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Interview with Children’s Book Author Liam Lusk

It’s AIT! For the uninitiated that means Author Interview Thursday. Over the past few months on this blog, we have interviewed children’s book authors from different corners of the planet who have shared generously and inspired us. Liam Lusk And we have someone special today. In the hot seat we have a gentleman who comes from my neck of the woods but now lives and works in South Korea. He is a man who is passionate about education and runs a consulting company to help businesses have a stronger presence online and offline. He has co-authored two children’s books with his writing partner Scott Worden. Please join me in welcoming Liam Lusk.

 

Tell us about your latest book and what format is it available in?

My latest book which is co-authored with Scott Worden is a children’s book called ‘Gathering Food With Farmer Bob’ which is available from all the Amazon outlets.

 

What can a reader expect when they pick up a Liam Lusk book?

My aim is to always over deliver with my books and any books that I co-author. I feel that many authors especially e-book authors are just trying to make a quick buck. I aim to be in this for the long run.

 

Liam how did you get into writing children’s books?

I had already written four books before I started writing children’s books. I have a daughter who is four years old and she loves reading. After downloading a few children’s e-books from Amazon which left me disappointed I felt I could do better so I decided to try.

 

Your books so far have been co-written with Scott Worden. How did you guys meet and what’s the creative process like between the two of you?

When I originally came to Korea in 2001 I was an English teacher and that’s how I met Scott Worden in 2004. We have been great friends ever since and we always talked about writing together but never did. After my first three books, I approached Scott to see if he was still interested and he was. Our creative process is quite simple really. One of us has an idea and the other gives their opinion and we keep going until we’re finished. We’re very good at keeping each other inspired.

 

Do you believe in writer’s block and what do you do to overcome it?Counting With Famer Bob Cover

I’m sure writers block exists but I find focus hard sometimes as general life can get in the way. That’s why co-authoring works well for me I think, your co-author can keep you in check.

 

What has been your most successful marketing method for promoting your books?

This is a good question and I think the answer is probably different for everyone but for me I feel that a good social media presence is important. I have a social media company so it felt natural for me to use it. I recently used a Twitter campaign which seemed to have positive results for me.

 

What were some of your favourite books as a child?

Now you’re making me think hard. I really enjoyed Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck which we studied at school. I think it is a great story that is an emotional roller coaster. I was also into anything about Roman history and I still think history is fascinating.

 

Does your daughter inspire your work as a children’s book author?

My four year old daughter absolutely gives me inspiration for my children’s books. The real joy is when I have a book ready to be published. I read it to her and if she likes it I publish, if not I don’t publish. Simple litmus test, children don’t lie.

 

What mistake(s) have you made while publishing your books that you would advise other authors against?

With my first book ‘How To Make A Great Presentation’ it was definitely the cover and description of the book. A good cover is everything for your book as it draws the reader in when they are looking through the various titles. I would always advise anyone to invest some money into a good cover, it pays in dividends later. Your book description is also important as it gets a reader interested. Give them a reason to buy your book, what benefit does your book give?

 

How do you deal with bad reviews?Gathering Food With Farmer Bob Cover

No-one likes a bad review but the simple fact is that not everyone will like your book or books. Remember Amazon alone has millions of customers so statistically you will get a bad review eventually. I have had a couple of bad reviews and my book sales actually increased after. If you have all five star reviews it looks unrealistic.

 

Toy Story or Shrek?

Shrek definitely.

 

What do you love best about living in South Korea?

Of course I should say my wife (she is Korean) and my lovely daughter but it is the quality of life for me. Although I live in Seoul the capital of Korea and a large city, I feel safe. I know that there is crime everywhere but having lived in London for almost 15 years before Seoul, I feel that Seoul is much safer and as a father and husband that is important to me.

 

How would you say ‘You need to read my book!’ in Korean?

당신은 제 책을 읽을 필요가 있습니다

 

What do you miss the most about the United Kingdom?Reading Ability

A good cup of tea, bacon sandwiches, fish and chips with gravy and the weather as it can get a little hot in Korea.

 

What can we expect from Liam Lusk in 2013?

I have quite a few.

  1. Some more books for the Farmer Bob series.
  2. Some more books for English learners.
  3. A book about British music.

And I hope much more.

 

Any advice for authors out there who are either just starting out or getting frustrated with the publishing industry?

Don’t give up. If you have something written down that you truly believe can benefit someone out there then keep going. We have such an opportunity now to get published on places like Amazon. Be careful about getting advice from those closest to you as it’s not always the best advice. If you can get someone who isn’t close to you to read your first work that’s better as they will give you an honest opinion.

 

That was a very good way to end the interview Liam. There is such a wealth of wisdom and common sense weaved into what you’ve shared with us today. I liked what you said about handling bad reviews. It’s something that comes with the territory so accept it and don’t let it weigh you down. Liam not only writes childrens books but also books on social media, presenting and English. You can see his full catalog of books by visiting his Amazon Author page at the link below

http://www.amazon.com/Liam-Lusk/e/B0095TN6KS

You can also connect with him by clicking one of the links below

Bloghttp://liamlusk.com

Twitterhttps://twitter.com/liamlusk

YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/liamkorea

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/liamslusk

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