for winning is the finished novel itself and the satisfaction of having written it.  NaNoWriMo to begin offering winners a single free, paperback proof copy of their manuscripts, with the option to use the proof to then sell the novel on Amazon.com.

Here is the link for more information:  http://www.nanowrimo.org/

For those of you, who would enjoy this type of competition, there is also a sister event which is a script-writing challenge taking place in April called Script Frenzy.

I encourage all of you to take part in these exciting competitions!

 

Deborah: These events really allow authors some notoriety, having the icon on their website as well as their bios! Earlier you spoke of your stories, how can our readers view samples of your personal writings?

Debrin: I would highly suggest buying a copy of An Honest Lie (either volumes 1, 2, or 3), or A Children’s Book of Necromancy (the only coloring book guaranteed to teach you how to raise the dead), or for those of you who like things cheap or better yet for free, you can always take a look at my blog at www.debrincase.com

 

Deborah: Readers, if you haven’t read his book, do! It is great! (Not that I’m prejudice here!) Taking advantage of your experience, in your opinion, how could authors best generate interest from publishers and editors?

Debrin: First off, follow any guidelines you find for their submissions. These are rather imperative to all publishing houses. By showing the staff of the various publishing houses that you care about their guidelines during the submission process, you are representing yourself as an individual who understands the importance of following directions. This is not only a desirable trait, it is the primary trait many (if not most or all) publishing houses look for from their contributors. The process of preparing a story for publication is a very time consuming process and as such requires the diligence of all parties involved.

Next, start developing your own following. Not only is it worthwhile that you have something to say, but equally important is having an audience that is receptive to your message. Start locally and think globally. Begin with family and friends, network with other writers through writing groups online or in person, attend public readings and open-mic nights. Network through social networking sites such as Facebook or Myspace or a gazillion other sources available online.

Another excellent tool is a blog. You can go a traditional route and have a blog geared towards a specific subject (maybe writing short stories) or have an all-encompassing fiction blog, or even a writer’s group blogging experience. The possibilities are practically endless. The only thing you need to do is get moving in the direction you desire to go.

My personal motto is, “You don’t have to get it right; you just have to get it going.’ There will be time enough to learn from your mistakes, the best thing to do is just to get started on your own shameless self-promotion extravaganza!

Being shy is a hindrance and can quickly cause you to be excommunicated or worse ignored.

 

Deborah: Here’s some more great advice readers, just by joining us for Debrin’s interview! I hope you save this link, because here’s another answer you need to know! What makes a story sellable?

Debrin: I believe all stories are sellable, provided the author cunningly uses their words in a manner which pulls the reader into the tale. Not all sellable stories are acceptable for all publications though. This is where the writer needs to research their markets. 

A highly religious oriented piece is not a good fit for The Atheist Quarterly, nor is a story about your funniest sexual misadventures a good fit for Martha Stewart Living. 

The right story needs to be in the right market and the trick is to determine if what you write belongs with the publisher you are sending it to. 

When in doubt, buy a copy of the publication (if possible), or even a book previously published by the publishing house and read it to determine if you and the publishing house are a good fit.

 

Deborah: Invaluable information! Let’s jump back to a personal question that is also another Top Hat question. How do you find inspiration for your writing projects?

Debrin: I am inspired by so many diverse things, topics or ideas that it would be hard to pinpoint just one. Instead I will say like life, it’s more of a gestalt kind of thing. If an idea comes to me, I have to jot down a few notes, if those notes evolve into a story then I let the story evolve, if they don’t quite gel into something useable at that time I set the idea on a back burner and wait for it to either come together or remove it from the stove and move on to the next idea.

 

Deborah: The secret of a genius is out! Earlier you spoke of opportunities for authors, let me ask you this. Open Heart Publishing’s policy is to give authors a personable and friendly business association. Why is that?

Debrin: Life is too short not to be courteous, pleasant or helpful to your fellow human beings. It’s a simple motto that we do our best to live by; and yes, we have made mistakes in this effort on occasion, but we are also rather quick to resolve these matters as well.

Call it what you will, the golden rule, karma, the rule of three, being a good neighbor, having good manners, it is something that rings true in life as well as business as far as Open Heart Publishing is concerned.

 

Deborah: I hear a big “Amen” on that from our readers! Continuing to look at the big picture of OHP, what is the most important part of your job as publisher? 

Debrin: Listening and making decisions based upon all that I have heard.

 

Deborah: What advice would you give to struggling authors?

Debrin: I hate to use the word struggling when paired with author or artist. It could imply that writing is a hard chore that requires tedious work and it is like a fight to place words upon the page. Or it could imply that only a handful of authors make it in the big old world at large, and the rest are doomed to walk the earth in anonymity.

If you begin to feel like this as a writer, take a break. Walk away from that blank page and relax and try your hand at another project entirely. Have you had too many rejection letters and feel like you’ll never see your work published? 

Go have a cig, or a drink, or a coke or a night out or a day off from work. Walk away from your word processing monster and remember why you started writing to begin with. Then approach it with a fresh set of eyes and remember that if, at any time, it becomes too much you can always walk away and regroup.

 

Deborah: That’s the living truth there! Here’s an equally important question for you. Do deadlines apply to the publisher as well as the author? 

Debrin: Most assuredly, Deadlines apply to everyone.

 

Deborah: (Laughing) Or, we’d all run amuck, wouldn’t we! Considering all the decisions, the Top Hat, and Open Heart Publishing’s big picture, what is the most rewarding part of being a publisher? 

Debrin: Seeing the completed book in front of me for the first time. It never gets old.

 

Deborah: The special moment is revealed! Truly special! Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty. The author answers to the editor. The editor answers to the publisher. Who does the publisher answer to? 

Debrin: Everyone.

 

Deborah: That makes for one big list there, boss! But that’s why you are you! And as you’re the Great and Powerful Kahuna, what is a publisher’s most valuable asset? 

Debrin: Chutzpah (see Balls)

 

Deborah: See, I told you he reminds me of Truman Capote! All of our authors had the pleasure of answering some “just for fun” questions, and I/we feel you should be no exception. So, here we go!

 

Deborah: Do publishers get to have fun, and if so, what type of fun do they get to have? 

Debrin: It depends on the individual, but frankly my life is full of fun. If my job wasn’t fun I wouldn’t be doing it. Of course our definitions of fun may be somewhat different. My idea of fun involves reading, writing letters of encouragement, helping others succeed, and bantering with my staff.

 

Deborah: You make your life sound fun, and yes, we love the bantering! It gives us sweet dreams when we sleep! Does the publisher ever get to sleep, or have a day off?

Debrin: Sleep is for the weak. Real men Hibernate when production time is over… and publishers get to hibernate when they get placed into that pine box that is interred into that most expensive piece of real estate a person will ever own.

 

Deborah: That kind-of sounds like life as an editor as well! So, is that the scariest thing that will ever happen to you?  Wait! You’re not dead yet! What is the scariest thing that has ever happened to you?

Debrin: Falling in love is the scariest thing that has ever happened to me. I’ve been shot, had a motorcycle wreck, been run over by a car while crossing the street, dealt with some very psychotic individuals and a number of other harrowing events and still, falling in love is the scariest thing there is… bar none.

 

Deborah: Sounds like your life has already been through the wringer! And after all that, it’s love that threw you? Then you’ll be able to relate to this next question. You have a running chain saw in one hand, the beaters to an electric mixer covered in chocolate cake batter in the other hand, a hunting knife clenched between your teeth, and are wearing one of those childhood caps with propellers on top of your head. What action is this a prelude to?

Debrin: Either finding the condoms or asking for a loan from the bank, it’s a tossup.

 

Deborah: I don’t think I’d like to see the results of either, to be frank! Moving on …what hidden talents do you have, and why are they hidden? 

Debrin: Every February 31^st I do something different. I change my persona. I turn into an aardvark. It’s not easy being a werevark, we don’t get much publicity.

 

Deborah: Well, that answers a few things I’ve been wondering about you! On a normal day for you, let’s say you are out for a casual stroll in the countryside when you come across a cow, peacefully chewing its cud. It turns to you and asks what? 

Debrin: Do you have any Grey Poupon?

 

Deborah: And what answer do you have for that talking cow? 

Debrin: Sorry, I left it in my Rolls Royce.

 

Deborah: Okay, one last question! If you were to give yourself a Tarot reading, what would the cards tell you?

Debrin: Would it be too much to ask for you to wash your hands before you shuffle us again?

*** 

Readers, this is the publisher we know and love!  Debrin, I’m thrilled you were able to join us and share your valuable information. You know, earlier, I mentioned that Debrin reminds me of Truman Capote. Remember? Now, you too can see the similarity. Wait! Could it be Debrin is Truman, reincarnate?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL FROM EVERYONE AT OPEN HEART PUBLISHING!

***

Debrin Case has been making the story more interesting since 1970! He holds a B.A. in English Literature and is currently the founder/publisher of Open Heart Publishing, a company that promotes, showcases, and opens doors for new authors with its annual anthology An Honest Lie, but also for children through its charitable project called, The Opportunity Project.

Additionally, Debrin oversees intuitive writing workshops, writes grants for charities (non profits and artistic endeavors), and is an experienced storyteller, ghost writer, and fiction writer.
Previously, he’s held the positions of editor for Hedge Wizard Press, and also co-editor for Red River Review.
When asked of the validity of his tales he will normally reply, “My stories are 50% bullshit… and the rest is questionable, but at least they are honest.

For more information on Debrin check out his website: http://debrincase.com/