genres have a fair shake in my e-book library. I am also a book nerd.
Mike Faricy is in several of my author groups, and if there is an offer of a free read, I take it. Not all books make it to review, but the ones that do are the ones I forget everything and am dragged into eating or sleeping when needed.
All the books in the Corridor Man series in print form are over three hundred pages. Clicking to read is faster than turning pages, but I read the series slightly longer than three days. It was heart-pounding in some parts, totally entertaining, and got me hooked on more of his books.https://www.amazon.com/Corridor-Man-Volumes-Mike-Faricy-ebook/dp/B01MZGH88O/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SMRGGFIX9WH0&keywords=corridor+man&qid=1703009898&s=digital-text&sprefix=corridoe+man%2Cdigital-text%2C1061&sr=1-1
Here is Mike Firacy’s answers to interview questions ~
Mike Faricy Interview.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
I always enjoyed storytelling and, by extension, writing. I wrote maybe fifty different first chapters and finally looked at the stack of paper and told myself to either fish or cut bait.
At that time, my kids were young so I wrote in the dark, either before sunrise or after they went to bed. I eventually wrote what I thought was a great mystery and somehow wrangled lunch with a prominent local author. He told me about the book business and writing, and at the end, I brought out my manuscript and asked if he’d like to read it. He shook his head, raised his hands in surrender, and said, “No. We all have a work that should remain under the bed.” I went home and reread my manuscript and decided that under the bed would be the best place for it. Then I started my next book.
How long does it take you to write a book?
I’m down to a process, so it takes me about sixty days to write a book. I aim for 60,000 words, and my work usually ends up being 65-70,000 words. I publish 5-6 books annually. I’m currently working on two series, so that’s three books per series over the course of a year.
What is your work schedule like when you’re writing?
I write full-time, every day, seven days per week. That said, it took me the better part of twenty years to get to this point. My children are grown and have families of their own. I make my living writing, so that serves as an incentive for me to keep at it. I’m up by 6:00 every morning and posting ads on 30-40 sites on Facebook. Invariably there are emails I have to answer, corrections from my editors, or ads I have to schedule, which is all ‘book work’ but not specifically writing. I actually begin writing around the end of the morning. My first task is to read what I wrote the day before, make some minor corrections or adjustments, and then begin writing. I insist on writing a minimum of 2000 words per day and often times write 3000+. The next day, I begin the process all over.
Now describing my schedule, I should add that I don’t have children living with me. My wife and I have a long-distance marriage. I’m in the US, she is in Dublin, Ireland, so I’m often living solo. As I mentioned earlier, books are how I make my living, so that is a strong incentive to keep writing.
How do books get published?
I’m an independent author, so I publish my books on Amazon. I have a 30-day preorder period with my e-book, and once the ebook is released, I follow up with a printed version on Amazon. After a period of time, I create a second edition of the book and place it on Ingram where my books are picked up by bookstores and libraries. That second edition process requires a new book cover, layout, ISBN, and a Library of Congress Control Number, which all takes time and money.
Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
I have ideas popping into my thick skull all the time. I always carry a pocket notebook with me. I might take note of a building, an outfit, or something someone has said or done. Occasionally someone tells me something they or a friend were involved in, and some version of that may end up in a book. I began writing my books for crabby old guys like myself, but very quickly, it was obvious that the majority of my readers were women. In my Dev Haskell series, Dev, my protagonist, is involved in a relationship with a different woman in each book. By the end of the book, she tells him, “Please, don’t ever call or contact me again, ever!” My female readers just love that. Of course, throughout the book, he’s doing things guys do, wearing a mismatched outfit, saying something stupid, forgetting a date, the list goes on.
When did you write your first book, and how old were you?
I wrote my first book, not the one I keep under the bed, but the first book I wanted to have published twenty-five or thirty years ago. I would send out sixty or seventy query letters with a stamped self-addressed envelope enclosed so I could get my rejection in a timely manner. I was still working full-time and wrote a total of six books over the course of four or five years. Then with the sixth book. I had one of my query letters returned. On the front of the envelope was a large purple stamp that said ‘Return to Sender.’ The envelope had been addressed to, in those days, one of the big six publishers in New York. I turned the envelope over, and it was unopened. On the back of the envelope was a handwritten note that read:”This does not fit our needs at this time.” They never even opened the envelope. I decided right then and there that Mike Faricy, from St. Paul, Minnesota, didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell with these people. The good news was there was a side gate, into the playground. Amazon had started eBooks, and I haven’t looked back. I’m contacted by a publisher or an agent a couple of times a year, but I’m making more money as an indie writer. and I’m able to keep the rights to all my work, so I can’t see myself changing.
What do you like to do when you’re not writing? I have a great social life with friends and family. I have twelve grandchildren from age twenty-four down to five years old, so there’s always something going on there.
I’ve played bagpipes in the Brian Boru Irish Pipe Band for over thirty years and have great friends in that group. We play gigs in a four-state area, so that keeps me busy.
And, as I mentioned, I have a long-distance marriage, so I’m in Dublin, Ireland, a number of times a year or my wife comes over to the US for a visit. My television is off for three or four weeks at a time. I’m always reading a book in the late evening, usually crime fiction. I find it very enjoyable to read books that, on some level, could be viewed as competition with my work, but oftentimes I’m friends with the authors, and I simply enjoy the read. In the crime fiction genre virtually all the authors I’ve met are more than willing to pass on information as to what has or hasn’t worked for them in the marketing aspect of the biz. They are all encouraging, have great ideas, and tons of stories that we share. I’m truly blessed to work in a business like that.
What does your family think of your writing?
From day one, they have been nothing but supportive. Occasionally they have a suggestion, a story they heard, or even pointing out something that I got wrong.
When I was a grade school ‘student, I think I spent most of those years standing out in the hall. I was the goofball in the classroom. I spent a number of hours in the principal’s office, and my folks, on more than one occasion, had to meet with a teacher. I remember one teacher, a nun, telling the classroom, “We will not have any Michael Faricy’s in this class.” Unfortunately, most, if not all, of those teachers have passed away. I’d like to see them and tell them, “I write books for a living.” Having said that, the only reason I can write books is because, at the end of the day, they were patient enough to hang in there and teach the screwball in the class to read and write.
How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?
Between books and novellas, I’ve written eighty books, and I’m working on number eighty-one at the moment. Add to that thirty box sets, and I’ve been a pretty busy guy. I’m blessed to work at something I love to do. I don’t have a favorite book, I enjoy all of them.
Do you have any suggestions to help me become a better writer? If so, what are they?
My suggestions are pretty simple. Stick to the task. That said, if you are working full time, raising children, maybe you’re pregnant, or caring for an older person, all of that comes into play. Stay at it, even if it’s just thirty minutes a day. We’re all different, so what you hear from others may not fit into your life. That’s okay. Stick to the task. Do not write only when you’re in the mood. You need to work through your mood and work daily, even if it’s just thirty minutes. Write what you enjoy, romance, horror, crime, science fiction, historical, whatever. Once you complete your work, get an editor, preferably more than one. Not family members or friends, although they can help, but get a professional editor. Last but not least, never give up.
Do you hear from your readers much?
What kinds of things do they say? I hear from readers every day. Hopefully, they tell me they like my work. Occasionally, they’ll point out a mistake, which I really appreciate. I can correct the error and upload it in minutes. It might be a misspelling, the color of a car, or anything, but I can fix it.
Once in a while, I’ll get an email from an unhappy individual. I don’t need it. I’m not going to make them happy. I don’t respond, but I will block them.
Ninety-nine percent of the emails or messages I receive are very positive. Occasionally, someone mentions an event or story I’ll consider using. Once every few years, I’ll hear from someone I haven’t seen since we were kids, and they’re always amazed. I’m still here telling stories.
Thank you for your questions. I hope my responses shed some light on the crazy book biz. I offer three or four books for free every couple of weeks in an email.
If anyone is interested, they can subscribe to my mailing list, and I will send them five free books just for subscribing.
Wishing everyone, all the best, and hope you have a wonderful holiday season. Here’s the link to subscribe to my mailing list and get the free books.
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/tgdmme6/mikefaricy Mike’s link to Amazon follows the disclaimer by Amazon – just scroll – I appreciate all the lassitude you give me until my travels through the daily updates in Techno Land stops making changes and stops throwing sand at one another in the playground. Please scroll down – you won’t be disappointed if you visit his author page.
Amazon page https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B004DBU1QA
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