So it’s rare when I have a gentleman visit this blog. I’ve had a few – all of them Wild Rose Press authors, and today that trend continues. Fellow Rose Author, Norm Harris consented to an interview and after it he’s telling us about the process by which he had two of his books made into audiobook offerings.
Here’s the interview first… Norm, take it away.
Norm, The Writer…
1. What drives you to write?
When I get an idea for a story I want to put it down in words shortly after.
2. What genre(s) do you write, and why?
The genres are, women’s fiction, military, thriller, suspense, legal, organized crime, science fiction-time travel, paranormal, and espionage. Why, because I am a veteran, have a legal background, read far too many Ian Fleming books, and have seen every James Bond movie many times.
3. What genre(s) do you read, and why?
Unfortunately, I do not have time to read.
4. What’s your writing schedule? Do you write every day?
The last time I wrote was the summer before last. From the beginning of April until the end of August, I wrote three novels. Then it was every day.
5. Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. Separate room? In the kitchen? At the dining room table?
I have a septate room with a large Tv/monitor. I sit in a deeply padded recliner and try not to fall asleep. I bring up Word and have the keyboard on my lap and type away.
6. Are you the kind of writer who needs total quiet to compose, or are you able to filter out the typical sounds of the day and use your tunnel vision?
Because all of my books are derivatives of the stories told in rock music songs I often have music going on.
7. Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? If not, why not?
Every novel I create is based on the theme of several rock songs. Brandy and Some Velvet Morning were for the Navy/legal thriller Fruit of the Poisonous Tree, End of the Innocence was one of the base song inspirations for the organized crime legal thriller Arid Sea, Sympathy for the Devil for the espionage paranormal thriller The Girl Who Knew Death. To name a few. I using will mention the song somewhere in the novel, but not always.
8. How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current book?
For my current audiobook, The Girl Who Knew Death, the plot developed, in part, as a travel log of my experiences in Cario, Moscow, and Paris. I simply retold the setting. I liked the Tv series Lucifer and the song Sympathy for the Devil, the films Meet Joe Black and Death Takes a Holiday. And I got lucky. For the audio I got one of the Lucifer cast members to narrate it for me.
9. Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why?
Because my books are the Spider Green Mystery Thriller Series the character comes first. I come up with a plot and put my protagonist into the plot.
10. What 3 words describe you, the writer?
Creative, funny, and smart.
Norm, The Person
- Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing!
It would be my dry and warped sense of humor. I am a regular comedy act at work every day.
- Who was your first love and what age were you?
I do not recall. I am going to guess my mom on the day I was born?
- If you could relive one day, which one would it be? Think GROUNDHOG DAY, the movie for this one – you’ll have to live it over and over and….
Perhaps the day my son K-K graduated from law school;. He worked so hard over the years to achieve it. On that day he was so happy and proud of himself it is not a day to forget.
- What’s one thing you love about your significant other?
I don’t have one of those. But I am not opposed to finding one.
- If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it item, what would it be?
The race car I have owned for the past thirty years.
- If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be?
You are so Beautiful.
- If you could hang out with any literary character from any book penned at any timeline, who would it be, why, and what would you do together?
Ian Fleming inspired my books. My protagonist Faydra Green is the female James Bond. I would ask Ian to review one of my books and I would discuss writing with him while sipping martinis…shaken, not stirred; Three measures of Gordon’s, one of vodka, half a measure of Kina Lillet, shake it over ice, add a thin slice of lemon peel.
I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:
- Favorite sound
Cha-ching!
- Least favorite sound
When the garbage truck backs up beep beep beep.
- Best song ever written
Go Your Own Way Fleetwood Mac and Dirty Paws …Of Monsters and Men and Brady…Looking Glass and Sympathy for the Devil…Stones is the best song ever.
- Worst song ever written
It’s so bad I don’t know it.
- Favorite actor and actress
Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper. And John Wayne.
- Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? ( It can be anyone living or dead)
Biden so I could straighten out some of the things he has screwed up.
- What turns you on?
Snickerdoodles
- What turns you off?
Idiot drivers
- Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date ( here’s mine: “Is that your real hair?”)
“Pick me up at the halfway house.”
- What’s your version of a perfect day?
A day when I make it start to finish without a problem occurring.
Audiobook production:
The production of the audiobooks were easier and faster than writing the novels they were produced from. I self-produced Deception Pass and The Girl Who Knew Death using ACX and the Audible/Amazon option. The process included first choosing a contract/royalty option with ADX. Next, a short excerpt is submitted for auditions. Once the auditions are received a narrator is selected. A contract between the producer and narrator is agreed and signed. The narrator’s fees have been agreed upon. I chose a royalty split and an hourly fee for narration. The narrating fee is hourly. It is arrived at by dividing 9,300 into the total manuscript words. If the narrator is charging $100 per hour then the resulting narration fee is the result.
The narrator next delivers a 15-minute sample. When approved, the production begins. When finished, I review the total audio and if satisfied I sign off and the narrator is paid. Amazon and Audible review and approve the audio for sale. Both create a web sales site. Because my e-books and paperbacks had Amazon sales pages the audio was added.
This is a very simple process. One that is much faster than the creation of a novel.
Buy links: amazon
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/norm.harris.3386
Norm comes from a family of authors and publishers. In 1830 Great grandfather, several times removed, Martin Harris published the first printing of “Book of Mormon.” Later Norm’s son K-K wrote “Drones-Proposed Standards of Liability”, published by the Santa Clara High Technology Law Journal.
With writing and publishing in his veins, Norm created a fictional Spider Green Mystery Thriller Series in both print and audio-book versions. Norm Harris’ first novel debuted on an Amazon bestseller list over ten years ago. It was a one-and-done, but he returned to writing two years ago with a plan to publish the mystery/thriller of days gone by.
Except for time spent in military service, he is a second-generation Seattleite (that’s what they call those who dwell in the shadow of Mt. Rainier), with his legal beagle son, K-K, and five giant tropical fish. Norm’s stories spring from his memories of people who he has met and the places he has visited as he traveled the world. Diversity, inclusion, and equality are foremost in each story.
“Fay is an admirable, tough, brilliant protagonist.” said one reviewer. Said another, “Lt Commander Faydra Green … is a “take no prisoners” protagonist…” While Norm’s agent suggested protagonist Faydra Green reminded her of James Bond.
Thank you for listening and reading and if you enjoyed the stories please consider leaving a review!
Peggy Jaeger, Author 