An Interview with Stan Tremblay, Assist. Publisher at Variance Press

We became friends with Stan on Facebook and found him to be so entertaining and knowledgeable, that we wanted to interview him so that all you guys could get to know him as well. Here is that interview.

WW - Tell us how you got started with Variance Publishing and Find The Axis Design, and what your typical day is like.

ST - . I got started at Variance when the company came to being in 2008 and they needed someone who was moldable and had some graphics experience. When they noticed that I was a Jack-of-all-trades going to school for web design, my skill set fit the bill. I knew that when I started it was going to be a great experience that I couldn’t pass up if I got the opportunity. From there, I took on more responsibility and worked my way up to where I am today doing all facets of the pre-production side of Variance… well except for editing - I leave that to the professionals.
Because of what I did with Variance and the experience I had gained in the pre-production side of publishing, Jeremy Robinson invited me along to help him out doing interiors for jobs he gained through friends and clients that went to his site and found that he produced titles. We decided that we had something going for us and it is a great way to really help the industry, and authors, get top-quality looking titles equal to or better than what has come from many big publishing houses. He thought it would be best to branch out from his website and create a brand, so that’s when FindTheAxis came to see the light of day. A short time later when Jeremy decided to focus on his writing, he all but stopped doing covers, so I started to take over all but a few of the clients coming to us for help.

A typical day… hmm, that really can vary. It typically starts at 630, getting my son ready for school. After wife and Mini-me leave, I head up to my office and begin the day with emails, Google Alerts and any overnight Facebook/Twitter contact. I then go onto whatever is necessary to be done - interior work, cover design, website maintenance - for Variance to be as successful as I can make it. I usually mix in a bunch of social networking as well, making contact with A-list authors and bloggers who may be interested in reading our titles and reviewing them, as well as working alongside the current stable of authors to promote their work both in and out of Variance’s hands. I’ve also been known to do online tutorials to hone my craft to make better covers and give myself ideas for interior art and layout.

I usually stop around 430 to get ready for my family to return home to eat dinner with them and spend a few hours enjoying the togetherness. Depending on my workload, I’ll restart my day with FindTheAxis stuff between 730-9 until I crash, or make myself stop because I know I need to get to bed… though I know my head is hopping with ideas from the day and it will take a miracle to calm down. I’m also in process of redesigning our website and have come up with a new logo that I plan on using regularly, here’s a sneak peek.

WW - What would you say is the best part of your day at work?

ST - I’d say it’s toss-up between helping authors achieve their goals, and feeling accomplished with a quality design that makes everyone satisfied and come back for more.

WW - What does Stan do for fun besides make us laugh on Facebook?


ST - Spending time with my family is a big part of my life, being a non-existent father-figure or husband is not in my vocabulary. I also like to, in no particular order, go to BN and peruse the interior/cover designs while sipping an iced Salted Caramel Mocha, practice my graphic arts skills, PC gaming, read an adrenaline-rushing thriller, and getting a beer or other tasty beverage with the boys.

WW - Please tell us more about your personal writing experience and what you like to write most (your favorite writing genre).

ST - Personally, I don’t write, and while people have told me that I should I just don’t make the time for it right now with everything else I pack into my schedule. My favorite genre to read is certainly Science Thrillers, Speculative Fiction, Creature-features, and Action/Adventure - fast-paced!

WW - Can you tell us who’s work you read most and why?

ST - I’m definitely a huge Jeremy Robinson fan - not because I’ve known him for nearly 20 years, not because I’m a lead character in his Jack Sigler/Chess Team series, but because he knows how to write! He grabs my attention and doesn’t let go until I’m out of breath. They are fast-paced, have lots of scientific craziness, and most have creatures that he ties in seamlessly with modern-day situations and landscapes. The first book I read of his was Antarktos Rising, if you’ve not read it I don’t want to ruin it for you, but I highly recommend it! Sure, some of it may be far-fetched, but leave that portion of your brain at the door and hang on for a crazy, fun adventure.

WW - If you were going to choose another profession, what would it be?

ST - That would probably have to be a Chemistry teacher. I had two in particular who I looked up to very much and reflect back on fondly as two of my favorite educators. There is nothing more important in my mind than a teacher who can connect with their students, get them thinking and learning, and inspire them to reach for more than ‘average’, which they did in me.

WW - Tell us, how hard is it to get a manuscript accepted by Variance and how many authors do you guys publish at present?

ST - Well, we certainly don’t let everyone in. With all of the great talent out there who is yet to be discovered, there is a lot of competition for authors to have to shine above. I would say it is anywhere from 5-10 authors per year at this point, but we are looking to provide a home for more as we grow without a doubt, and currently have 20 authors with published titles through us.

WW - Give us an idea about your feelings on self-publishing—good or bad, and please be honest.

ST - It is all in how it is accomplished, plain and simple. I think that self-publishing can be a very good thing when it is taken seriously and done as a real business proposition. That means after you write it and proof it through friends… you don’t stop, but take it to the next level and hire an editor - one with a proven track record (or at the very least, an English graduate looking for extra credit while pursuing further literary education), get a professional layout so people will want to read - both because it is a good story and because it is legible and does not cause eye-strain, and finally, getting a professional cover that rivals what you would find coming out of a big 6 publishing house. Are you going to drop some money? Of course, but you will have something that people will take a look at and not bypass because it looks amateur. You will have a better chance at landing an agent, getting high sales, and ultimately getting that feeling of accomplishment. Want to know my thoughts on why I think there is such a stigma in self-publishing and POD? It’s due to people taking shortcuts when creating a final product - don’t do it, break the stigma… hey no one said it was going to be easy! But, it will be worth it.

WW - What is the most difficult part of being in the publishing business?

ST - It can be very difficult to meet author’s standards sometimes, especially when it comes to cover design. I really wish that I was an accomplished illustrator, one that can create something from nothing with a pencil and paper, and bring that into something like Photoshop and hit the design out of the park. Unfortunately, I’m at the mercy of the photos that I have access to. Always come to the table with a few ideas, and if a scene can’t be recreated thought-for-thought on the cover it won’t kill your book. As long as you aren’t out-right lying to them and the image is engaging, readers won’t think twice about the fact that they didn’t see it in the reading.

WW - Where do you think the future of publishing is really heading?

ST - That is an amazing question… and if I knew I’d probably play Powerball too! I think it is all up to where publishing houses want to go and how they interact with authors. Mainstream publishing houses have some great perks that the indies don’t get, and this isn’t a woe-is-me moment, it’s the cold hard truth. They get more money coming in because they can charge more and get higher royalty-rates from the distributors. For example, they are able to put their books up for $14.99 and still get that 70% royalty rate where independents like you and I (publisher or not) can only get that up to $9.99. They are more readily available to get support from the book stores, like face-out shelf space, media blasts, and the like. Last point here, many authors are fed up with feeling out of the loop (we are partners after all and ultimately we both want to see success of the title), and not getting their fair cut when all is said and done, a cause and effect reason for so many moving to the self-publishing market who will end up making much more through ebooks never having to cut their royalty with a publisher, and getting to provide more input on the final output.

And that brings us to the other million-dollar question: e-books. Where are e-books going? Where will they take us? At the 2010 Thrillerfest conference, it was thought by industry professionals that e-books would reach a 50% market share within five years. I disagreed, I thought within one- to two-years… and sure enough before Summer 2011 hit we saw a 51% market share. I think books will always be here, no doubt. But I think that with the crazy drop in prices - even for color tablets - it is opening up the market to people who can’t afford the $25 hardcover. By the fourth one, the e-reader has paid for itself and then some. Do I think that this could be the downfall of the bookstore? Maybe, if they don’t grow and change like the rest of everything mutating and trying to find its way. What about libraries? No, libraries will always be around… at least I hope. There is more to a library than just books. It is a multi-faceted location for learning, for community relations, for family building. E-books are going to be what you make of them, but mark my words, they won’t wait for you to jump on board, this train isn’t stopping anytime soon.

WW - Anything else you’d like to tell our readers about yourself, your work or whatever?

ST - Thank you for having me on your blog. The opportunity is so greatly appreciated!
There are a few places you can find me, and hope you come say hello:

• Variance’s ThrillerBlog, Facebook Page, Twitter
• FindTheAxis Blog, Facebook Page, Twitter

You can also come find my directly on Facebook and join in the jolly fun.
Lastly, thanks to all of you who have read the post. I look forward to making contact with you, both here and everywhere else we cross paths.

An Interview With Author Scott Nicholson

We asked Scott Nicholson if he would allow us to ask him a few questions about his writing and he was happy to talk to us. Enjoy!

1. Where did you get the idea for your book, The Skull Ring?

I’d done some research on False Recovered Memory and Satanic Ritual Abuse, and while “Satanic Panic” was largely a phenomenon of the early 1990s, I figured the belief in Satan never went out of style. But it’s more about the psychological battles we fright instead of the larger Good versus Evil.

2. Do you have a favorite author? Book?

It changes from time to time, but I’ve probably read “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” “The Old Man and the Sea,” and Ira Levin’s “This Perfect Day” more times than any other books. Generally I like Stephen King and William Goldman and Dean Koontz.

3. We know you used to go the traditional publishing route. What was the major influence that made you decide to become an e-pubber?

Equal parts inspiration and desperation. I was still writing steadily but my market prospects seemed to grow ever bleaker, and I felt I was a better writer. I got the rights back to a couple of books and decided to put them out as e-books and maybe pay the light bill. A year later, it was my job.

4. How long does it usually take for you to produce a book from concept to completion?

I find that four months is a good gestation period, with a month or two for revision. I had a stack of books saved up but I’ll probably be releasing about three or four new novels a year from here on out.

5. What is the best writing advice you’ve ever received? You’ve ever given?

The best writing advice was Bentley Little’s “Keep your head down and write.” But that’s harder to do these days when we have such great opportunities to connect with readers and one another. My advice gets worse and worse every day but in general I say “Be prepared to change your mind and get better.”

6. You have written a ton of books…which one was the most difficult and why?

Probably “Disintegration” because I was purging some of my own psychological junk. I was my own evil twin when I wrote it, so all that came out in the mix.

7. We understand you just signed a two-book deal with Amazon’s imprint Thomas & Mercer. First of all, congratulations. What makes them different from other publishers?

Thanks, I’m delighted. We all see what is happening to bookstores at the same time that e-books are exploding. Amazon has more data on book consumers than anyone at any time in history. I fully expect they will be the biggest publisher on the planet by 2014, if not sooner. They’ve been the leader at every turn of the digital book era, and I am happy to be part of this new venture. “Liquid Fear” and its sequel “Chronic Fear” will be released on Dec. 20, so I hope there are a lot of Kindles in those stockings this year!

8. With so many writers taking the self-publishing route versus traditional publishing, what can a writer do to separate themselves from the pack?

Be more like yourself. That immediately moves you out of the pack. Avoid the pack.

9. Can you tell us of any newcomers to the writing world who have captured your attention?

I have way too many friends writing to go into a list, because I wouldn’t want to inadvertently leave anyone out. Let’s just say I’m very impressed by the diversity of talent that has been artificially suppressed by the traditional publishing system, even though the system could only function with a very narrow gate.

10. Bookstores are closing left and right, but e-book sales are soaring…where do you see the industry in 5 years?

People hate me when I say this but I see 99 cents as the standard price for most e-books, edging toward free with sponsorships. In the same way you sit through a 15-second ad to see your favorite rock video, you will have to flip through ads or tolerate product placement inside the story, but it will be a fair exchange. This isn’t just theory. Amazon already has its ad-sponsored Kindles at a lower cost. It’s just a question of where, when, and how, not “if.”

11. Do you think people will read less with fewer bookstores around or is reading coming back to the limelight because it’s so much more convenient to buy book online?

I resent the whole notion that somehow we’re getting dumber as a nation just because we don’t want to spend $5 in gas and an hour of our time to pay $30 for a book when we can get the same book or its equal for $2.99 with one click, delivered right to our fingertips. This is the Golden Age of communication and literature. Virtually unlimited access to almost anything you want. I can’t see a downside to it, unless you happen to own a bookstore.

12. You’re stranded for the rest of your days on a remote island, what three things would you bring with you?

My wife, my daughter, and her puppy. If you mean “material goods,” I will go with a fishing pole, an ax, and a lighter.

13. If you could chat with any author, dead or alive (although the dead ones may be harder to talk to) who would it be and what would be your first question for them?

Mark Twain, and the question “So, is the devil everything you thought he would be?”

14. There are a lot of authors out there, us included, who look to the Scott Nicholsons, JA Konraths & John Lockes of the literary world for not only inspiration, but for information. Any pearls of wisdom?

Be prepared for change. Stay open-minded. And always give only your best. Don’t assume the other person is right, or that someone knows more than you do. Take chances.

15. What is the one thing no writer should be without?

Faith. There’s a weird place where goals and dreams intersect. Go there.


Thanks so much, Scott. We really appreciate you taking the time out of your day to stop by and answer some questions for us!!