Straight From the Mouth of SciFi/Fantasy Author David H. Reiss

While growing up, David H. Reiss was that weird kid with his nose in a book and his head in the clouds. He was the table-top role-playing game geek, the comic-book nerd, the story-teller and dreamer. 

Fortunately, he hasn't changed much.

David is a software engineer by trade and a long-time sci-fi and fantasy devotee by passion, and he lives in Silicon Valley with his partner of twenty-six years. Until recently, he also shared his life with a disturbingly spoiled cat named Freya.

(Farewell, little huntress. You were loved. You are missed.)

David's first book, Fid's Crusade, has just recently been published; this was his first novel-length project, but it certainly won't be his last—he's having far too much fun!

Website Link: https://www.davidhreiss.com

Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/davidhreiss

Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/davidhreiss

About the Book:

Title: FID’S CRUSADE
Author: David H. Reiss
Publisher: Atian Press
Pages: 365
Genre: Scifi/Contemporary Fantasy

Consumed by grief, rage, and self-loathing, a brilliant inventor rebuilt himself to take on a new identity: the powered-armor-wearing supervillain, Doctor Fid. For twenty violent years, Fid has continued his quest to punish heroes who he considers to be unworthy of their accolades, and the Doctor has left a long trail of blood and misery in his wake. After a personal tragedy, however, Doctor Fid investigates a crime and uncovers a conspiracy so terrible that even he is taken aback.

Haunted by painful memories and profound guilt, the veteran supervillain must risk everything to save the world that he once sought to terrorize. Every battle takes its toll…but the stakes are too high for retreat to be an option.

In the end, it may take a villain to save the entire Earth from those entrusted with the Earth’s protection.

Praise:

"Fid's Crusade by David H. Reiss is one of the most refreshing and lively takes on the superhero genre I've seen in years. His title character's crusade is colorful, compelling, and takes wonderfully unexpected turns, and the novel delivers an impressive emotional punch (to go along with the super-powered ones). It stands easily alongside other character-driven superhero novels like Austin Grossman's Soon I Will Be Invincible, Carrie Vaughn's After the Golden Age, and Paul Tobin's Prepare to Die!." - Hugo award-winning author Tim Pratt

ORDER YOUR COPY:

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C92PMDH

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’ve been asked that question before and it’s always difficult for me to answer. The choice was made so early in my life that I do not recall ever making a conscious decision. In my very oldest memories, I was already a writer of stories. In the deepest depths of the closets of the house in which I grew up, I’m sure that there are age-yellowed Marble Composition books filled with horribly hand-written fanfics for Sid & Marty Krofft’s “Sigmund and the Sea Monsters”.

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?

Writing novels requires that I dedicate a significant chunk of time to the process. Given that I am committed to maintaining my ‘day job’, this has meant a lot of sleepless nights and grouchy mornings. Furthermore, I have learned that growing my readership requires that I dedicate time and effort towards marketing my books. I’ve had to drop hobbies and skip vacations and miss opportunities to visit with friends. The only possible perk is the knowledge that I’ve been able to share my stories with an ever-increasing number of complete strangers.

It’s wonderful and I’m loving 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?

Originally, I’d intended for Fid’s Crusade to be traditionally published, and I’d begun the process of seeking out representation from a literary agent. In the end, however, I decided to self-publish. There were several reasons. For one, I’d realized that this particular series was within a sub-genre that the Big Five publishers did not appear to be investing in. For another…there were timing-related issues in making sure that I would be able to hand a signed copy to the woman to whom the book is dedicated. She’d recently celebrated her 100^th birthday and I wasn’t willing to wait any longer.

My intention is to traditionally-publish some books and self-publish others. There are advantages and disadvantages to each path.

As for the ‘nitty-gritty’ of self-publishing, the truth is that self-publishing is disturbingly quick and easy. Upload a few files and press a few buttons and you’re done. There are no gatekeepers and no safety rails, so the only person who is responsible for making sure that the book is REALLY ready for publication is the author. That can be a difficult judgement call, and it’s never easy.

(Also, marketing and advertising as a self-publisher has a heck of a learning curve.)

What’s the snarkiest thing you can say about the publishing industry?

Traditional publishers may be the most powerful force driving the growth of self-publishing.

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?

I’m afraid that I don’t have anything humorous to add here. My friends and family have all been incredibly supportive.

The worst that I’ve gotten was an exasperated eyeroll after I asked for a sixth opinion about one particularly tricky paragraph.

What was the craziest or insane thing that happened to you in the book publishing process?

I paid for a vendor table at a major science fiction convention with the intent to sell my books. I ordered a boxful of copies with plenty of time to spare…but they arrived damaged. The printer agreed to replace the damaged copies at their own expense but were unable to ship them in time for the convention.

With no books to sell, I ended up sitting at the table and giving away free bookmarks to anyone who stopped to talk.

How about the social networks?  Which ones do you believe help and which ones do you wish you could avoid?

Honestly, I’m very late in coming to the ‘social media’ thing. I’m sure that I’ll learn more over time and eventually build a following. For now, though…I’m reasonably certain that if I made a list of my followers across all social media platforms, I could count them on both hands and have fingers left over.

Book sales.  Don’t you just love them (or lack of?)?  How are you making the sales happen for you?

I’m not likely to retire early and buy a private island with my books’ royalties, but I love every sale and am always happy when a new reader has stumbled across my work.

Currently, my primary means of attracting sales has been advertising on Amazon and attending science fiction or comic-book conventions. Some months that approach works great. Other months…less so. I’m still learning!

What is one thing you’d like to jump on the rooftop and scream about?

There is a certain multinational technology company based out of Seattle that deliberately obfuscates the data that they give to their advertisers, and I honestly don’t understand why they would do so. Under what twisted logic does it make sense for an advertisement’s sales total to be completely decoupled from sales of the product being advertised?!? If someone clicks on an ad for MY BOOK and then remembers that they have to buy a toothbrush…why is MY SALES DATA polluted with information about how much money THE TOOTHBRUSH SALESMAN made?  AAAAAARGH!

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?

I’ve always been a voracious reader and a significant percentage of my life has been spent immersed in other authors’ imaginary worlds. Books were my escape, my motivation, my joy. Every story was a treasure and the people who wrote those stories were my heroes.

It's always been my dream to be part of that cycle…to share my visions with other readers, and to inspire them to maybe do the same. I like to believe that I’m on a path towards succeeding in that goal.