Thanks
for letting us interrogate you! Can you give us a go-for-the-gut answer
as to why you wanted to be an author?
It’s one of the few things you can
do in life that is easy, fun, and produces something you can point to and say,
“I did that.”
Tell
us (we won’t tell promise!) is it all it’s cracked up to be? I mean what
are the perks and what are the demands?
It is all it’s cracked up to
be. It’s an incredible amount of
fun. Writing offers a certain freedom
where you can do anything you want.
Luckily, having an attitude of doing whatever you want usually produces
the best work.
Which
route did you take – traditional or self-published – and can you give us the
nitty gritty low down on what’s that like?
The deal with self-publishing is
that there’s a hell of a lot of books being published and a lot of them aren’t
very good. If one isn’t selling
something verifiably terrific no one pays attention. Because I’m not marketing my book no one
knows about it yet. However, I’ve gotten
a five star review from Readers Favorite and a lot of others on Amazon so
people may start to take notice.
What’s
the snarkiest thing you can say about the publishing industry (e.g. rejections,
the long wait, etc.)
I’ve researched what authors who are
self-published say about traditional vs. self-publishing. In traditional publishing you usually get an
advance for your book and if it’s not a bestseller that’s about it. Many authors can make more money
self-publishing if their work is good.
That’s about as snarky as I’m willing to get.
Tell
us for real what your family feels about you spending so much time getting your
book written, polished, edited, formatted, published, what have you?
They’re happy about it. Once they could hold the book in their hands
and see the achievement it was they realized I wasn’t kidding when I told them all
those times that I was going to spend the whole day writing.
What
was the craziest or insane thing that happened to you in the book publishing
process?
Trying to make a book cover without
spending money turned out to be a silly idea.
When I first started making my book presentable I thought I wasn’t going
to spend money without making an equal return.
It wasn’t long before I realized that I didn’t have anything else in my
life I’d rather spend money on and I set about making my book look good. I still haven’t made an equal return but it’s
been fun anyways.
How
about the social networks? Which ones do you believe help and which ones
do you wish you could avoid?
I haven’t used any of them yet
except Pump Up Your Book.
Book
sales. Don’t you just love them (or lack of?)? How are you making
the sales happen for you?
Most of my sales have been from
people I know. I haven’t done any really
effective marketing yet.
What
is one thing you’d like to jump on the rooftop and scream about?
“My book is great. I’m not lying. Read it!”
To which anyone would respond, “Let me hear it from someone else.” That’s the main thing I’ve learned so far.
Can you tell us what you
love about being a published author and how all those things above doesn’t
matter because it’s all part of the whole scheme of things and you wouldn’t
have it any other way?
To be able to have
a completed book by my bedside, and to read it every once in a while feeling
the weight of the accomplishment makes it all worth it. However, I had a great time writing the book
too. It has definitely been a worthwhile
endeavor. Check out the book
description, reviews, cover, etc. at Amazon.com.
Inside the Book:
Title: The Avocadonine and Spring Stone
Author: Patrick Barnes
Publisher: Independent Self Publishing
Publication Date: January 26, 2015
Pages: 334
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Book Description:
Praised by many as one of the best YA fiction books you’ll ever read.
Rey Naresh, a likeable kid worth rooting for, is going into the ninth grade at Pemota High. He’s not sure what to expect being fresh off a visit with a gypsy who may or may not have been psychic, but he’s hoping in ninth grade he’ll get to meet his crush, the pretty green eyed, Christy Lane. He’s wanted her to notice him since sixth grade and keeps a letter to her in his backpack. The school bully, Huxley Core, and his friends, who call themselves Nadine’s Puppies, threaten to publish something about Rey in their libelous newsletter. As Rey looks up at the stars one night he realizes he will have to confront Huxley and be man enough to make Christy fall for him.
One day, on the bus, fellow ninth grader, Ryan O’toole, says to Rey that there’s something wrong with something the students are drinking and that electronics are making a humming sound when he’s near them. It sounds to Rey like looney toons, but are other students having a similar problem? Rey and Christy unite and embark on a quest that seems to have to do with mind control by an evil administration and provides a quandary for philosophical thought. A mystery seems to have taken hold of Pemota High, one that may stretch back generations to a malicious woman and a story of her relationship with a student named Spring Stone.
Book Excerpt:
Chapter 17
Rey got Isabel to make
the call to Jocelyn Stone. Her caretaker
picked up. Isabel explained that they
had some information about Jocelyn’s late daughter Spring, and Rey and Christy
wanted to speak to Jocelyn. As it turned
out, Jocelyn had had a stroke and was unable to speak. Her chances of recovery were small and the
caretaker didn’t want anyone to say anything to her that might upset her. Isabel said that she understood and she’d
tell Rey. Rey said they were going to make
the trip to see her anyway. It was a
forty-five minute drive.
The BMW 3 Series Compact
had a sun roof open and it was freezing.
Tristan had explained to them what happened yesterday with the three
lemon trees. He told the two of them
that he and Roach had brought garbage bags and a chainsaw to the trees. Holly North had been outside the school. She told them she planned on screaming to
everyone coming out of the school that the Nadine’s Puppies article wasn’t true
as they handed out Hochus Mochus and Mountain Springs. By the time she was through, only twenty-five
people made the walk to the trees. They
all ended up finding the trees cut down and the lemons missing.
Tristan had a lot of
questions and Rey told him they would explain things to him on the ride
down. It was 9:45 a.m. and Christy told
Brianna that it might be a day-long excursion so Brianna decided not to
accompany them. Brianna said she had
something to do before work anyway. When
Christy asked her “what,” Brianna said she had to visit a friend.
The expressway was smooth
and after Tristan closed the sun roof the drive was enjoyable. When they arrived at Sea Eagle Watch they saw
the high-end homes, all clad with porches and well-kept lawns. They turned into Jocelyn’s driveway thankful
for Tristan’s Mom’s car’s GPS, and sat in the car nervously waiting, trying to
think of how best to proceed. Tristan
said they should just be honest and explain things to her. Rey had brought the article Aba Brule had
sent, “Track Star Doesn’t Go to State Championships,” and the letter sent from
Aba Brule as well. If worst came to
worst, Rey said, they would just ask the caretaker if Jocelyn had any of
Spring’s old possessions and look for clues.
They walked up the steps
and rang the doorbell.
----
The door opened and Miss
Shumana stood there frowning, as if the last person on earth she wanted to see
right now was Brianna Lane. Brianna felt
they were on a first name basis.
“Hello Evelyn. It’s been a long time.”
Evelyn Shumana looked
from right to left as if someone was hidden in the shrubs. Then her eyes came to rest on her recently
purchased Mercedes E Class Sedan in the driveway. She looked down for a few moments. Then said, “Come in.”
She closed the door and
revealed her living room -- a stark contrast with the run-down exterior of the
green Cape Cod home. Brianna sat down on
one of her top-of-the-line leather sofas.
“What do you want?” Evelyn said.
“Don’t tell me you missed me.”
She took out a box of cigarettes, and lit one up. Then she removed her red hair -- it was a wig. She shook her blond hair free, then took off
her black glasses, and sat across from Brianna.
“I have the
non-prescription ones also,” Brianna said.
“Although I think while I’m reading my diploma, you’re going to be
driving up past the Canadian border in that practically stolen Mercedes.”
Evelyn breathed out a
stream of smoke. “You’re not exactly an
angel yourself, Brianna. I think I saw
you more during your senior year than any other student. Only girl I ever caught having sex in the
janitor’s closet. I take it you’re still
a drug abusing slut. Or did Leander turn
you into an Amish princess?”
“A Queen, really.”
“Oh. Still at Lots for Littles? Using Skywarriors to get students to rebel
against authority figures? I sure know
you don’t buy them. Could get you fired
pretty easily.”
“Perhaps, we can reach an
understanding.”
“We’ll be in school for
another week.” Evelyn dropped some ashes
into a tray. “Every parent of
practically every student has been taken care of. We’re paying them a million dollars to help
further the development towards the archetypes.
If anything goes wrong, Alexa has a helicopter waiting for us to be
taken away to wherever we want to go.
The chemical has a psychic property.
It’s Spring, but it’s also whatever you believe it is. So if the meaning changes for Pemota High, it
changes for everyone. So now that we
understand one another, what would it take for you to,” she took another drag
off her cigarette, “help us with something that looks great on a college
app.” She put the cigarette out and
raised her eyebrows.
----
“Well, we think she needs
to see us,” Rey said. “See, the entire
ninth grade at Pemota High is going to want to know what happened between
Jocelyn and Spring. Just give us five
minutes and if she doesn’t want to talk to us, we’ll leave.”
The caretaker, Marie,
looked back into the home wrestling with this.
“She can’t talk. She has damage
to the left side of her brain. Spring
was a long time ago. Jocelyn has had
three kids since. I think it would be best
if you left.”
A thumping sound from
down the hall caused Marie to run back inside.
They stepped into the foyer and closed the door behind them. They stood on the oriental carpet listening
to Marie’s hushed whispers from down the hall.
Christy took her shoes off and gave Rey and Tristan a look. They both reluctantly removed their shoes and
Rey placed his backpack beside his.
Marie returned. “Come with me.” Marie walked down the hallway and they
followed. “This is her second stroke,”
Marie said. “Jocelyn is lucky enough to
have the means to afford in-home care.
Her chances of recovering are better that way.” They stopped in front of a door. “She can’t talk. And she usually doesn’t understand
language. But you can try.”
Jocelyn lay in bed, white
sheets covering her, and surrounded by equipment. She had short blond hair, and dim blue eyes
in an exorbitantly wrinkled face. She
saw them and a fearful look came into her eyes.
“Hi, Miss Stone,” Christy
said. “My name’s Christy. This is Rey and Tristan.”
Rey withdrew the article
from his pocket and the letter from Aba Brule.
He handed them to Jocelyn. “Miss
Stone,” Rey said. “We need to talk to
you about your daughter, Spring.”
Jocelyn looked at the
article then tossed it aside. Then she
looked at the letter from Aba Brule. She
let it drop on the bed sheet.
“She can’t understand
it,” Marie said. “She can’t read or
write.”
“How faraway is
she?” Rey asked.
“A part of her brain has
been compromised. Sometimes people make
full recoveries,” Marie said. “But I
think all you’re doing is upsetting her.”
“I have the syringe in my
backpack,” Rey said. “We could just put
the chemical in some water. It’s worth a
try.”
“If it kills her, it’s
murder,” Tristan said.
“There’s a chemical,” Rey
said. “It doesn’t kill anyone who
ingests it. It’s just lemon juice and
purple dye. But it has an effect on
brain chemistry. I just want to give her
a little of it.”
Then something
extraordinary happened. Jocelyn turned
to them and spoke. “I want you to do it.”
Marie was stunned. “Miss Stone?”
“Is it okay?” Rey asked.
“Miss Stone?” Marie said again, now at her bedside. They all stared at her. She was silent. “It’s okay,” Marie said to Rey.
Rey went and got the vile
of purple fluid. Jocelyn had a glass of
water by her bedside and Rey poured a small amount of the fluid into the
glass. Jocelyn picked up the water glass
and drank it. They waited for almost a
full minute for a reaction. Then Jocelyn
turned to them and her eyes seemed to come to life.
Marie brought in two more
chairs and they all sat and stared at each other. “Tell her about what’s going on,” Christy
said to Rey.
Rey told Jocelyn the
whole story -- everything that had happened, from Aba Brule to Inez
Castel. “We want to know about Spring,”
Rey said.
Jocelyn seemed to become
aware that she was uncomfortable. She
tried to lift her pillow up. Tristan
stood up and helped her. She sat
up. Then she spoke. She was clear, lucid even. “I knew this would happen. I always knew I’d hear about this again.”
“Tell us,” Christy said.
“I’ve read that
article. Many times. The story starts the year Alexa became
principal at Pemota Regional High School.
In 1975.”
For More Information:
The Avocadonine and Spring Stone is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads
Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads
Meet the Author
Patrick Barnes lives in Charleston, South Carolina. The Avocadonine and Spring Stone is his second book. It has been awarded a five star review from Readers Favorite, and a four and a half star average among critics on Amazon.com. He has a Bachelors Degree in Film and Writing from the University of Massachusetts and a Masters in Library Science from the University of South Carolina. He has won first place in Arts and Entertainment Writing at the Yankee Penn Journalism Conference, and has worked as a Librarian at the Folly Beach Public Library. When he’s not writing, he likes to walk on the beach with his dog, and watch movies.
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