AUTHOR INTERVIEW

An interview with author Peter Blakeborough

What is your e-reading device of choice?

A Kindle while traveling. It takes up so little space and can hold such a lot of reading. At home I read on Kindle for PC. I just find it convenient when I spend so much of my time on the computer.

What book marketing techniques have been most effective for you?

When I had lots of print books for sale I took them direct to bookstores and libraries. The books really just sold themselves with no paid advertising. But I was fortunate to receive a lot of free publicity from newspaper, radio and television interviewers during my travels. Speaking at a variety of meetings about books also generated lots of sales.

Peter Blakeborough with some of his books

Describe your desk

Cluttered! Whoever said that a tidy desk indicates a tidy mind was probably talking about someone unemployed, or was running a business awaiting its first sale. At my desk I research books, write books, write blog posts, and sell books. Everything is at my fingertips, even if it is several layers down.

Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?

I grew up in rural districts of New Zealand. On dairy farms a young person learns to be skilled at many different jobs while keeping in touch with nature. It was a wonderful way to grow up and it provided a good background for creating plots for novels. Later, I lived in cities and small towns, and that has enabled me to include both town and country scenes in my novels. Moving around New Zealand and researching has given me the background for producing The New Zealand Tour Commentary which continues to be a great seller in the tourism industry.

When did you first start writing?

At school I had a flair for storytelling. But that was a talent that later lay dormant for many years. I always wanted to write novels, but believed that first I needed a broad experience of life for the kind of novels I wanted to write. I did quite a lot of non-fiction writing; editing club newsletters, newspaper reports, that kind of thing. In 1966 I published my first non-fiction title, The Coinage of New Zealand and it sold 3,000 copies. After that I became the editor of a national monthly magazine for coin collectors. It wasn't until 1995 that I started writing my first historical novel, Nathaniel's Bloodline, a heart-wrenching story of Australia’s First Fleet convicts.

How has Smashwords contributed to your success?

Smashwords enables me to reach a wider world market with prices that print books cannot compete with. From an author’s point of view, the earnings are much better from eBooks; the author gets the biggest share of the earnings, instead of the smallest share as it is with print books. But eBooks are great for the readers too. The prices are more affordable and they can store thousands of books on a conveniently sized E-reading device without gathering dust. It’s the way to go, especially when travelling.

Peter Blakeborough in a Boeing simulator

What is the greatest joy of writing for you?

No single answer here. It gives me a wonderful feeling to review what I have written and I have to shock myself with the question, "Did I write that?" I still get a thrill when I pick up one of my books and thumb through the pages, pausing to read a passage or two. But the greatest joy with writing comes from the readers who come back for more books, and to tell me how much they enjoyed the books they already have.

What inspires you to get out of bed each day?

The need to put into a manuscript a scene that has formed in my mind in the early hours. I do my best writing in bed. I know other authors who plot and scheme when they should be sleeping. Throwing the covers off and racing to the computer at 4 a.m. is almost a writer’s addiction.

When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?

It's a busy life for someone who is supposed to be retired. I just love to travel. I like being with people, and taking them on coach tours is a great way to see happy people while beautiful scenery passes by. I'm a paid tourist. Many years ago I was a pilot and flew more than 50 aircraft types. Now I fly with a flight simulator which means that I can enjoy a private flight in a Boeing, Airbus or WWII fighter without breaking the bank. I have a motor-home and enjoy time away in that with my wife. We also go to country music events where I pretend to be Johnnie Cash or Merle Haggard. It's a busy retirement and I have no idea how I ever managed to work full-time.

Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?

That's a good question. I do remember being praised for excellent work at school, but I now have no recollection of the story itself. Whatever it was it must have been all lies.

How do you approach cover design?

It is said that a book should not be judged by its cover - but most people do just that, even if they don’t realize what they are doing. The cover can be the most important part of the book because it creates the first impression. The experts say that the cover should be designed by a professional and I'm sure they are right. But I mostly design my own covers, not because I'm good at design, but simply because I love to play around with different designs and styles. For me it's part of the challenge and when it's finished it is my book completely.

What do you read for pleasure?

My reading habits have long been wide ranging. I like history, technical subjects, travel, news and current affairs, biographies, politics, humour. About one in three books that I read will be fiction including historical fiction, romances, thrillers, crime and mysteries. I think novelists should keep a balance between fiction and non-fiction reading.

What are you working on next?

I often work on more than one book at a time. The New Zealand Tour Commentary is constantly being updated. It was previously sold as a print book only, but the new edition will be on Smashwords along with my other books. I am also working on another novel, as yet unnamed, which may be completed within the next year.

Who are your favourite authors?

Early on I read authors like Neville Shute and Ernest Ghan. More recently my favourites have been Bill Bryson, John Grisham, Ruth Rendell, Robert Ludlum, James Patterson, Maeve Binchy and Arthur Hailey.

For a complete list of books by this author go to: Books by Peter Blakeborough