… the book may appeal to young adults. I didn’t realize I was writing a YA novel at first. But, I loved reading old YA books from the seventies filled with eccentric characters. YA today seems sanitized and serious. You won’t find a little person dressing up as a cockroach and singing La Cucaracha for a local pest control commercial in a book today, but you could back then.

Debby Regan – 26 December 2023

The Back Flap

From cheese Danishes and cheery puppets to Commie directors and curmudgeonly talk show hosts, this novella is how Finley Luker rediscovers life after The Marshmallow Show is cancelled. Hopping out of his father’s shadow as the famed creator of Marshmallow is no small task, but it brings about better ones. Thus, Finley brings the obnoxious bunny character to late-night television, stars in an offbeat biopic as Fidel Castro called Fidelity… and he’s getting married in Vegas!

Blended with cute awkwardness and high-pitch-perfect irony, this cast of sweet-to-screamy eccentrics proves the acting life is a soft satire in itself—and everybody has reinvention in their heart before it hardens.

About the book

What is the book about?

The Marshmallow Show is Cancelled is about a “nepo baby” becoming his own person and slaking off a dysfunctional past in Las Vegas. It’s also about imperfect people trying to make it in show business.

When did you start writing the book?

I began writing in 2021. I didn’t have a story at first. I wrote down ideas in my iPhone notes, but then I moved it to my MacBook when the plot started taking shape.

How long did it take you to write it?

A little over a year.

Where did you get the idea from?

Real life inspirations for the character of Finley include Candice Bergen and Bryan Henson. Jim Henson was a wonderful man, but Finley’s father Kevin is sort of an evil Jim Henson. Henson and the Kevin character both show awkwardness during live interviews when not talking through a puppet and they both had a divorce. The talk show host character Robbie Roberts was inspired by a Jim Henson interview on The Arsenio Hall Show shortly before Henson’s untimely death, but Robbie isn’t similar to Arsenio at all.

Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?

The second half of the book was a struggle. Finley gains momentum in his career and love life, but I didn’t have an ending. At first, Robbie Roberts was an antagonist, but I grew fonder of the character. I was having trouble writing a chapter called The Assassination of a Bullfighter and had started a script read-through scene for the second movie within the book. I had a dream that night. In the dream, my husband was talking to a shadowy figure. He turned to me and said, “mesa.” The next day, I saw a coyote while walking the dogs around my block. I thought the strange happenings were signs. These incidents helped shape the chapter.

What came easily?

Writing about acting and movies came easily. I had experience hosting a talk show from a college TV production class. I’d hosted the music show on the University of Alabama’s cable TV channel because no one else wanted to do it. I’ve auditioned for local plays over the years without much success. I’ve been an extra in a few local films. It was also easy to write about Finley’s movie roles because they’re parodies of the films Che! And The Assassination of Trotsky. I learned about these celluloid atrocities as a child in the Springville Road Library in Birmingham, Alabama. I read a book called The Fifty Worst Films over and over again because it was hilarious. I couldn’t believe Jack Palance played Fidel Castro with a fake nose. I couldn’t believe Richard Burton played Trotsky talking to his bunny rabbits in Mexico City. I still can’t believe it after watching the films.

Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?

Robbie Roberts is partially based on my husband, especially his cynicism and deft use of profanity. One day, we were sitting in the drive-thru at a Starbucks. The barista informed my husband that the store was “out of lemon loaf” and then, hopefully, turned off the speaker. My husband slapped the steering wheel, and exclaimed, “They’re out of lemon loaf! Sons of bitches!” I looked at him and started to see Robbie Roberts take shape. Finley is based on a former male friend. It didn’t end well. That’s all I can say. I hope he’s not reading this.

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?

Jacqueline Susann and Jackie Collins helped shape my ideas about the show business world. I also enjoy reading Victorian authors. William Dean Howells’ novel A Hazard of New Fortunes made a big impression on me. I love the “rude artist” character Angus Beaton. My character Provocateur is a pretentious film director inspired by this Victorian character trope also employed by Anthony Trollope.

Do you have a target reader?

Not really, but the book may appeal to young adults. I didn’t realize I was writing a YA novel at first. But, I loved reading old YA books from the seventies filled with eccentric characters. YA today seems sanitized and serious. You won’t find a little person dressing up as a cockroach and singing La Cucaracha for a local pest control commercial in a book today, but you could back then. I still remember a book about a bespectacled teenager working at a national park one summer and being fascinated by two teenage girls. One was a curvy hunting enthusiast named Diana and the other was an animal rights activist. I’ve never been able to find any information on that book since childhood, but it was wonderfully weird. Somehow, all those years of reading YA influenced me.

About Writing

Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?

I lounge on the living room sofa. I read a chapter of whatever book I’m reading at the moment. Then, I’ll write. It’s usually on weekday mornings.

Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?

I usually don’t outline until I’m structuring the novel. I write in fits of passion.

Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?

If I notice mistakes during a writing session, I’ll edit. But I mostly wait until I’m finished.

Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?

If I do, it’s classical music. I pay too much attention to music with vocals and I get distracted. I prefer white noise for writing.

About Publishing

Did you submit your work to Agents?

Yes. I got a few positive rejections, but mostly just form letter rejections.

What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?

I was about to give up querying altogether, but I found Outcast Press on Instagram by accident.  I really loved their website. They said yes!

Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?

Outcast Press provided me with a wonderful cover. They were very patient with me and gave me several images to choose from. I knew I wanted Marshmallow the Bunny on the cover.

Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?

I was resigned to only selling a few copies, but then the book became a top release in one Amazon category. My publisher has done a lot to get the book out there. I emailed several reviewers who were open to unsolicited queries in my review campaign. I also entered an Indie contest online that I found through a Forbes article.

Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?

Find a publisher that you love. Querying tends to be about worrying if a publisher likes your book, but it’s also important to find connection. If you’re excited to query an indie publisher, that’s a great sign.

About You

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in the North Roebuck area of Birmingham, Alabama.

Where do you live now?

I live in Huntsville, Alabama (which is about two hours north of Birmingham).

What would you like readers to know about you?

Writing is therapeutic for me. Robbie Roberts’ cocaine addiction helped me process my own sleeping pill addiction. I’m now able to fall asleep with a single dose of ZZquil every night. I’ve been able to maintain that for three months. It took me two years to get there.

What are you working on now?

A gothic horror novel with a dance of death theme.

End of Interview:

Get your copy of The Marshmallow Show is Cancelled from Amazon US or Amazon UK.