My interview with Eric Olson of 21Alive's "21 Country" segment went pretty well, other than that TV cameras are really good at picking up bald spots. Here's the link:
https://www.21alivenews.com/2023/10/26/21country-haunted-noble-county/
Thanks to Eric, who's interviewed me three times now since I first got published in 2011. (I believe the last time was 2017.) I didn't think about it when he contacted me, but interviewing someone writing a book called "Haunted Noble County" pretty well fits in with the season, doesn't it?
Now I have to write the darned thing.
I'm actually progressing well on the research, and I've written some of the text. I'm running behind on going out to actually talk to people due to some ongoing time and health issues, but catching up is my middle name. (My middle name is actually Ketchup. Long story.)
Remember, not reading can lead to your being haunted by a dead author. They smell like ink and desperation.
I was interviewed Friday by Eric Olson of Fort Wayne's 21Alive News (He's the 21Country Reporter), and he says it will come out this Wednesday, October 25th. Now, I don't know if that means morning, noon, evening news, 2 a.m news break ... or if some horrific thing will cause it to be rescheduled. Eric doesn't think so, but the last time he interviewed me it didn't air on the scheduled date. Fingers crossed! Here's some info about him:
https://www.21alivenews.com/authors/EricOlson/
This is the third interview he's done with me, and the fourth TV interview I've ever done. This time it was not about our books, but our book to be: Haunted Noble County, Indiana. I'll put up a link to the interview when it goes up online. As for how it went, I have confidence in Eric's ability to edit out my throat clearings and verbal face plants.
He interviewed me at home, and also took some video footage at Albion's Rose Hill Cemetery, which I told him has some history of hauntings, and the Old Noble County Jail Museum, which I told him looks like it should, but doesn't.
The above photo shows him in action at the cemetery, while the below photo gives us a glimpse of the Old Jail as taken from the cemetery.
We cleaned up the office for this. Seriously, check this out:
 |
| This is where Emily's editing/cover design/formatting/correcting my screw-ups happens. |
 |
| And this is where I do a lot of my research work, although the actual writing often happens on the living room couch. The wallpaper pre-dates my ownership of the house. (So does the carpet.) |
Remember, whenever you don't buy a book, a stack of manuscripts start to build up on writing desks. Save our sanity.
There's a new interview of me up on a website called Canvas Rebel:
canvasrebel.com/meet-mark-r-hunter/It's basically an online magazine covering business, arts, and various creative types. Their main page is at https://canvasrebel.com/, where you can check out all the people who make me look like a slacker. It was a fun interview, although looking back at it I'm not sure my answers were more than indirectly related to the questions. I've been known to go off on tangents.
I just noticed, the opening calls me brilliant and insightful. It just goes to show how good I am at faking it.
I promised that if I sell a hundred copies by the end of summer I'd recite one of my own poems and post it to the internet. This is not necessarily an encouragement, so remember that if I sell a thousand copies, I promise NOT to recite one of my poems. I mean, I wouldn't know iambic if it kicked me in the pentameter.
The good news is, if a thousand copies sell by the end of summer I promise not to read poetry aloud. So get the word out.I'll remind you again at the beginning of the month, 'cause that's what I do.
Wow, this has turned out to be a link-based blog. Well, then, I'll say goodbye with some links to my various online stuff. Some of them, anyway:
Here's the interview!
(So you won't be confused like I was, Arts in Focus is a half hour long show with two fifteen minute segments, and I was in the second segment. Not that the first one wasn't interesting, but I forgot--and panicked when the show started with someone else.)
https://vimeo.com/340742147?fbclid=IwAR1SldahLEq1E73IzOYvGM5T5Nce-9gvFuAGDoZ5qfIQhgu4jRpsMWQRc0Q
Tell all your friends! And enemies. Heck, tell everybody.
Overall, I think it went pretty well ... could have smiled more, but I was too busy trying to think. Naturally, we really hope this interests people in checking out our books.
Find all of our books at:
I got confirmation that the PBS interview with me will air tonight at 7:30 p.m. Indiana time, on PBS39's Arts In Focus program. That should be channels 13 and 713 on Mediacom here in Albion. In addition, there will be a repeat airing on Explorer Sunday, 10:30 p.m. Sunday on channels 39 and 39.4.
The link to the episode should be up on the PBS39 Facebook page Friday:
https://www.facebook.com/PBS39FtWayne/
Thanks to Production Assistant Lizzie Britner for providing me with that information. I'm working some overtime the next few days (If you watch the first airing, you'll probably see this before I do), but as soon as I have time I'll put the direct link to the episode up on my own social media. Hope it goes well!
Hey, guess what? Actually, the headline kind of spoiled it: My interview with the Fort Wayne TV station, WFWA PBS39, will air Thursday, June 6th. Their Arts In Focus webpage is here:
https://video.wfwa.org/show/wfwa-arts-focus/
Their schedule is also up on that page: Looks like it's going to air at 7:30 p.m. Indiana time, on channel 39.1 ... but TV Guide has it at 6:30 p.m. on Mediacom's PBS channel 713. Um ... check your local listings?
Well, if you miss it or don't live nearby, I'll put up the link when the interview is posted on their website. I hope many people will be able to watch it when it airs, though.
We're very excited. Of course, "excited" can be both good and bad because, after all, I haven't seen the actual interview, myself. How will it be edited? Will they use any of the photos I sent them? Did I have a nervous tic nobody caught that can't be edited out?
I've never considered myself a good public speaker--heck, that's one reason why I took up writing, to begin with. But if it is a disaster, I can comfort myself with the knowledge that watching disasters unford is exactly what attracts many people to their favorite shows, anyway.
Find all of our books at:
http://markrhunter.com/
https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0058CL6OO
Got a haircut. Trimmed my beard. Died my beard. Yeah, I'm as ready as I can get.
I'm going to be on TV! Specifically a program called Arts In Focus, which airs on PBS39 in Fort Wayne. Here's a link to their previous Arts In Focus profiles:
http://wfwa.org/local-shows/arts-in-focus/
They contacted me after I sent out a press release about Coming Attractions, and said they'd heard a lot about my books. I took that to mean they got all my previous press releases. 😃
So far as I can tell I'll be their first author interviewed, which means I'll also be their least photogenic subject. I've been watching other episodes, where they've featured photographers, painters, dancers, woodworkers, glass artists, and confectionary artists--which I learned means making yummy sweets that also look good. Often the subjects are shown producing their art, which is really cool.
I'm going to ... talk. Or maybe they'll film me typing and reading, as Eric Olson did over on ABC21. Yes, writing is an art, but unlike those other arts, it's not a spectator sport. So we'll see how it goes ... maybe between now and then I can come up with an interpretive writer's dance?
|
Eric thought reading my own book is so much fun to watch! |
I sent out a press release about seeking photos for our new book--and ended up on the front page of the Living Section in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette:
http://www.journalgazette.net/features/20190124/no-extinguishing-albion-authors-fire
The funny thing is, after an interview with J-G author Blake Sebring, the article ended up not being about that specific project at all! Instead, he did a general profile of Emily and me, and our writing careers. Thanks to Blake, who did a great job.
The only thing I'd add is that our contact information didn't end up in the article. Emily just finished updating our website, which now includes order information for the newest novel, Coming Attractions:
All our books can be ordered from our book page there, or look us up at all the usual places, including amazon at
There's going to be a feature about Emily and me in the Thursday issue of the Fort Wayne newspaper, The Journal Gazette. (Assuming some big news event doesn't kick it down the road, of course.) I'd sent them a press release about the Albion Fire Department photo book project we're working on, and they interviewed us last week. It should be out in both their print and online additions, and the latter is here:
http://www.journalgazette.net/
After I sent the press release I talked to a reporter who interviewed me for over an hour, so I take it the article will be about more than just that particular project. We're looking forward to it--I hope you enjoy it too!
Hey, the interview with me is up at KPC News!
This is from the Albion New Era. KPC owns many of the newspapers in the area, but I don't know how many others this will be in, if any. However, the link to the interview online is here:
http://kpcnews.com/news/latest/new_era/article_f2535b22-10e0-5e29-bec7-79fbc7441c10.html
There you can see a color version of the sweater that Emily hates so much, which means I hate it too and does anyone want a free sweater?While hauling stuff out for spring cleanup I ran into a reporter right in front of my home--camped out, no doubt, hoping for a good quote, or a photo of me with my hair in curlers. (Just kidding: The newspaper office is just down the street, and the rest of town is just up the street.)
The next day he stopped at the house for an interview and we had a nice, hour and a half long talk about all aspects of writing and publishing, and I got to show off Radio Red as well as our other books. I also pimped our upcoming appearance at the Avilla Freedom Festivals, of course. But I don't know what all will make it into his article--I'm sure he has only so much space, and we covered a lot of territory. Turns out I love to talk about writing, go figure.
I'll let you know when it comes out! Meanwhile, as usual, check out all our books at www.markrhunter.com, or stop by here for the latest.
“Local Author (That’s me!) Follows the Story”—in which I talk to Eric Olson about planning, not giving up your day job, and the Klan. Oh, and writing.
(Just don’t forget if you search for me online to put in my middle initial, so Mark R Hunter. Otherwise you’ll end up reading about British politicians, Olympic rowers, Hollywood photographers, or dead people.)
So, the TV interview happened. We (Emily, the dog, and I) spent about an hour with Eric Olson of ABC21, which used to be 21Alive, which in my mind was a way better name. Bae was a little taken aback by the camera setup, and by the fact that Eric smelled like cats (according to Eric--I didn't notice it). But once the dog got used to him, Bae wanted nothing more than to be underfoot as much as possible.
Eric interviewed me after my first book was published, all the way back in 2011, so I had a pretty good idea what to expect. I don't consider myself a good interview--one of the reasons I write is to avoid talking--but I have confidence in his editing ability, so I'm sure he'll cut out of the worst of my verbal pratfalls.
The interview will be one of the 21 Country segments, which air during the 5:30 p.m. news segment on ABC21 Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. That's as close as I can come to telling you when it'll be on--but it should be online the next day, at which point I'll post a link to it.
I'm coming close to being one of the most famous living authors presently writing in southwest Albion.
 |
| "Say, I haven't read this book since proofreading six month ago ... it isn't half bad!" If you look carefully, you can see Bae investigating down at the bottom right. |
We got our print copies of Radio Red in, and already sent the first two copies to some of our biggest fans: Phil and Cindy Jacob (Phil's on the fire department) and Emily's mom. Since we've reduced the price by a couple of bucks on the website at www.markrhunter.com, that's also the price for anyone who drops by for a copy. (Or we can deliver, if you're close and/or have an extra room at a great vacation spot.)
Meanwhile, Eric Olson of ABC21 is dropping by the house Thursday morning for an interview. Naturally, this triggers a day of tidying up, also known as panic cleaning. So if you stop by my house--don't open any closet doors.
Apparently the interview with me ran on 93.1 WIBC: Early yesterday I received a small flurry of book orders through the website, and at the same time my Amazon author ranking suddenly jumped to higher than it’s been since February, 2014. (And no, I have no idea what happened in February, 2014.)
It just goes to show: You never know when your promotion efforts are going to pay off. And I still don’t know. When a media outlet receives a press release, is it picked up, as in this case, by someone with an interest in history, humor, and trivia? Or does my e-mail get opened the next day by someone whose girlfriend just broke up with them? Who saw the title Hoosier Hysterical just after being called “hysterical” by that very same girlfriend? Who finds subtitles offensive? Holy cow—all my non-fiction works have a subtitle! I might as well call my next book Kiss of Death: How Subtitles Ruined My Writing Career.
I can always find a way to turn good news into paralyzing fear.
That’s why I do book signings, even though the time put into planning and promotion doesn’t usually match the income: You never know what it will lead to. One person hears about it even if they don’t attend; they tell a friend who’s into that kind of writing; they buy a book, then another that they give to their friend, who just happens to be the cousin of a New York book editor; and bam! Six figure contract.
It could happen.
Plus, it’s fun to meet people, even if it’s people you already know. But that brings me full circle, because if people don’t know about the book signing … well, there you go. That’s why I say things like “Come to the Noble Art Gallery in Albion, this Saturday between 1-5 p.m.!” It’s not because I want to annoy you. It’s to open up the possibilities.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
