I lock myself in a dark room (after the kids go to bed), pour a hot green tea, and blast music that fits the mood of the story. I’ll listen to the song until I can picture the scene and hear the characters in my head.
Brian Bandell – 9 August 2015
The Back Flap
Three Miami teenagers seeking internet fame by posting videos of risky deadly pranks online, making bloodshed go viral.
About the book
What is the book about?
So many people are posting stupid things online that they shouldn’t, like fights, self nudity, drugs, and violence. Even murderers are sharing photos of their victims. In my story three Miami teenagers want to film a prank to go viral, but a cop gets killed. The post garners mega hits, and even some praise from the fringes of the online world. Computer savvy teen Jorge is able to conceal the source of their posts, so they up the ante for another deadly video. Religious cyber cop Clyde strives to discover who’s behind the murders and he’s frustrated that so many online commentators are reveling in the bloodshed. When the officers begin closing in, the teenagers decide it’s time for the police to become famous.
When did you start writing the book?
I just went back and check and it surprised me. It was October 2010. Wow, this was a long time coming.
How long did it take you to write it?
I believe the first draft was finished in 2012. I spent about a year editing and sharing it with test readers, including sample chapters on Authonomy.com. I use that site to trade feedback with fellow authors. My publisher got the manuscript in 2014 and then it got another edit. It’s a long process but I loved writing it and I had fun every time I re-read it.
Where did you get the idea from?
I pulled a lot of stupid stunts as a teenager in the ‘90s but we didn’t have cell phone cameras and social media. I didn’t understand the consequences of my actions – that people could get hurt, or I could have gotten in trouble. Many teens today have the same attitude, and they’re posting their exploits online desperate for approval.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
It took many conversations with computer experts to explain how they could post videos without being easily traced. Fortunately, I got good advice.
What came easily?
The scenes where the juvenile delinquents confront their parents were scorching. Let those emotions fly.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
There’s some influence from people I know, but no one is a carbon copy. I take bits and pieces of people and create believable back stories for them. Borrowing a real pattern of speech for a character is another good one.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
Dean Koontz is a master of setting the pace, speeding it up and slowing it down at key points to build suspense. Famous After Death” has action scenes with a blistering pace and then breaks where the reader can absorb the consequences of what just happened. I like how Koontz will follow two characters experiencing two sides of the same action scene and I’ve incorporated that into my novel in a few places.
Do you have a target reader?
Fans of gnarly crime fiction with a sharp edge.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
The music and green tea vampire. I lock myself in a dark room (after the kids go to bed), pour a hot green tea, and blast music that fits the mood of the story. I’ll listen to the song until I can picture the scene and hear the characters in my head. Not surprisingly, Famous After Death had a rebellious rock soundtrack. I wrote angry.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I have an extensive outline process before I begin writing. I start by detailing everything about the main characters, including personality, goals, appearance, and personal history. Then I create a list of events that should happen in the story and put them in order, while ensuring that the events should be aligned with the goals of the characters and present challenge to them. Hopefully, that’ll result in a clear plot and a conclusion. I write a scene at a time, and then I break scenes into shorter chapters.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I’ll read the previous chapter I wrote every time I’m about to lay down something new, but that’s more to put myself in the frame of mind and keep the tone consistent. The major edit comes after the first draft.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
As I mentioned, music is at the heart of my writing. The inspiration for Famous After Death came from bands like Velvet Revolver, Guns & Roses, Avenged Sevenfold, Bullet for My Valentine, Metallica and Anthrax. When writing a scene about a cop getting pushed over the edge, there’s nothing better than shouting, “I am the law! You won’t **** around no more!”
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
Not this novel, but I submitted four novels previously to both agents and publishers. The fourth was the scifi murder mystery Mute” which was published by Silver Leaf Books. I stayed with the same publisher for Famous After Death.”
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
Well, I had that $100,000 advance waiting for me from a major publisher but…Who am I kidding? If I turned down money like that, my wife would bury me. Seriously, no matter who your publisher is there’s a ton of competition so all I can do is write my best and hope that the readers spread the word.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
You can thank El Cesana, a talented photographer and artist from Australia, for the cover. She also shot the cover for Mute. I discovered her work because she was taking photos to describe her condition of selective mutism.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I have a long list of media outlets and blogs to contact, and I’m discovering new ones every day. It’s amazing that a college student who creates a book review blog can be overwhelmed with dozens of requests a week. Imagine how newspaper reviewers feel. The sad part is that many newspapers don’t write their own reviews now, and they pick up copy from outlets that don’t cover indie books. The key is to reach readers who become passionate about the book and recommend it to others.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Press your publisher to make a review copy available several months before the release date, even in electronic form. Ask them to put it on NetGalley.com.
About You
Where did you grow up?
Melbourne, Florida. It’s a quiet beach town near Kennedy Space Center where I had nothing better to do than to make trouble.
Where do you live now?
Pembroke Pines, Florida. It’s near Fort Lauderdale.
What would you like readers to know about you?
I’m a reporter at the South Florida Business Journal and I’ve won more than 25 awards for journalism.
What are you working on now?
The sequel to Mute”is in rough draft form. It’ll have even more intense scifi action and scares. It centers around a love interest that could literally destroy the world.
End of Interview:
For more from Brian, visit his blog, follow him on Twitter, or like his Facebook page.
Get your copy of Famous After Death from Amazon US (paper or ebook) or Amazon UK (paper or ebook).