Welcome to Part 2 of our interview with the Jonathan Rosen, author of the funny/scary middle grade series that debuted in August 2017 with the Night of the Living Cuddle Bunnies.
Congratulations on the publication of Night of the Living Cuddle Bunnies and the sequel, From Sunset till Sunrise! And Welcome to Game of Books!
Thanks so much for having me!
We love your books and had as much fun reading them as the younger readers in our lives (perfect gifts for those hard to pick 8-12 year olds).
Your website, http://www.houseofrosen.com is perfectly geared to middle grade reader and full of humor. When did you launch your website and what are your thoughts about an online presence?
My website was launched just prior to the release of Night of the Living Cuddle Bunnies. I do think it’s important to have an online presence, but with moderation. You can’t come on all the time and basically say, “But my book!” or tout how great you’re doing. People get tired of it. I know I do when I see writers doing that, and to an extent, I dread doing it for myself. You have to mix things up. Tout others. Talk about anything other than my books. Just interact and be involved. Talk about writing, without talking about yourself.
Can you tell us a little about the marketing process after publication? Is there anything about it that surprised you?
How much I hate doing it? This is a little like the previous question, but I know it’s a necessary evil. I cringe whenever I have to push myself or my books. I try to do it as quick and painless as possible, and even in a funny way, but I hate doing it. Still, it is necessary, since most authors don’t get much support from their publishing houses, so it’s left up to them to promote themselves. That is the primary answer to your question, just how much is left up to the author to promote themselves.
I noticed that you had a little foreshadowing at the end of the first book to what Devin’s next adventure might be. Did you always plan a series and have a plot for the next book planned?
You can’t plan on a series, since you never know how things will go, or if your publisher even wants a sequel. Still, I had loved the story and characters and left it open for the possibility of a sequel. If it didn’t happen, the ending would be good for a standalone, but still be there in case a sequel was wanted. I didn’t think that far ahead for what a sequel would be, but thought it funny to hint at vampires. That was the original ending. So, when Sky Pony said they wanted a sequel, we discussed many ways the sequel could go, but ultimately, they decided on vampires as well, so we left the original alone. Night of the Living Cuddle Bunnies was barely out, when we discussed the From Sunset Till Sunrise and how soon they would need it.
How can readers connect with you and buy your book?
I’m pretty much all over social media. Twitter and Instagram I’m @Houseofrosen and Facebook, I’m at https://www.facebook.com/JRosen18
If a newbie writer were to ask you the best and worst aspects about the writing process, draft to publication, what would you want to share?
The best is losing yourself in your story. That’s why I write. To escape and immerse myself in my creativity. And the ultimate best, is to see your name on a cover in a bookstore or library.
The worst is the self-doubt. That’ll always be there. Whether you can do it, or if you get a bad review. You just need to get over that hurdle and believe in yourself.
Comments are closed.