Interview with Matt Betts

Author of The Boogeyman’s Intern

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

I am originally from Lima, Ohio and now live in Columbus, Ohio. They’re only a couple of hours apart, but they are very different cities. Both are pretty down-to-earth and interesting in their own unique ways.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

I moved to Columbus not long after I started dating my current wife.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

I had a short story that was getting some interest, but more editors were telling me they wanted to know more about what was going on that that they thought it was a great start for a book. After hearing that from several people, I got to work on expanding the characters and the world of the short story. It took quite a while, but a novel finally came from it!

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

I write science fiction and horror mashed up with other genres. I like my books to be fun and humorous, with a good mix of adventure.

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

I think readers who like action and fun would enjoy them. I don’t think I go over the top with gore or violence, so I really think my work is pretty accessible to many readers.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

I really learned how important it is to stay true to your ideas, rather than trying to adjust them to please readers or publishers.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

Write faster. Stop overthinking every word and get the skeleton of your story down before going back to edit yourself. Just write it.

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

I think it’s easy to say I’d like everyone to pick up my book, but that’s just not realistic. Ideally, I’d like to get a thousand people to pick up each of my books, and recommend it to their friends with similar interests.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

I think doing marketing and promotions has been a huge challenge. I knew going into it that most authors have to do their own promotions, publicity and PR, but it can be such a time-consuming process, when really we just want to write!

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

Writing. The marketing aspect is something that is really still a problem, and generally I’m happy with the publishers I work with. So I really enjoy the writing part of being an author. It is a real blast for me, especially when I get on a roll and things seem to flow like I’m on auto-pilot.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

Again, marketing is the bane of my existence. I love going out and doing signings, love teaching and doing workshops, but when it comes to actually sitting down and doing test ads and deciding where to advertise, I’m lost.

When do you think you will write your next book?

I’m in the process of finishing my next book. It’s a novel that continues a series begun by Edgar Rice Burroughs. ERB, Inc is starting a new line of novels in the pulp author’s various worlds. Mine will be the first, and launch the whole new venture.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

I’ve worked with three different small presses in the past. They’ve been very supportive and open to new ideas. I’m sure I wouldn’t get the same attention from a larger publisher that I get from these small publishers. I also originally self-published a book of speculative poetry, which was eventually picked up and published by a small press.