Author Interview: Kenneth Strange

How would you describe the type of books/genre you write?

I would describe my first book, It’s Your Camino: One Couple’s 500-mile Pilgrimage Across Spain as a hybrid travel/religious genre. There is some history contained within and it just may whet my appetite for another go at a book about Spain, possibly a memoir, possibly a fiction involving the Knights Templar.

What motivated you to start writing?

I have been writing since I was a child in Brooklyn, New York. My refuge was a small public library on Flatbush Avenue where I discovered the science fiction of Ray Bradbury and Issac Asimov. I devoured all their works and began writing my own science fiction stories. I enjoyed writing so much I began working on school newspapers from elementary to graduate school and then began writing travel articles for local newspapers.

When I worked in Saudi Arabia, I found an English language newspaper, run by Peter Theroux (brother of travel writer author Paul Theroux), the Saudi Gazette, and wrote for that paper. I love traveling, have been to almost 70 countries and am inspired to write what I see.

Tell us the journey you went on to get your books published (e.g. direct on your website, self-published, assisted-publishing, traditional publisher)

Yes, it’s been a journey to publish the book. I had dreamed about being an author all my life when, a few short years ago, my wife handed me a book written by a Saudi Arabian (Saudi) airline stewardess describing her life in Saudi Arabia during the 1980s. The book was self-published and, while I found her story interesting, it dawned on me I could write something just as interesting.

Then a former FBI agent friend showed me two books he had self-published on Amazon. That was the final impetus. I cast about for a publishing company to assist me with self publishing eventually finding Elite Authors in South Carolina. For the price and quality of work, I was extremely satisfied with their services. I also re-connected with my elementary school friend from Brooklyn, Con Sweeney, who is now a social media expert working with authors. No pun intended but we are often on the same page about my self-marketing efforts. We also found a website designer who, for a modest price, created a pleasing author website.

What publishing elements do you most enjoy and most like to avoid, and why? (e.g. design, marketing, formatting etc.)

The publishers handled the design, formatting and proofing although they gave my wife and I visibility to what they were doing and showing us the drafts. I’d just as soon delegate that work to them since they seem to know what they are doing.

I rather enjoy marketing the book which plays to my strength as a ‘people person’–I enjoy the selling aspect, meeting new people and telling my story at organized events. With my job, I am able to travel and meet with bookshop managers to promote the book. For example, next week I have appointments in Washington, DC and Sao Paolo, Brazil. People pick up on the enthusiasm and passion and sometimes purchase the book on the spot. That’s a great feeling when it happens.

With the hindsight of being a published author, anything you would have done differently?

The temptation for a new author, at least in my case, was to rush through the self-publishing process. In hindsight, I would have spent a little more time proofing the final version–I caught a few typos after the book was published and needed to go back and make those corrections. Other than that, no regrets. The process of publishing a book has been a wonderful education and introduced me to a completely new circle of colleagues. It’s been fascinating run…and fun!

What tips or advice would you give an aspiring indie author who is looking to self-publish?

With the one book under my belt, I don’t know if I am the person to ask, but I would not hesitate to jump right in to the process. I quickly learned to solicit advice from other authors, both new and experienced. That was hugely helpful to me. I joined two writer’s groups. These writers provided constructive criticism of my stories which was instructive. One author/screenwriter mentioned he was familiar with the subject matter in my book (he, too, had completed a Camino in Spain) and gave me solid advice which I took to heart. I felt the advice improved the book. In summary, don’t be shy, roll up the sleeves and get on with it! It’s a learning process.

What marketing or promotional tools or techniques do you use to reach your readers?

My social media consultant needed to drag me into the 21st century–he enrolled me in the social media channels. We went back through my life and pulled email addresses from all my classmates (think class reunions) family, friends and work colleagues until we compiled a robust list for Mailchimp so we could blast out the news of a new book. That was hard work but it paid off. We also created an author website, author cards and embarked upon scheduling a tour of local Rotaries and other clubs, libraries, church groups, in short anyone willing to listen to our Camino story and the book.

What impact do you want your books to have on your readers?

I want the reader to feel like he or she has been on the Camino, has experienced the joy and the pain, the beauty and the weather and everything in between. I am hoping some will be inspired by this story and embark on their own Camino. So far, I am receiving positive feedback. Two groups have recently asked me to guide them on their Camino in Spain. It is a very tempting offer!

What’s your book’s elevator pitch or key selling points?

I think the actor, Martin Sheen said it best in his blurb for the book calling the journey “…physically challenging, spiritually satisfying and endlessly joyful adventure.” If you are looking for travel, adventure and spirituality, then “It’s Your Camino” is a must read!

What’s next on your writing journey?

While writing “It’s Your Camino,” I completed an FBI memoir “From Silence of the Lambs to the Castro Brothers” which describes my experiences on the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) in the late 1980s and early 1990s taking the reader from the FBI Academy and introducing them to some of the most dangerous terrorist groups in the world. My social media expert has advised me not to roll it out quite yet until “It’s Your Camino” has had a chance to run its course. Plus, he doesn’t want the readers to be confused about genres. I am also writing a memoir on my 1980s experiences with the Royal Family in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

About the Author

Kenneth R. Strange Jr. (1955- ) was born in Brooklyn, New York. He spent a Junior Year abroad in Spain studying at the University of Madrid, Facultad de Letras y Filosofia. Ken later taught high school Spanish and English as a Second Language in New York and the Middle East.

Following in the law enforcement career shoes of his father, a high ranking officer of the NYPD, Ken served as Special Agent with the FBI and DOJ OIG in Newark, NJ, Washington DC, El Paso, TX and Los Angeles, California. A lifelong writer, Ken is also a Private Investigator and works as an overseas consultant for NGOs and non-profit organizations. He and his wife, Aurora, have climbed the highest mountain in the contiguous United States, Mount Whitney (14, 505 feet); Ken has also summited the fourth highest peak in Mexico, Nevado de Toluca (15,350 feet).

“Being kissed by author Ray Bradbury at a book signing event in Los Angeles was one of the great highlights of my life. I told him (Bradbury) he was my childhood favorite and that I spent hours on end at the public library reading his works. Tears welled up in his eyes and he kissed me. What a blessing!”

Connect with Kenneth:

• Website: www.kennethstrange.com
• Via LinkedIn: @kenstrangejr
• Via Facebook: @kenneth.strange.14
• Via Twitter: @strangetemplars