YLN - What genre do you write in and what is your target audience?
Sumiko - I write horror, science fiction and fantasy. These genres are collectively considered speculative fiction. Most of what I write is adult horror, intended for audiences over 18, but I have a young adult series, "The Moon Cried Blood." Its central protagonist is 13 year old Tisha Gordon, a girl of African American and Latino heritage growing up in Los Angeles in the mid 1970s. She learns that she comes from a long line of witches who are imbued with their powers by the moon.
YLN - Are you self published or do you have a publisher?
Sumiko - Both. They call authors like me "hybrid" authors. There are more and more of us these days. People think it's either/or, but it's not. It's important to be selective in choosing a publisher. There are excellent, responsible small to mid sized publishers, like Mocha Memoirs Press, the publisher for my novelette "Ashes and Coffee," as a part of their "Death's Cafe" series. A good publisher takes care of the business details so you can focus on the business of writing. However, it is better to self-publish than to get with a publisher who doesn't offer you support with editing, graphic design, promotion and other aspects of the business. Nowadays, even writers with major publishing deals put out self-published work. It's no longer an either-or world.
YLN - Tell us a little about your background and did you study writing or were you self taught?
Sumiko - I was on my high school newspaper for three years, so I've studied journalism for quite some time. I worked for a couple of local papers right out of high school, a music magazine called RockHEAD and a computer magazine called The Node. I wrote articles for corporate newsletters for PG&E and Bectel, so my background was in journalistic and technical writing, as well as poetry. In my late teens, the San Francisco Chronicle profiled me as an up and coming poet in the Beatnik tradition, and I had poetry published locally. However, I would not finish my first novel length work until I was over 40.
YLN - What work are you most proud of?
Sumiko - "Solitude," my first novel, not because it is the best... but because I wrote in other forms for a good twenty five years before I was able to finish my first novel. It was a really big deal. It opened the floodgates for me. It was a major milestone, it really freed me up to write the way I wanted to.
YLN - What has been your most successful work and why?
Sumiko - "Warmth" is my most successful work. It is a dark comedy about ghouls, zombies, and a 600 year long supernatural pregnancy. I wrote it to blow off steam after writing my first two novels, "Solitude" and "The Moon Cried Blood." When I had it on free promo, it reached #6 on Amazon's Horror Comedy list. I think people like it because it's hilarious, granted dark humor, but very gross and funny. My other works are a great deal more intellectual. Someday, "Happiness and Other Diseases" may be as popular as "Warmth" - it's headed that way. People like it for the romance, although it is a dark fantasy. But I think "Warmth" is very natural, very conversational. If you know me and think I'm funny, you'll probably like it.
YLN - I read the beginning of Warmth on Kindle and I enjoyed it very much. I want to read the whole book now! Can you tell us about some of your achievements and honors?
Sumiko - I was featured as an up and coming neo-Beatnik poet by the San Francisco Chronicle in 1989, I was an ambassador for Women in Horror Month in 2013, I compiled the biographical non fiction work "60 Black Women in Horror," and as I said, "Warmth" reached #6 on Amazon's Horror Comedy Best Sellers list.
YLN - I noticed Laurel Books in Oakland isn't at there anymore. Thoughts about this? You did one of your first signings there, did it make you sad to see the store close?
Sumiko - They moved from the Laurel District to Downtown Oakland. Yes, I did my first reading and signing event there. They were also the first brick and mortar store to actually carry any of my books. My books sold better at their store, because they were local, in my neighborhood, and neighbors would buy books there. Yes, it did sadden me that they had to leave the Laurel - I live nearby in the Fairfax District and although there are a few stores that sell books, there are no full fledged bookstores now. But I am super glad they are doing well in Downtown Oakland. They have always been super supportive of local authors, and they have regular in person appearances by authors, usually four a month.
YLN - What new works do you have out and what do you have coming out?
Sumiko - I just came out with "Somnalia", which is the sequel to "Happiness and Other Diseases" - it is the second book in a trilogy about the Oneiroi, which are Greco-Roman dream entities, essentially gods, and their offspring. It's a dark fantasy that has elements of horror and romance, and I think the lives of the gods are kind of like a big soap opera.
YLN - Who are some of your favorite writers and why?
Sumiko - Anne Rice is my favorite writer, because not only is she talented, she is very kind to her fans, and has been very kind to me. I was already a big fan of her writing, I mean she's been in my top 10 for years, but I love the way she thinks, and her politics. Except sometimes, her son, Christopher Rice, is my favorite writer. He writes these fantastic, fast-paced, concise thrillers and everything he writes seems to be over too fast. He always leaves you wanting more. His bestie Eric Shaw Quinn is also very talented. Everyone should listen to their comedy, The Dinner Party Show. Rain Graves and Linda Addison are also very talented, and have written intros for my books. I think you and I had the pleasure of reading with Rain at Sunday Streets Berkeley - along with the also very talented Serena Toxicat. I think everyone knows I love Stephen King, Toni Morrison, Susan Cooper, Frank Herbert, and Edgar Allen Poe
YLN - Where can we find your work?
Sumiko - Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, Kobo, and if you are in the San Francisco Bay Area or the Los Angeles Area, in a local bookstore near you. A list of the places you can find my books is on my website here: http://www.SumikoSaulson.com/books.html
YLN - Are you looking for an agent or publisher?
Sumiko - People who aren't novelists seem to have a misconception about publishing. Authors usually don't have one publisher for their entire body of work. We are usually looking for publishers for individual works, or series. A publisher will want the rights to the entire series if you have a series, like Somnalia or The Moon Cried Blood. Yes, I am looking at publishers.
No, I don't feel I need an agent at this time. Agents are for approaching large press publishers who do not accept direct submissions from authors. Since I am dealing with small to mid sized publishers who will speak with authors directly, I don't think I need to start paying anyone a commission just yet. Perhaps later in my career.
YLN - You recently posted that your work was illegally put online as a free download. Please tell us about this experience. How do you think it happened? Do authors always have to send PDF files to proofreaders or couldn't you have sent a kindle link?
Sumiko - My work was pirated and offered for illegal download by books4free.us, and this experience was not unique to me, several authors had the same experience and many of us asked them to take the books down. In some cases, they did. Since the company had multiple titles, and by multiple authors, it can be assumed they purchased a book and then pirated it, either scanning the paper book or breaking the encryption on an eBook.
The only people who received Word files and PDF files were people who were working on the book before it was published. Whether you self-publish or work with a publisher, your book will need to be professionally edited and proofread. Large publishers have dozens of proofreaders go over a work before it is published. In order to ensure the highest possible quality product is released into the market, I will have a staff of six to ten proofreaders and beta readers go over my work in addition to the editor. At first, I thought that one of these people leaked the files, but upon further investigation, it seems that books4free stole them from a major retail outlet after publication.
In answer to your question: No, I could not use a Kindle link for proofreading and editing an unpublished work. None of the eBook readers: Kindle, Nook, etc... accept unfinished manuscripts. Although one might publish something unpolished, that can result in poor reviews. Its something that a lot of first time self publishers will do - its something I did myself, that I wouldn't want to do again. I try to make sure that my self published works are as well edited as the traditionally published ones. That requires me to trust a limited number of people.
Fortunately, none of them actually betrayed my trust. The work was acquired through other means.
YLN - What are some of your favorite young adult books you read growing up and do you have any contemporary faves?
Sumiko - Growing up, my favorite young adult books were "The Dark Is Rising" series by Susan Cooper and "The Chronicles of Narnia" by CS Lewis. I'm starting to read the contemporary YA series "Growing Up Dead" by Greg Wilkey and enjoying that.
We would like to thank Sumiko for taking the time to do this interview.
Sumiko - I write horror, science fiction and fantasy. These genres are collectively considered speculative fiction. Most of what I write is adult horror, intended for audiences over 18, but I have a young adult series, "The Moon Cried Blood." Its central protagonist is 13 year old Tisha Gordon, a girl of African American and Latino heritage growing up in Los Angeles in the mid 1970s. She learns that she comes from a long line of witches who are imbued with their powers by the moon.
YLN - Are you self published or do you have a publisher?
Sumiko - Both. They call authors like me "hybrid" authors. There are more and more of us these days. People think it's either/or, but it's not. It's important to be selective in choosing a publisher. There are excellent, responsible small to mid sized publishers, like Mocha Memoirs Press, the publisher for my novelette "Ashes and Coffee," as a part of their "Death's Cafe" series. A good publisher takes care of the business details so you can focus on the business of writing. However, it is better to self-publish than to get with a publisher who doesn't offer you support with editing, graphic design, promotion and other aspects of the business. Nowadays, even writers with major publishing deals put out self-published work. It's no longer an either-or world.
YLN - Tell us a little about your background and did you study writing or were you self taught?
Sumiko - I was on my high school newspaper for three years, so I've studied journalism for quite some time. I worked for a couple of local papers right out of high school, a music magazine called RockHEAD and a computer magazine called The Node. I wrote articles for corporate newsletters for PG&E and Bectel, so my background was in journalistic and technical writing, as well as poetry. In my late teens, the San Francisco Chronicle profiled me as an up and coming poet in the Beatnik tradition, and I had poetry published locally. However, I would not finish my first novel length work until I was over 40.
YLN - What work are you most proud of?
Sumiko - "Solitude," my first novel, not because it is the best... but because I wrote in other forms for a good twenty five years before I was able to finish my first novel. It was a really big deal. It opened the floodgates for me. It was a major milestone, it really freed me up to write the way I wanted to.
YLN - What has been your most successful work and why?
Sumiko - "Warmth" is my most successful work. It is a dark comedy about ghouls, zombies, and a 600 year long supernatural pregnancy. I wrote it to blow off steam after writing my first two novels, "Solitude" and "The Moon Cried Blood." When I had it on free promo, it reached #6 on Amazon's Horror Comedy list. I think people like it because it's hilarious, granted dark humor, but very gross and funny. My other works are a great deal more intellectual. Someday, "Happiness and Other Diseases" may be as popular as "Warmth" - it's headed that way. People like it for the romance, although it is a dark fantasy. But I think "Warmth" is very natural, very conversational. If you know me and think I'm funny, you'll probably like it.
YLN - I read the beginning of Warmth on Kindle and I enjoyed it very much. I want to read the whole book now! Can you tell us about some of your achievements and honors?
Sumiko - I was featured as an up and coming neo-Beatnik poet by the San Francisco Chronicle in 1989, I was an ambassador for Women in Horror Month in 2013, I compiled the biographical non fiction work "60 Black Women in Horror," and as I said, "Warmth" reached #6 on Amazon's Horror Comedy Best Sellers list.
YLN - I noticed Laurel Books in Oakland isn't at there anymore. Thoughts about this? You did one of your first signings there, did it make you sad to see the store close?
Sumiko - They moved from the Laurel District to Downtown Oakland. Yes, I did my first reading and signing event there. They were also the first brick and mortar store to actually carry any of my books. My books sold better at their store, because they were local, in my neighborhood, and neighbors would buy books there. Yes, it did sadden me that they had to leave the Laurel - I live nearby in the Fairfax District and although there are a few stores that sell books, there are no full fledged bookstores now. But I am super glad they are doing well in Downtown Oakland. They have always been super supportive of local authors, and they have regular in person appearances by authors, usually four a month.
YLN - What new works do you have out and what do you have coming out?
Sumiko - I just came out with "Somnalia", which is the sequel to "Happiness and Other Diseases" - it is the second book in a trilogy about the Oneiroi, which are Greco-Roman dream entities, essentially gods, and their offspring. It's a dark fantasy that has elements of horror and romance, and I think the lives of the gods are kind of like a big soap opera.
YLN - Who are some of your favorite writers and why?
Sumiko - Anne Rice is my favorite writer, because not only is she talented, she is very kind to her fans, and has been very kind to me. I was already a big fan of her writing, I mean she's been in my top 10 for years, but I love the way she thinks, and her politics. Except sometimes, her son, Christopher Rice, is my favorite writer. He writes these fantastic, fast-paced, concise thrillers and everything he writes seems to be over too fast. He always leaves you wanting more. His bestie Eric Shaw Quinn is also very talented. Everyone should listen to their comedy, The Dinner Party Show. Rain Graves and Linda Addison are also very talented, and have written intros for my books. I think you and I had the pleasure of reading with Rain at Sunday Streets Berkeley - along with the also very talented Serena Toxicat. I think everyone knows I love Stephen King, Toni Morrison, Susan Cooper, Frank Herbert, and Edgar Allen Poe
YLN - Where can we find your work?
Sumiko - Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, Kobo, and if you are in the San Francisco Bay Area or the Los Angeles Area, in a local bookstore near you. A list of the places you can find my books is on my website here: http://www.SumikoSaulson.com/books.html
YLN - Are you looking for an agent or publisher?
Sumiko - People who aren't novelists seem to have a misconception about publishing. Authors usually don't have one publisher for their entire body of work. We are usually looking for publishers for individual works, or series. A publisher will want the rights to the entire series if you have a series, like Somnalia or The Moon Cried Blood. Yes, I am looking at publishers.
No, I don't feel I need an agent at this time. Agents are for approaching large press publishers who do not accept direct submissions from authors. Since I am dealing with small to mid sized publishers who will speak with authors directly, I don't think I need to start paying anyone a commission just yet. Perhaps later in my career.
YLN - You recently posted that your work was illegally put online as a free download. Please tell us about this experience. How do you think it happened? Do authors always have to send PDF files to proofreaders or couldn't you have sent a kindle link?
Sumiko - My work was pirated and offered for illegal download by books4free.us, and this experience was not unique to me, several authors had the same experience and many of us asked them to take the books down. In some cases, they did. Since the company had multiple titles, and by multiple authors, it can be assumed they purchased a book and then pirated it, either scanning the paper book or breaking the encryption on an eBook.
The only people who received Word files and PDF files were people who were working on the book before it was published. Whether you self-publish or work with a publisher, your book will need to be professionally edited and proofread. Large publishers have dozens of proofreaders go over a work before it is published. In order to ensure the highest possible quality product is released into the market, I will have a staff of six to ten proofreaders and beta readers go over my work in addition to the editor. At first, I thought that one of these people leaked the files, but upon further investigation, it seems that books4free stole them from a major retail outlet after publication.
In answer to your question: No, I could not use a Kindle link for proofreading and editing an unpublished work. None of the eBook readers: Kindle, Nook, etc... accept unfinished manuscripts. Although one might publish something unpolished, that can result in poor reviews. Its something that a lot of first time self publishers will do - its something I did myself, that I wouldn't want to do again. I try to make sure that my self published works are as well edited as the traditionally published ones. That requires me to trust a limited number of people.
Fortunately, none of them actually betrayed my trust. The work was acquired through other means.
Sumiko - Growing up, my favorite young adult books were "The Dark Is Rising" series by Susan Cooper and "The Chronicles of Narnia" by CS Lewis. I'm starting to read the contemporary YA series "Growing Up Dead" by Greg Wilkey and enjoying that.
We would like to thank Sumiko for taking the time to do this interview.
