Why Your Book Could be The Next Bestseller

Why Your Book Could be The Next Bestseller

By Jeff Bennington

Every writer has his or her own way of carving out their masterpiece. Some sit up in a proper position with their fingers curled just so, like a pianist, in order to keep from getting a crippling case of carpal tunnel syndrome. Some authors snuggle under their covers, or sit on the porch and let the breeze blow across their face while they create. I like to recline, feet up, head back, with a cup of coffee nearby. I frequently act out my scenes, bringing myself to tears as I feel my characters emotions. And yet with all of these preferences, I’ve wondered what makes my words come out different than the next prolifically fascinating author. 

So how is it exactly that my “voice” is unique?

After thinking about this, I’ve come up with a list of reasons why every author has a distinct voice and therefore has a shot at becoming the next best thing because of their uniqueness. As we all know, literature is extremely subjective and trends come and go. If you’re not a vampombie loving artist, you could be writing the next trend at this very moment. Here are a few reasons why you could be the next literary lottery winner.

·      You Have a Unique History! No one has ever lived your life. Your childhood and adolescence and college years have twisted together a very distinct experiential DNA. You cannot avoid the fact that you’ve traveled a road that no one else has dared to explore. It is this voyage that will carry over into your writing, making you different, and fresher than the same old authors that the world reads over and over. Use your story to your advantage. Throw in your memories, your embarrassing moments and your failures into your characters lives and bring the literary world something new.

·      People Bore Easily. As much as I love Lemony Snicket and J.K. Rowling, there will come a time when I get bored with a series and maybe the author as well. When that time comes, I’ll move on to someone new. I might start reading another well-known author or maybe a not so well known literary artist, and your work could be there waiting for me to stumble upon. It’s a great feeling to know that someone picks up your book by accident and falls in love with your writing. After all, accidents do happen!

·      Literature is Subjective. Like I said earlier, one man’s trash is another man’s favorite book. With all the “I’m sorry to inform you” agent form letters I’ve received, you’d think no one would get past the first line of my work, but that’s not the case. My latest book, REUNION, is receiving high marks by a slew of book reviewers at book blogs, Amazon and Goodreads. How is that possible when so many agents passed on my supernatural thriller? Easy. Literature is subjective. Sometimes agents and publishers miss the next trend, or simply enjoy other genres. And sometimes, the publishing world loses touch with what readers want.

·      Being Different is Good. Do you remember the kid in school with the weird haircut? You know, the one who everyone teased but deep inside you wished you could grow a pair as big as his! Then at your ten-year reunion you discovered he’s driving a Mercedes and living on the beach in Sarasota, Florida because he invented a new design to a widget that hadn’t changed in fifty years. Originality pays. Being different is good! Unfortunately, we live in a world that breeds sameness. Our schools and social systems line us up and pin on the qualities that appeal to their needs. They want citizens that stand at attention, say yes to their policies and shut up about it. In my opinion, the best thing any writer can do is break free from unoriginality, forge a new trail and blaze a new path.

The truth is, one hit wonders come and go. Many great books have risen to the top and then sank to the bottom of the literary ocean, rusting and watching the crabs walk over their pages. If you create something new, that will not be the end of your story. You have to continue writing, creating a list of books for readers to choose from, diversifying your portfolio with as much savvy as a Wallstreet wiz kid. Then as soon as you have a captive audience, remake yourself. Of course, if you’re the next J.K. Rowling, don’t stop after The Sorcerer’s Stone! Learn to recognize a good thing. Just know that after you make your millions from your upcoming series, we, as in the readers of the world, will start to yawn and begin looking for the next good book that’ll scratch our story-loving itch.

-Jeff Bennington

Author of REUNION and other thrillers.

Jeff is also the author of The Writing Bomb, featuring thriller authors all summer long!

There's a New Kid in Town

You're not going to believe this, but as soon as I typed the title to this post, my ipod began playing The New Kid in Town by the Eagles. Seriously!  That just about made my hair stand up. So you'll have to excuse my Kramer-like entrance. Can't help it. I'm here, I'm stoked and I'm excited to be the latest contributor to this way cool blog. With that said, I hope you don't mind if I lay my goods before you and introduce myself.

My name's Jeff Bennington, the author of Reunion, a supernatural thriller, Killing the Giants and The Rumblin'. I love suspense-thrillers and they love me. Currently, I'm wrapping up my next book coming in late 2011 called Act of Vengeance, a supernatural crime thriller. More importantly, my wife and I have been married for 19 years and we have 4 great kids. I also write at my blog, The Writing Bomb, a sight where readers can meet their favorite thriller authors and writers can hang out and talk shop.

Now that I'm here, I should probably make myself useful and give you a taste of what I write.  I'm going to post the first page of Reunion and hopefully wet your appetite for the rest. In a sentence, Reunion is a story about a group of kids who survive a school shooting and then decide to reunite twenty years later only to discover that the school is haunted! Here's a short excerpt...


Reunion
J.Bennington

David Ray stood in front of his mirror, dressed to kill. I look good, he thought, like the real deal, like a real killer. He narrowed his eyes, grit his teeth and unfolded his checklist. Sharp blades of black hair dangled in front of his face, covering the brownish rings that encircled his eyes. He peered at his scribbled writing and read the list as he felt his insides tense with hatred.

This is it, he thought. No room for mistakes. 

David had learned over time that life needed to be carefully navigated to avoid pain. He had come to the conclusion that the only way to control his life was by controlling the lives around him. The list helped him stay on track. He paced back and forth, quietly going over the details of his plans as his adrenalin increased.

He slouched down at his desk, clenched his hair as it draped over his eyes and pondered how the neglect and abuse he’d suffered had snuffed the music from his soul. David longed for old, familiar melodies to bring him comfort and laughter, but found only the clamoring sound of an off-tempo dirge. Although he tried to arrange the chords and time signatures in a way that was intelligible to his ear, he stepped out of time, his notes were flat, and those around him cringed and laughed. He was humiliated and he hated them for it.

He glanced at a picture on the desk of his mother holding his hand as a young child. It stood in a bright red clay frame; a misshapen art project from the fourth grade. Neither of them looked happy, and a lot had happened over the past eight years. Smiles were a rare commodity in their household. He turned the picture face down and stood up...

Reunion is available in Print at most online retailers and is only .99¢ digitally at Amazon & B&N
Reunion is currently ranked #34 in "Goodreads Best Books of 2011" and is getting rave reviews. Show some killer love and check it out. 

You can find out more about me at jeffbennington.com. Thanks for stopping by. Come back and feel free to comment and ask me anything you want. If you're nice, I'll bring in an excerpt from Act of Vengeance next time! Later.

A Special Criminal Welcome to Author Jeff Bennington

Today, Criminal Minds at Work welcomes another slightly twisted mind into our crime lab (aka blog) -- Jeff Bennington, author of REUNION. I've seen Jeff around on various blogs and social networks, and was recently asked if I'd like to be featured on his blog -- The Writing Bomb. Of course I said yes (yeah, my middle name is "shameless" after all), so you'll soon see me featured there.

When I checked out Jeff's site, I realized this was the same author who had asked for book cover input a while ago, and I believe I had a couple of suggestions for his new novel cover, which I have to admit is very striking and well done.

Here's the description for REUNION:

David Ray killed eight students and then turned the gun on himself. He thought the shooting and suicide would fix his world. It didn't. The massacre threw Tanner Khan and the other survivors into chaos.

Twenty years later, Tanner and his fellow classmates reluctantly agree to hold a reunion to lay the past to rest. Although they suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, they come back to their hometown and reunite in the defunct school building. Old flames are rekindled, fears are ignited, and their lives are about to explode in a whirlwind of memories, haunted by the spirit of David Ray.

Once they're inside the school, they discover that a dark entity has joined them. It has come to collect a debt, long overdue, and someone has to pay. Will Tanner and his classmates overcome their fears, putting the pieces of their lives back together, or will they be consumed by their worst nightmare?

You can check out REUNION on Amazon and other retailers.

www.jeffbennington.com

~Cheryl Kaye Tardif