Interview with Robert Ballard

Author of Lottery=The Plan and High wires

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

Paris, Kentucky

Lansing, MI

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

Graduated from High School in Kentucky (1964)and enlisted in U.S. Air Force and served four years with two tours in Vietnam (1966-1968). Spent years in the auto industry before seeking a college education on the G.I. Bill. I graduated in 2 1/2 years with a degree in Secondary Education with twelve credit hours in Driver Education. I spent seven years in Public Transportation before joining the Michigan State Police, as a Training Instructor where the idea for the first novel was born. I left the State Police and worked as a Contract Support Analyst for a Homeland Security contractor.

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

When I finally found the time, I was determined to find out if I could accomplish and publish a novel.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

A mystery/thriller that delves into the solving of three murders and if they were connected.

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

More than likely paperback readers that read voraciously about tense situations.

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

Stick to your guns and not let the publishers have their way. I found them to be very helpful with the self-publishing but at times they had to be brought in line with my goals and desires (ex. the color of the front and back covers, as I wanted a bright yellow so it could be noticed).

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

Follow the final outline.

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

I am not out to publish just for the readers but for my self indulgence.

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

Maintaining a work schedule, as at times I would create several pages but then it was not as easy to get back into the grist of writing.

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

Creating characters was my favorite task in writing. I had to create a sequence of events to keep track of what I had done for each character. Publishing was easier the second time as I selected the same templates. Marketing was very selective, as I chose different options to place the novel where I wanted it shown.

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

I am a task master and make my own decisions for what I want the final product to be.

When do you think you will write your next book?

As you know, the sequel to “Lottery=The Plan, “High wires”, is out. I am already into the third novel, continuing some of the same characters. It is call “The Retails Web”.
Roughly half done.

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

Self publisher with a publisher.