Pump Up Your Book Chats with Jack Felson

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ABOUT JACK FELSON

Jack Felson is a French bilingual author (novelist, screenwriter, playwright) and filmmaker, born in Lille, France, in 1970. He started writing in 1995, first in French, then in English from year 2002. Now he works only in English. He lives in London, where he wrote “Charlie’s Trips”. His works in French include a funny collection of sketches called “After AIDS”, another novel, “Adieu, Ciel bleu”, and a play.

Visit him online at http://www.feljackson.blogspot.com.

On Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Charlies-Trips/147875658590572

Q: Can you tell us why you wrote your book?
There’s no specific reason why you write a book, except for an idea you find good enough to be the subject of such a thing. And when you believe this idea and the book (or stage-screen play) can be very successful, then you don’t hesitate for a long time. Sooner or later you have to get to it. That’s the way I felt about the idea I got for “Charlie’s Trips”. A Sci-Fi version of a popular classic… I thought it was worth a try.

Q: Which part of the book was the hardest to write?
I don’t know. I would say the part when Charlie meets that cult, non-religious group, and has that long chat with the ‘Master’. I had to be very careful about the dialog. Also, the part that describes the future, what has changed.

Q: Besides books, what else do you write? Do you write for publications?
I don’t write for publications, even if I’d like to. But I also write screenplays. Besides, “Charlie’s Trips” also exists as such a film script, I’ve even written it as a script in the first place.

Q: Do you have a writing tip you’d like to share?
Even if your story is planned in your head or on paper, you need to follow your instinct. So you need to write a lot, in order to get your own, definitive style. Your instinct, imagination and heart are the main points.

Q: Are you familiar with the social networks and do you actively participate?

I’m familiar with Facebook but I know I don’t use it as much as I should. The thing is, I don’t know how to use that tool to add friends. I don’t use Twitter very much, actually I don’t see the utility of this one.

Q: What is the most frustrating part of being an author?
The waiting part. Especially when you feel in your heart that you wrote something really good. But that’s the game and the only way. Even if you get published by a major publisher, you still have to wait for them to edit and produce your book, and it can take a very long time since they usually deal with many other works. In the end you may even be unsatisfied with the result. But it’s still better than wait for a reply as a still unpublished author.

Q: What is the most rewarding?
A positive reply from any publisher, whatever big (s)he is. Then you know that your big effort and given time haven’t been fruitless. That’s the biggest reward – afterward you’re more trusted, your talent is recognized and things get much easier.

Q: How do you think book publishing has changed over the years?
The Internet has changed so many things. Several websites and new tools have appeared, allowing any writer to publish his/her own works by him/herself, for instance, even if basically there will be nobody else but him for the promotion part. Also, the paper formats are on their way to be replaced with reading devices such as Kindle, Nook, iPads, etc… Apart from an ecological point of view I don’t know if it’s a good thing or not, I’m not qualified enough to tell.

Q: If You could be anywhere in the world other than where you are right now, where could that be?

I spent 18 months in Vancouver, between 2005 and 2007, and it was the best period in my life. It’s a very good and exciting location with really nice people around. There’s nothing much for writers like me in Vancouver – no agents – but I almost sold a script there, anyway. I have many friends there and my wish is to meet them again. Basically I feel very comfortable in North America, a very big, extended place with so much to see. I’ve also been twice to Los Angeles and even if I kind of enjoyed the stays I wouldn’t like to live there.

Q: Your book has just been awarded the Pulitzer. Who would you thank?

All the people who’ve read it and told around about it.

ABOUT CHARLIE’S TRIPS

A Sci-Fi version of The Wizard of OZ, about the adventures of a teenage soldier, in a special condition after a space-time travel

Charlie Bradshaw is an American teenage soldier, living in the deep Midwest. At only 16, he’s the youngest voluntarily committed US Army soldier ever. After a drill, he’s taken away by a violent tornado and is hurled into space-time, after lightning hits him at point blank, disintegrating him. He’s “reintegrated” 21 years later, on the West Coast, his memory lost but replaced with an ability to see into the future. He’s found on a beach, alive but unconscious.

He’s not aware of his new condition when he emerges from a 3-day coma, without any idea of where and when he is and what’s going on around him, but with the vision and prediction of another disaster, a big earthquake supposed to destroy San Francisco the day after. He doesn’t know either that he’s the host of a real TV show, as he tells about his vision.

As time passes, and even if his prediction is not taken very seriously, he finds out that he’s more and more talked about and coveted, as any special (and very young) person that he is. This is the beginning of a series of (mis)adventures and events that he can see coming but cannot control.

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"Oh, awesome!! Thank you so much! You ran such a lovely tour. Those images are great, I look forward to using them and will miss seeing the regular postings on Twitter ;-).
I really appreciate your steadfast and ongoing support. It means a lot!!"Palmer Pickering, MOON DEEDS

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Maria Andrade, DEFIANCE AND REDEMPTION

"Everyone did an excellent job. The blog pages were beautiful, and the trailer was so clever and funny. Thanks for sending these lovely "souvenirs" from my tour. I will be able to use all of these posts on Twitter. I enjoyed this so much and look forward to my next tour!"
Irene Woodbury, HONEYMOON ROULETTE

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Arabella Sheraton, THE LORD BLACKWOOD REGENCY ROMANCE SERIES

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Wendy Leighton-Porter, THE SHADOW OF ATLANTIS

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M.B. Lewis, THE PILATE SCROLL

"Thank you ever so much - it was a fun tour. I will continue singing your praises to my fellow authors. And grateful for the images, I will put them to continued use."
Kathleen Shaputis, HIS KILT DROPPED HERE

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Joni Ankerson, TO KILL OR BE KILLED

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Aiken Brown, SON OF A SOLDIER

"Thanks so much for getting ANNA INCOGNITO out there and reviewed and shared with so many people. It was great to see it on so many twitter feeds!"
Laura Preble, ANNA INCOGNITO

"Thank you so much for such a fantastic tour! You did an amazing job getting it together so quickly, and I couldn’t have been happier!"
Lena Gregory, GRAVE CONSEQUENCES

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Jennifer Chase, FLOWERS ON HER GRAVE

"This has been one of the best things I’ve done as an author. Not only am I getting the word out about my books but I’m learning about my own work and my readers along the way. I love it!"
Elysia Strife, A PROMISE IN ASH

"Today my blog tour ended, with another great review which made me end the tour with a big smile! What a fun way to end this incredible 4-week tour. I will surely miss it. I want to thank you for arranging it so well and for being there for me whenever I needed. Thank you!!!"

Miri Leshem-Pelly, SCRIBBLE & AUTHOR

"I think you did an excellent job last time, thank you!"
Shami Stovall, KNIGHTMARE ARCANIST

"Just wanted to thank you for the book tour. :) You did a great job. :)"
Suzanne M. Hurley, THE TEDDY BEAR EYE CLUB

"I just wanted to thank you for a wonderful virtual tour in August for Brimstone and Water. I was very happy with the amount of attention given to the book and to me. I am mentioning it to friends on line that haven't gone to the site yet to be sure and take a look. Thanks for all your work."
Sharon House, BRIMSTONE AND WATER

"Thank you for running my book promotion for BlackJack. I am so pleased with the reviews that came in and appreciated all you did. My sales have improved from being around 800,000 down to the 200,000 on Amazon and hopefully dropping still. I will definitely be contacting you for a promotion again."
Christine Donovan, BLACKJACK

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Michael Allan Scott, GREY DAZE

"Just wanted to thank you for putting together a great tour for You Won't Remember This. I think the author was pleasantly surprised and overall very pleased."
Bacon Press Books

"Dorothy, thanks so much for another great VBT!!! The Twitter-Party was a new feature this time that I particularly enjoyed. I will continue to recommend PUYB to my writer-friends, because you are simply the best!!!"
T.M. Wallace, WINTERGARDEN

"Thank you for a great blog tour for my “Depression and Your Child.”
I’m in the middle of my third book and will definitely call on you again when it’s time to market it."
Deborah Serani, DEPRESSION AND YOUR CHILD

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Ashley Fontainne, GROWL

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Mary Lawlor, FIGHTER PILOT'S DAUGHTER

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Lee Papa, TEMPLE OF ALL KNOWING

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Madeline Wynn, DAUGHTER OF THE FALLEN

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Mary Lawlor, FIGHTER PILOT'S DAUGHTER

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Karen-Anne Stewart, ASH TO STEELE

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Lauren Carr, Best-Selling Mystery Author of Mac Faraday, and Lovers in Crime, Mysteries

"Thank you again for all of your help and support for my recent book tour. You were so supportive and responsive, and I enjoyed working with you. It was a great tour and I really enjoyed it, especially when my book hit the top 100 in the two subcategories! That was awesome! Thanks for "pumping up my book!""
Monique Roy, ACROSS GREAT DIVIDES

"Thank you for another amazing tour, Dorothy!! I loved the sites I had an opportunity to visit and the people I met along the way. I even made a few new friends and found wonderful supporters that I'll never forget - I promise! The exposure you gave my book was absolutely unbelievable, and I can't think of a better way to welcome and expose an author's new creation to the literary world. Happy New Year to all your readers and may your success continue to grow. "
Kaylin McFarren, BURIED THREADS

"Thank you for a great virtual book tour. I thought it went really well and it was great to have a wave of PR that flowed through the two month period of my book release. I'm working on my next book - and will definitely reach out to you when it comes time to market! You were a delight to work with and really made me feel looked after. As I've mentioned before, I just don't know how you do it all."
--Deborah Serani, DEPRESSION AND YOUR CHILD

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--R.K. Avery, BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR

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--Lila Munro, LOVE VINDICATED

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--Carol Nicolas, THE SIXTH POWER

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--Sandra D. Bricker, ALWAYS THE BAKER, FINALLY THE BRIDE

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--Jo Sparkes, THE BIRR ELIXIR

"I just wanted to let you know that tonight Steven Manchester's Twelve Months became The Story Plant's first #1 Kindle bestseller. This couldn't have happened without you. Barb's cover is an absolute showstopper, Sue's copyediting boosted the overall work, Jackie's proofreading kept all of us honest, and Tracee Gleichner's blog tour started what has become an avalanche of great reviews."
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--Mary Ann Loesch, NEPHILIM

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Question of the Day

How do you make sales happen for you?

A lot of hard work! I sponsor a lot of on line parties, festivals and contests. Book sales don’t magically happen, believe me. An author has to work hard to earn her readers. And then she has to work hard to keep them by giving them something they’ll enjoy reading. I try hard to make my books worth a reader’s time.

-- Sheila Roberts, Author of Winter at the Beach