is an author, entrepreneur, workshop presenter, motivational speaker, Certified
Life Coach and former journalist. The award-winning writer’s debut novel,
Illusions of Paradise, earned Five Stars from Readers’ Favorite and nearly
three dozen Five Star reviews from readers on Amazon. Pat’s diversified
communications company, Pat McKanic & Associates, LLC, celebrating its 20th
Anniversary in 2020, specializes in public relations, marketing, media
training, social media marketing strategies and executive and business
coaching. An acclaimed public speaker, Pat is known for motivational and
inspirational presentations to business, professional and civic organizations
that move people to action and encourage them to believe in and start living
their dreams. She is also widely recognized for sharing her strategies for
successful media and marketing campaigns, and the popular Creating A Mystery
presentation to writers’ groups. The former print and broadcast journalist reported
for news organizations including newspapers in the Caribbean, The Wall Street
Journal and the New York Times Co. She
enjoys reading, traveling and creating art, and is working on a follow-up to
Illusions of Paradise.
How can readers get in contact with
you?
Email:
brookgranpublishing@gmail.com
FB:
https://www.facebook.com/patmckanicauthor/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/patmckanicauthor/
LinkedIn:
http://linkedin.com/in/pat-mckanic-4b969715 Website: illusionsofparadise.net
Tell us about your manuscript to
published author journey.
It has been
an amazing journey! From the first moment I sat down to start writing Illusions
of Paradise to the moment I hit the button to make it available to the public
took 10 years, and more revisions than I can or want to count. I started with a
basic idea for the story and at some point it took on a life of its own. The
characters became real and started to speak for themselves. After some time
together I learned to get out of their way when they started speaking and just
type. The marketing has been amazing, too. Challenging, but fun. This journey,
from manuscript to published author has been the most creative period of my
life. It’s like the book opened a floodgate and the creativity just came
pouring out. I’ve met and sold books to people from across the globe. The way
things have played out reinforces my belief that I am exactly where I am
supposed to be, doing exactly what I’m supposed to be doing at this time in my
life.
What inspired your book?
I knew from
an early age that I was destined to write a book, it was one of the gifts I was
given. I think I’ve been inspired by every good book I’ve ever read from some
of the first novels I read, The Learning Tree and Daddy was a Number Runner, to
my all-time favorite, Lonesome Dove. The story for Illusions of Paradise was
inspired by a crime I covered while living and working as a newspaper reporter
on an island in the Caribbean. It’s a fictionalized account of the murder of a
woman who landed on the island one day asking around about a man who lived on
the island. He picked her up in a red car and the next day she was found
murdered on one beach, and the car was found burned up on another beach. I
added a lot of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing, suspense, several
jump out-of-the bushes and grab you moments, and a sweet and sometimes spicy
romance.
What did you learn while writing this
book?
I learned
the importance of knowing your target audience—knowing specifically who you’re
writing for. I learned that I am fearless! And I learned how strong my faith
really is! As important as what I learned are the things I already knew that
were reinforced. One of them is that if you have a goal and you do something
toward it every day, do it consistently, and put your heart into it, at some
point you will accomplish that goal!
What did you hope to accomplish with
this book?
My goal was
to tell a good story, one that would entertain readers, as well as make them
laugh and cry, give them a few thrills and chills and allow them to escape into
the world I created. I think good fiction takes you away, to some place you’ve
never been but that you look forward to going to and you can’t wait to get back
to. And I really hope I created something memorable that will live on long
after I’m gone.
What would you like readers to take
away from your book?
A smile. A
strong sense of satisfaction. I always say that there is an implied contract
between the author and the reader. The author promises to give the reader a
good, unique story, vividly drawn and relatable characters, edge-of-your seat
moments and a satisfying ending. In exchange, the reader agrees to immerse
herself/himself in the story and see it through to the end. I hope that readers
walk away from Illusions of Paradise thinking that the time they invested in my
book was time well spent. I hope they walk away feeling like I fulfilled my
part of the bargain.
What do you believe makes your book
stand out?
I think
several things have to come together to make any book, especially a mystery,
stand out. A strong storyline is key. I think Illusions of Paradise has a
strong storyline, one that readers can get behind and enjoy, and that keeps
them captivated and eager to keep reading. I think the descriptive elements of
my book, its lush island settings, scrumptious foods and the book’s sweet and
spicy romance all transport readers into the world I created. I think readers
can see and feel, and almost taste and touch things in this fictional world. I
think another standout element is strong characterization. The book’s characters are drawn in a way that
makes you feel like you know them, you begin to care about them and what
happens to them. I can’t count how many
times readers have told me they cried when one of the characters died. I think,
too, that the book’s unpredictability makes it a standout. The story keeps you
guessing. The whole premise of the book is that nothing is what it seems, and
people aren’t who they appear to be—hence the title, Illusions of Paradise.
It’s a murder mystery that will truly keep you guessing, but I can guarantee
you you’ll be wrong.
What are three things you wish you’d
known before you reached where you are now?
I wish I had
known what to look for in vetting editors. I contracted with a few editors who
weren’t qualified or were probably better with other genres. But there are some
things you can only learn by doing, and sometimes you learn what to do by doing
what you shouldn’t do. I wish I’d known and understood more about the economics
of being an independent author. I wish I had known just how amazing this
journey was going to be, but then again, knowing that beforehand would have
taken some of the excitement out of it.
How do you find balance with your
writing and life? Balance?
There really
is no such thing and if we’re not careful we can drive ourselves crazy striving
for the unattainable. The closest we get to being in balance is being present
where we are and giving one hundred percent to what we’re doing in that moment.
There’s contentment in being able to tell yourself that you gave it your best
shot, and then moving on to whatever is next. I think more in terms of
priorities than balance—the people closest to me never have to wonder where I
am or where they stand in my life.
How do you stay consistent with your
book promotion?
Planning and
creativity. What I think most indie authors might not recognize is that not
only are we competing with the author sitting next to us at the local writers’
group meetings, we’re also competing with the big names and every other indie
author and book out there. To make some headway, to get noticed, to get readers
to take a chance on you as an unknown author and keep readers and followers
engaged you have to stay out there consistently. I’m in this for the long haul,
which means I have to stay on top of the marketing. Promotion is just one
aspect of marketing. A promotion is akin to an event. Promotions typically have
a limited run during which sales spike but then the promotion ends and sales
flatline. A good marketing campaign needs to be multi-pronged and consistent.
Out of sight, out of mind. I utilize a combination of events, signings,
speaking engagements, traditional and social media and other tools to stay
visible. I also create marketing opportunities for myself and partner with
others to do events and expand awareness. I’ve gotten pretty good at creating
attention-getting messages and graphics for social media. I’ve also done a lot of events with book
clubs centered around Illusions of Paradise’s signature drink, Pineapple
Mimosas. I’ve done them locally and Skyped in for some with book clubs in other
states. I try to make them different and fun. Book club members have already
read the book, so the question becomes what can I do different, what new spin
can I bring to the party and not be another author just reading a passage from
the book? The Mimosas don’t hurt! I’m also in constant communication with
readers. I respond to them on social media, I try to answer emails promptly. I
send out a newsletter. I occasionally do what I call Thankful Thursday, a day
reserved to give a special shout-out to people who support and encourage me. I
do special holiday promotions. For Christmas I personally asked people who’d
read the book to purchase copies for friends that I’d sign and ship. Response
was very good. I’m always thinking of ways to share my book’s cover image,
which I love, and which is very distinctive.
I think readers want to know the person beyond the author so sometimes I’ll
post my thoughts on something totally unrelated to the book, although I try to
stay away from politics or anything too controversial. I always try to share a
word of encouragement or something else that I hope will inspire people to keep
moving forward and chasing their dreams.
What advice would you offer to
someone whose first book is about to be released?
Don’t derail
your career before it’s had a chance to take off by putting a bad product on
the market. If you visit a restaurant and have a bad experience, you’re not
likely to visit that restaurant again, and whenever someone mentions possibly
going there you’ll likely tell them about the horrible experience you had. Now imagine your first book is that
restaurant. If you release a book that’s poorly edited and riddled with errors
and misspelled words not only will you leave readers who’ve taken a chance on
you with a bad taste, they’ll spread the word. Your next book may be a
masterpiece, but the stage has been set. You may never get a second chance with
that reader. Three things I’d advise first-time authors to do are: 1) Have at
least 10 people (beta readers) read a draft of the manuscript before you
release it. That should include people who know you personally and people who
don’t know you personally but who are all avid readers of books in the same
genre. Don’t use your brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles and cousins as
beta readers, ask people from whom you’ll receive real, honest feedback; 2)
Hire a professional editor to go through your book with a fine-tooth comb. Make
sure it’s someone who is familiar with
the Chicago Style Manual—the industry standard. The local librarian may spend
her days with books but that doesn’t make her a book editor, ditto for your
cousin’s sister’s brother’s daughter who holds an advanced degree in English.
Don’t let someone else’s self-interest or short-sightedness push you to do
something that could harm your career as an author. At the end of the day,
that’s your name on the cover. Invest in a professional book editor; 3) Read your book out loud at least 10 times.
An editor suggested that to me. I balked but eventually decided to take the
advice of the professional I was paying to give me professional advice. It
makes a world of difference. Things sound different in your head than they do
when you read them out loud. You realize things like you need to add commas or
break one sentence into two. You did the work to complete your manuscript, more
than a notion, as I like to say, now stay the course a little longer to polish
that jewel before you introduce it to the world!
What’s are your favorite social media
platforms and how are you using them for promotion?
I use
Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. I’m probably best on FB, although I’m getting
stronger on LinkedIn. I’m doing a marketing workshop for indie authors in March
and reps from Microsoft, which owns LinkedIn, have agreed to come in and do a
Lunch & Learn on maximizing LinkedIn to build your author brand. I’m
excited about that because I’m just beginning to fully realize the vast
potential of LinkedIn. I’ve done okay connecting with other professionals, I
have about 2,200 connections, but the question now is how do I maximize those
connections? I think Facebook works best for me because that’s where my
strongest readership base for illusions of Paradise, women 55-64, hang out on
social media. Key to successful marketing, whether it’s books or cookies, is
identifying your target audience and reaching them where they are, whether
that’s in the real or virtual world, with messages that resonate with them. Facebook allows me to be more relaxed, social
and freewheeling than LinkedIn, which speaks more to working professionals.
Instagram (IG) is geared more to millenials, heavy on good graphics, pictures
and art, with shorter snappier messages. I use IG more as an awareness tool,
although there is a strong community of authors and serious book lovers on
IG. I have success stories about
connecting with people on IG that I asked to read the excerpt of Illusions of
Paradise who went on to purchase it almost immediately. I’m also more likely to
share things totally unrelated to the book, like pictures of amazing Florida
sunsets, on IG just because I love sharing them. In the course of checking out
the sunsets and my page people discover I’m an author so it’s a nice roundabout
way of expanding awareness about the book and me as an author.
What’s the most interesting change in
your life as a result of being a published author?
The people
that have come into my life since the book was published. I’ve always been in
professions that are naturally geared to meeting a lot of people but the scope
of people I’ve met on this journey has been amazing. I could write a book about
the journey this book has taken me on.
One other thing that has been very interesting is walking into rooms
outside my community a few times, once in another state, and having someone
come up to me and say “you’re the author, aren’t you?” That’s a great feeling
because it says that I’m made headway with my marketing efforts.
What about writing do you wish non
writers would understand?
Strictly
from a writer’s perspective, rather than a published author’s perspective, I
wish they could understand and feel the feeling of euphoria a writer gets when
they are in the zone. Like when you’re writing, and the characters take over
and you become just the typist trying to capture their thoughts, deeds,
interactions and conversations. Or when you sit down to write, and the words
just pour out of you. It’s a gift and a blessing. That feeling is almost
indescribable, although I like to think that anyone who is passionate about
what they do probably experiences something comparable to it.
Can you give us one do and one don't
for those writing the book in the heart?
DO write
what’s in your heart, and not to try to please someone because you think it’s
going to get you an agent or to the bestseller list, or because it fits a
formula or what’s supposed to be hot in the publishing industry at the moment.
Write what’s in your head and heart—your gift will make room for you! DON’T
wait until you’re successful to prepare for success. Act as if! You want to be
a bestselling author? Look and act the part. Dress up for book signings and
when you’ll be places where you’ll be interacting with your readers. Control
your image now so that years from now you’re not trying to explain or backtrack
on something inappropriate you said or did or explain some picture that could
sink your career. Be smart about what you post on social media and don’t just
let anybody videotape your presentations. A clip out of context or something
you said jokingly because you forgot you were being videotaped could come back
to bite you. We’ve seen too many instances of that recently, words, images or
actions coming back to wreak havoc on someone’s career. Anticipate what your
life will look like when you get to that place you dream of going. The time to
prepare for the main stage isn’t when you get to the main stage.
When you're not writing, what do you
like to do in your spare time?
Spare time
is like spare change, is there really such a thing? How many of us have money
we just don’t need? Between what I need to do to keep the lights on, financing
my marketing efforts and finishing the first draft of the follow-up to
Illusions of Paradise I could easily stay busy 24/7. I make myself take think
(quiet) time, and separately down time in which I try to get out of my head by
listening to music and reading or watching movies. I love movies! My favorite
thing to do is spend time with my granddaughter—no matter what’s going on I make
time to hang out with her. That’s priority!
Oprah always asks, what do you know
for sure?
I know for
sure, I’m a living testament, that if you work hard, stay the course and
BELIEVE in your dreams, your dreams will come true! It’s just the way the Universe
works! The Universe conspires for our good, wants us to win, succeed and be
happy! If we’re unhappy and not living our dream it’s not because the Universe
is asleep at the switch. We have to make sure that we do our part. I know for
sure that the key to success, no matter what you’re striving for, is to
BELIEVE, truly BELIEVE that you can and will achieve it. Just keep moving
forward! I often inscribe my books DREAM! BELIEVE! ACHIEVE! We have the POWER
within us to achieve everything we dream! If we BELIEVE, move toward our
dreams, act as if they have already come to fruition, help someone along the
way and be grateful for blessings large and small, we can’t help but win!
Any last words for our readers?
I’d like to
encourage people reading this to please support indie and local authors,
emerging voices and those people living right in your community who have
accomplished the monumental task of writing and publishing a book. It is a
monumental job! And if they appreciate a
keep you on the edge-of-your seat thriller, I’d like to invite them to go to
http://a.co/2c5umiD and enjoy the first 40 pages of Illusions of Paradise.
The island
of San Saypaz’ is everything sexy, street-smart reporter Toni Jackson dreamed
paradise would be—palm trees, white sand beaches, turquoise waters, and
breathtaking sunsets. Finding love with Detective Jameyson Tolliver is icing on
the cake. But when a young woman is brutally murdered, Toni discovers paradise
has a dark side. Jameyson’s boss, the police chief, may have had a hand in the
killing. Evidence disappears, and the vicious crime lord charged with the
murder walks. There’s a cover-up going on. Nothing is what it seems, people
aren’t who they appear to be. Toni’s determination to uncover the truth comes
at a steep price—her sources start turning up dead. Fearing for her life, she
flees the island. But someone has plans for her, and paradise may well become a
purgatory from which there is no escape!
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