Today’s interview is with Chris Mason, a children’s book and resource book author. I previously reviewed his Willie and Company Series which he talks about below. Also discussed is his experience in the self-publishing industry, the authors who inspire him, and his aspiration to own a book store one day.
About the author
Author Name: Chris Mason
Book Titles: P is for Phoenix, Ten Terrific Monsters and Researcher in a Box
Genres: My books generally fall into three genres: children’s books, coloring books, Internet resource guides
Links to buy: My books are available on most platforms. Most of the children’s books have an audio track to help early readers follow along.
Walmart (starting with book #3 on the list)
P is for Phoenix: An ABC Book of Legendary and Mythological Creatures
Ten Terrific Monsters: A Hidden Item Book
Researcher in a Box
Social media/blog links
Zazzle (my Zazzle store is where you can pick up clothes and other swag)
Book summaries
P is for Phoenix
P is for Phoenix: An ABC Book of Legendary and Mythological Creatures is an ABC for the child that lives in all of us. Come learn a little more about those mythological creatures that have been part of many cultures over the centuries. Some creatures you will meet include:
A is for Angel
J is for Jinn
P is for Phoenix
R is for Raven
S is for Sandman
Z is for Zombie
Did your favorite mythological creature make the list? Pick up your copy today and find out.
Ten Terrific Monsters
Join Willie the wolf and the nine other monsters he met in the unemployment line and see all the things they did after they left the line in this hidden item book. Ten Terrific Monsters features over one hundred items to look for in ten different scenes. Children and adults alike will enjoy all the hidden items found within these pages.
Researcher in a Box
Researcher in a Box: A Guide for Students Both Young and Old on How to Research and Write a Well Thought Out Paper is a short concise guide to help all students write better research papers. The book covers the following topics:
Types of Research Papers
Parts of a research paper
Research paper layout.
Bias
Context of Time
What Google is hiding.
The value of Wikipedia
The Treasure trove of resources libraries have
Book excerpts and reviews
P is for Phoenix
The Phoenix is a bird born from fire. Through its life, it flies reaching ever greater heights. Some myths say the Phoenix will live 14 centuries and a day. Then, like the sun from which it once came, the Phoenix starts to catch fire starting with just a flame. This fire consumes the bird till there is nothing left but ash. Do not cry for this magnificent bird is not gone; it will rise from the ash and once again be on the rise spreading its wings and taking to the skies.
P is for Phoenix Book Review
P IS FOR PHONIX is an exceptional book that is assured to be a highly beneficial addition to any child’s book collection. I feel it would be the perfect bedtime story for the child would be fascinated with these pictures and the words that explain each illustration.
Chris Mason has proven to me that he is a master in providing education tools that will be a tremendous benefit to a child’s education. I feel this book is one of the best that I have yet. – 5 Star Midwest Book Review
Ten Terrific Monsters Book Review
Opinion:
This book was very entertaining and helped me pass the time when I was bored. The monsters were adorable, and the illustrations were very well drawn. I thought it was genius how the author included himself and the illustrator in the story. – 5 star LitPick review
Researcher in a Box Book Review
RESEARCHER IN A BOX: A GUIDE FOR STUDENTS BOTH YOUNG AND OLD ON HOW TO RESEARCH AND WRITE A WELL THOUGHT OUT PAPER is an excellence source for achieving academic greatness. Often students struggle with writing papers when they enter college. This book will ensure they are provided a solid foundation that will allow them to grow in their studies. – 5 Star Midwest Book Review
Talking Shop
How have you promoted your books? What has worked best? What has failed?
I have tried most everything from radio commercials on terrestrial radio to blog tours If it can be tried, it has. For the most part everything has failed to move any of my books. The only success was when I ran commercials for Tutor in a Box on a Sports Center type radio show. Right after the commercials aired I sold a few copies but that was it.
What were your expectations for writing and publishing your first book? Have they changed since then?
I assume it was like most authors I thought Video Store in Box would sell very well. The book was about how to get free movies and Television legally for free off the internet. The book was published right before cord cutting was a thing. My expectations for all my books have been what I would have considered reasonable. If I was able to sell fifty books I was doing well. Alas, since 2013 my expectations have changed quite a bit at this point I think I a bit more tempered in my expectations of sales as well as my expectations of the indie publishing industry and the people in it.
What famous books can you compare to your own?
My book Ten Little Monsters Standing in a Line can be compared to The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. The sequel to the book Ten Terrific Monsters: A Hidden Item Book can be compared to the original Where’s Waldo or Where’s Wally for the readers in the UK by Martin Handford.
How long did it take to write your book from the day you got the idea to write it to the day you published it?
The idea for my first book Thinking Outside the Box: A Guide to Free Online Resources was started in 2008. That concept would become the In the Box series of books. The series would come to include: Video Store in a Box, Arcade in a Box, Bookstore in a Box, App Store in a Box, Tutor in a Box, Entrepreneur in a Box, Production Studio in a Box, Record Store in a Box. The first of these would be published on December 25, 2013. The rest of the books in the series would be released over the next 3 years.
Are your books for sale at any book stores? Have you tried any other methods of selling hard copies in person versus online?
My books are not for sale in any bookstores However, some of my books can be found in libraries via Overdrive. Since I live on a big rig that goes across country, almost all marketing and sales have to be done online
“What If” Scenarios
If you could be in a writer’s group with up to four famous writers, who would they be?
Jane Austen, Mark Twain, Bill Clem, Scott Sigler.
Would you rather own your own book store or your own publishing house, and what would you sell or publish?
I would rather on my own bookstore specializing in cookbooks.
Your book becomes a best seller. What do you do next?
Well that would depend on what definition is used for “Best Seller” since it is entirely possible to have a bestseller on Amazon and not actually sell one copy of the book in question. If you use the accepted indie definition of 2000 books, my life would not change, and I’d pay some bills off. If you are talking Harry Potter or Fifty Shades of Grey bestseller, I’d pay off all debts then open my bookstore.
How well do you handle criticism, either while writing, editing, or reviews? Do you ever use that criticism to change your story?
I like to think I handle criticism well. I take any constructive criticism if present and make changes if I feel they are warranted. However, if it is just trolling or stupidity I let it roll right by and move on with my day.
Just For Fun
Food you’d like to win a lifetime supply of.
A supply of really good coffee.
Your favorite podcast.
My favorite podcast is called Stuff You Missed in History Class.
Favorite Halloween costume ever.
Stripe the gremlin was my favorite Halloween costume probably because it was a full body costume.
A talent you have and a talent you wish you had.
I can make balloon animals.
The topic you can’t shut up about/the topic you wish everyone would shut up about.
The topic would be the self publishing industry.
Pin it!
I love a good book review – thank you for sharing this author with us!
Good job!
You have discuss good point – well written article