Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
After a 21 year career in the Navy, I returned home to my native state of New Jersey. Following my passion for the open waters, I started a second career in the recreational marine parts business. After ten years of dealing with the dense population of New Jersey and its high cost of living, we had had enough. My wife, Cheryl, and I sought to find a peaceful, friendly environment for our second retirement.
We now happily reside in Spink County, South Dakota.
I reveal my love for South Dakota and appreciation of its people through my third career as an author of six books centering around the fictional town of Helen, South Dakota. All my novels and stories tell a tale of middle America and the rural lifestyle.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My most recent book is River Of Destiny. It, like all my books, is inspired by the culture of small-town America.
I love writing about the ways of Middle America and the rural communities. This story tells the tale of a young man raised on a South Dakota farm. How will he handle college life in the big eastern city? It is a story of culture shock, twists and turns, and a new acquaintance who helps him adjust.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My wife and I are both retired and therefor are home with each other 2/7. We have adjusted our schedules to each have private time.
I am up around six each morning while my wife prefers to sleep in to ten or eleven. In the evening I am in bed before eleven and she stays up until one or two AM. We each get time to ourselves.
I use my quiet mornings to write. I get my morning coffee, chose the door to my den and start to type. I am a “seat of the pants” writer so I have no idea where the story is going to take me when I sit down each morning.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
When I was young, it was all about science fiction. Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov were my favorites. Later in life, I tended toward action books by James Michener, Clive Cussler, and Dale Brown. I even did short side trip into fantasy with Hitchhiker’s Guide by Douglas Adams.
Recently I am more into stories in my genre, Rural America and small towns. Debbie Macomber, Carol Cox, and Jillian Hart top my list. They are all wonderful storytellers. I can get lost in the worlds they create.
What are you working on now?
I currently have three stories playing in my head and thus out my fingers. All are part of the Flyover County series. I have one very aggressive project where I am writing two books inside one main story. I think it will be fun, although it might take some time.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I have a website and a Facebook page. I keep an e-mail list as well for my “insiders”. The e-mail list is the best promotion tool. I am learning to work the algorithms of Amazon and a starting to have some success there too.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Keep writing. Don’t get discouraged. That big break could be just around the next corner. If you quit now, you will never see it.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
“If you lock the car with the key, you will never lock your key in the car.” Of course, today that hardly applies.
For the independent author, it is all about growing your presence. Build a strong mail list and us it to keep in touch with fans. Don’t overkill it, just touch base every now and then to keep them in the loop.
What are you reading now?
A rose Blooms Twice by Vicki Kistell. No Shade in South Dakota by Andrea Nardi, and Amazon Decoded by David Gaughran
What’s next for you as a writer?
As I mentioned I am trying something new. I want to write a story about two writers. Inside that story, I want to include snippets and pieces from the stories they are writing. I want the flow of the story to include the work they do. I have to have enough of each story to let my readers follow, but not so much that I create a zillion page mega novel. The trick will be to keep a main story going while telling the two sub tales and keep it reasonable in length.
What is your favorite book of all time?
The Flying Sorcerers By Larry Nivin and David Gerrold.
Author Websites and Profiles
Richard Skorupski Website
Richard Skorupski Amazon Profile
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