Darin’s first book, Why Has America Stopped Inventing?, explored the critical issue of America’s broken patent system. His second book, The Vintage Club, tells the story of a group of the world’s wealthiest men who are chasing a legend about a wine that can make you live forever. His third book, Gil, is about a high school coach who discovers that he can pitch with deadly speed and is given an offer to play with the Rockies during a player’s strike. Gil soon discovers, however, that his unexpected gift is the result of a rare disease, and continuing to pitch may hasten his own death.
With a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering and a Master of Business Administration degree, he is highly regarded in Denver’s legal and business community as a patent strategist, business manager, and community leader. He is also a sought-after speaker on IP issues at businesses, colleges and technology forums, where he demonstrates the value of patents using simple lessons from working on products such as Crocs shoes, Izzo golf straps and Trek bicycles.
An avid traveler and accomplished triathlete, Darin also enjoys back country fly-fishing trips and skiing in the Rocky Mountains. He lives in Denver with his wife, Robin, and their four children.
His latest book is the thriller, Chasing Hindy.
WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:
WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK
About the Book:
ADDY’S DREAM AS
a patent attorney is to help bring a ground breaking energy technology to the
world. Addy’s hopes soar when she is wooed by Quinn, an entrepreneur, to join
his company that has purportedly invented a car that can run on water using an
innovative catalyst. After resigning her partnership to join Quinn, Addy
discovers things aren’t as they seem. The patent office suppresses the
company’s patent applications and her life is threatened by unknown assailants
if she doesn’t resign.
When she is arrested for stealing US
technology from the patent office she realizes Quinn has used her. Now, Addy
must find a way to clear her name while salvaging her dream of propelling this
technology to the world, all while powerful forces attempt to stop her.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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 originally wanted to be able to write stories like John
Grisham. I read The Firm when I was a first year law student and thought it was
perhaps the most engaging book I’d ever read.
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?
Oh yes, it is worth it. When I released my first book, I did
a two day PR event in New York City.
A limo ran me around to about 8 studios for interviews. It was a blast. The downside, of course, is
that selling books is really hard. I wish you could just write a book and
everyone would instantly discover it.
That never happens.
Which route did you take – traditional or self-published
– and can you give us the nitty gritty low down on what’s that like?
I went with a small press—Koehler Books. Koehler published
my last two books, The Vintage Club and Gil, and we’ve had a great working
relationship. As such, I decided to use
them for Chasing Hindy as well. The good thing about a small publisher is that
they usually work with you and usually let you call the shots. The downside is that they don’t have the
marketing power of a large publisher.
What’s the snarkiest thing you can say about the
publishing industry?
Trying to get your book noticed. There are so many titles
out there, that it takes a ton of work to get a reader’s attention.
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?
That’s a sensitive topic, especially when the family is
watching a movie on Friday night and I’m trying to bang out a chapter on my
laptop and want the lights on. I think that pretty much tells the story.
What was the craziest or insane thing that happened to
you in the book publishing process?
When I did a show in NYC and the television host was late.
He showed up literally a minute before the show aired, looked over at me, and
said,”So what are we going to talk about?” The producer handed him a copy of my
book, he looked at the title and then started the interview.
How about the social networks? Which ones do you believe help and which ones
do you wish you could avoid?
I use all of them, but for different purposes. I may make an initial announcement of my book
release and important milestones, but I don’t abuse my friends. I see authors who are constantly trying to
peddle their books and it gets annoying.
I also use ones like Google + so that any important information is
easily searchable.
Book sales. Don’t
you just love them (or lack of?)? How
are you making the sales happen for you?
Most sales come through word of mouth so I use every avenue
I can think of to get my books into the hands of as many people as I can so
that they can pass on the word. One
effective way is through the use of promotions.
These take a lot of work to set up and an understanding publisher, but
they do work. I also publish various articles in order to get more publicity.
What is one thing you’d like to jump on the rooftop and
scream about?
“Why can’t people learn to get along!”
Okay, too much sugar for you today! Here’s a nice cup of Chamomile tea and come
on over and sit under the cabana and watch the waves roll in. Now…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?
As Stephen King is fond of saying, as long as you can wake
up and write, life is going to be okay.
I love thinking of new ideas and finding creative ways to weave those
into a story. That alone makes being an author worth it!
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