Interview with Rod Shipley

Author of The Adventure: The Art Of Earning One’s Stripes

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

I was an Army brat born in Pittsburgh, Pa. in 1951. Traveled to Germany and Japan by the time I was 12 years old ending up in Hockley, Texas (48 miles NW of Houston) retired doing what I always loved to do and that is write.

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

The Army nomadic life carried over to my adult life relocating several times in areas throughout the world taking positions that peaked my interest. That bug culminated in 1992 when I took the family and our Newfoundland Dog to Kenya Africa for a year to build a pottery factory. Moving to Texas in 2007 to help build a bio-diesel plant I ended up in a community called Field Store, Texas which is part of the town of Hockley where I retired.

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

With a lot of adventures under my belt; I always planned to write a couple of memoirs of my adventures upon retirement with the hopes of inspiring people both young and old stuck in a mire of indecision concerning their future to venture outside the box to search for something that grabs your heart and soul. One thing is for sure; those adventures are out there; take a deep breath, look in the mirror and go after it.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

An easy read with lots adventurous stories that will make one laugh, cry and hopefully be inspired to follow their dreams undeterred by outside influences like I was before I took that leap of faith that changed my life.

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

For my memoirs; anyone with a sense of adventure, loves animals both domestic and exotic (My second memoir is about when we went to Africa called “In To Africa” due out March 2020)and yearns for adventure of any kind. Four other books in the works are all fiction covering various topic and time periods delivering a message to inspire the reader to think.

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

Publishing is the easy part. Writing prose correctly is the hard part. When I first penned “The Adventure: The Art Of Earning One’s Stripes” and thought it was ready for editing the editor sent it back and had me reorganize the entire book for better continuity and flow; which at 90,000 words was like rewriting the entire story over. Get the technical aspect of writing down first; it drastically cuts the frustration factor immensely, saves time and most of all money.

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

Not a thing; my life went as planned although I don’t know who planned it but the ride is still ongoing after 42 years. Sometimes one needs to follow their heart above any other reasoning because the heart does not lie and will let you know if you have made the right decision or not before it is too late.

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

As many people as I can touch with my stories of confronting the unknown and never giving up in search of one’s passion, promise and potential.

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

The marketing and the exposure of the book has been the biggest challenge. It is up to the author to find innovative ways to market your work other then thinking internet sales are the answer (Amazon, B&N, etc.). They are not looking out for your best interest; they are looking out for “their” best interest. The only one to look out for YOUR best interest in the publishing and marketing of your work is YOU. NEVER “pimp” your work out to marketers thinking that is your only avenue. You were talented enough to produce this work of art; you are smart enough to market your work. “The people that are the most successful in life are the one’s that thrive on rejection”. (Wish I had said that but kudos has to go to George C. Scott)

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

Biggest strength is my writing. I’ve been told I write the way I talk and it seems to work for me in telling the stories and getting the message across plainly and effectively. Publishing and marketing are a work in progress with very little experience in either; however, willing to go in my own direction if the heart says otherwise never looking back.

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

Writing is semi-solid getting better with each new idea. Publishing AND Marketing is an on going educational process being this was my first memoir and navigating through the maze of publishers and marketers is something I wouldn’t wish on my worse enemy but unfortunately has to be done by nobody but you.

When do you think you will you write your next book?

I am presently in the process of working on 2 stories. I find working on 2 different stories eliminates writer’s block. 1. “In To Africa” My second memoir of my trip with the family and pet dog Ebony to Kenya, Africa to build a pottery factory for an ex-patriot living in Nairobi is scheduled for publication February 2020 2. The Saga of Gyles McNamara, my first work of fiction about Gyles McNamara an upstanding citizen of his Louisiana Parrish and successful businessman with a very dark side is scheduled for completion in April 2020.

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

I self published. Unless one is a previously published author or someone famous; very few if any publishing companies will take on your work right out of the gate, although it can and does happen. Advice in dealing with publishers that deal with “self publishing authors” is steer away from companies that want to talk money before they see your work; that dictate the price instead of asking what you can afford and building a program around that budget; remember YOU call the shots. Wheatmark Publishing out of Tucson is who I deal with for all my literary works. Great people to work with.