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?
I have always really enjoyed writing, and I dreamed of being able to
share my creations with others.
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?
I have gone to a lot of schools for book signings, and since I am 14
years old one of the biggest perks is to see the little kids and how excited
they are to see me and ask me questions. It’s cool to have me referred to as an
author and sign copies of my book. With
school work and outside activities it can get demanding, but I am enjoying
every minute.
Which route did you take – traditional or
self-published – and can you give us the nitty gritty low down on what’s that
like?
Traditional. My 2nd
grade Art teacher (Richard Browning) who did all the drawings for my book,
recommended State Street Publishing. He
had a friend that used him and thought highly of him. State Street Publishing
is a small publishing company in our area.
What’s the snarkiest thing you can say
about the publishing industry (e.g. rejections, the long wait, etc.)
It’s a very slow and drawn out process
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?
It really does have its trying moments, you
think your moving forward, and then it gets set back. Thankfully I am blessed
with 2 supportive and helpful parents who are the reason my dream came true.
What was the craziest or
insane thing that happened to you in the book publishing process?
When you think something is perfect in your
mind, and revisions have to be made, even in the artwork changes have to be
made to fit the text, it gets frustrating.
How about the social networks? Which
ones do you believe help and which ones do you wish you could avoid?
I think twitter, facebook, and linkedin are
all a great way to reach potential readers.
I haven’t really encountered any that I think should be avoided yet.
Book sales. Don’t
you just love them (or lack of?)? How are you making the sales happen for
you?
We have done a lot of book sales through
schools, booksignings, and amazon. I have been in the newspaper, and 2 radio
interviews which I think also helped, along
with facebook, and twitter.
What is one thing you’d like to jump on
the rooftop and scream about?
The little things my parents do every day to
make this all possible. They’re
persistence paid off and I’m so thankful for all they do for me.
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?
I love signing books, meeting new people,
and above all else, I love the fact that I can hold my book and tell myself
that I made it happen. I know I can do
it again, and I want others to realize that they can too. Age doesn’t matter. The
long process is all part of it. It makes
it that much more rewarding when it’s finished.
I know that in order to make it happen, you must have patience and go through the process.
Inside the Book:
Title: Journey to the Cross
Author: Shane Cloonan
Publisher: State Street Publishing
Publication Date: September 11, 2015
Pages: 35
Genre: Children's Christian Fiction
Book Description:
This is the story of the Jesus donkey, a fictional tale that takes readers on a journey from our Lord's birth to his ultimate crucifixion. Though written and illustrated for young readers, this book is perfect for people of all ages who want a fresh, youthful perspective on the life of Jesus. The book's message is imbued in the strength and simplicity of hearts that are linked to other hearts by Jesus. Journey to the Cross follows the light of hope that first appeared on that special night in Bethlehem.
For More Information:
Journey to the Cross is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble
Meet the Author
Shane Cloonan is a resident of Elgin, Illinois and a high school freshman. This book, his first, started out as a grade school writing project. Shane is an avid outdoorsman. He also is an accomplished woodcarver. Shane took third place in his age group and category two years ago at the Ward World Championships Wildfowl Carving Competition in Maryland, then followed that up with a first-place finish in the International Woodcarvers Congress competition in Iowa.
You can visit Shane’s website at www.shanecloonan.com
For More Information:
Virtual Book Tour
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