Tell us about yourself

I’m originally from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. At 18 in 2000, I enlisted in the Army and served for fifteen years. In 2003, I got the opportunity to attend West Point  and I graduated in 2007 from there as a lieutenant. I served two tours in Iraq both times as a platoon leader leading combat patrols across all of Anbar Province. In 2015 I got out of the military and went to graduate school in Washington, DC at the George Washington University. After graduating with my MBA in 2017, I got a federal contracting job in the area. I now live just outside DC in Virginia with my girlfriend Michelle, our puppy Lincoln, and our cat Francois.

Tell us about your book

Dodgebomb is a book about a young Army lieutenant arriving in Iraq during the height of the Global War on Terrorism or Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) as military members know it. Thrown into combat as a casualty replacement, he must quickly earn the trust of his unit and overcome his naivety in order to survive. However, he soon realizes that fighting Al Qaeda is only one of his worries as his gets pulled into Arab tribal politics and Army officer rivalries.

Who is your target audience suited for this story?

Current military and veterans, action adventure readers, and Americans who just want to understand the experience of the Iraq War from common soldiers.

Do you have a favorite character in your story?

I do because he’s based on me. Many of the fictional characters in the book are partially derived from people I served with. Some are composites of a few different soldiers. My favorite character is a very minor character in the background in the book – LT Peppel.

Are you currently working on another book? Is it the same genre?

I have ideas but I’ve got to make this book a success before I move onto the next thing.

Do you find reviews helpful?  Or intimidating?

So far very helpful. Maybe if I get some horribly negative ones I’ll change my tune but so far so good.

Why did you decide to self-publish?

I chose it because it’s the only way to get published these days. Self-publishing is the way to go if you have a fresh idea and aren’t already famous. I think the old publishing industry is dying and isn’t with the times. I did my due diligence and reached out to many Literary Agents. Only two responded back with a no. I think the industry is fixated on the last popular book and not new ideas. They’ll only talk to you if you’re writing a new Harry Potter or something that’s already been done.

Did you use IngramSpark, Amazon KDP, or another company to handle the printing and distribution of your book?

I use Amazon KDP and will approach IngramSpark once I get a few more sales under my belt.

Now that your book is in print, do you have any regrets?

I do. It’s still not perfect. There’s a couple typos that bug me and some of the descriptions are repetitive. But you have to accept that your book will never be 100% and you have to publish it eventually.

What parts did you do on your own, and what did you hire out to have done? (Editing, book design, cover design, eBook, marketing, etc.)

You have to have help. I hired out the editing, book/cover design, and marketing to close friends who are professionals in their fields. As you know I also hired Jera to do the formatting which was phenomenal. You guys (i.e. Kimberly) really took my book to the next level.

What would you do it differently if you were to self-publish again?

Try to be quicker about it. This took me 7 years to do. But most of that was writing.

What is the most difficult part of writing this book?

Getting the details right. Making the combat scenes authentic. My editor made me redo a few sections until they were decent.

If you could tell yourself anything as a younger writer what would it be?

Write to express yourself but keep your day job until you make it. There’s no money in writing until you’re a bestseller and in Oprah’s book club.

What motivates you as a writer?

Being able to share military and war experiences that are closer to the truth than what is out there. Hearing from a friend that’s still in the military that I got it right describing something or that someone can understand their loved one better because they understand their war experience better makes my day.

Do you try to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

I try to be original and I hope I was in the book. I deliberately outlined a few twists that I knew would surprise people. I hate it when you start reading or watching something and you can predict what’s gonna happen.

How old were you when you started writing?

The first stories I really wrote were in 5^th grade so I guess 11?

What marketing have you done for your book? What worked and what did not?

I hired a business school friend of mine to help me market it. We’ve mapped out an initial 30 day campaign of social media engagement, author endorsements, influencers, and paid advertisement. And we have a website too: www.darinmichaelpepple.com

Did you start marketing before your book was launched? If not, do you regret that decision?

We had the plan and the website up. I approached two authors I knew to get endorsements. So a little. I feel there’s only so much amateurs can do beforehand and the rest is self-discovery once you’re in it.

How do you use social media as an author? Has it worked well for you, or is it something you want to do more or less of?

I use it for promoting my book and informing my fans and military comrades of updates. It has worked well but there’s still so much more to do with it. I need figure out how to get influencers to showcase my book. And I need to get big on Goodreads.

Which platform do you use the most?

Facebook

Any advice you want to pass on to other authors looking to self-publish their book?

Look at KDP University and all its Webinars. There’s a lot of good info there and they make the process pretty easy. Also consider hiring an editor to get an outside perspective – you’re so close to your book after writing it that you can’t see all its flaws. Try to get an editor that understands your genre, I got a friend of mine who’s still in the Army to be mine. The editing process wouldn’t work well if I had to explain to her what a battle is or everything in the military. She already knows.

Anything else?

I really hope my book can redefine our society’s view on the Iraq/Afghanistan Wars. I find that Hollywood and popular culture always have an imperfect take on things and I feel they’ve inappropriately stereotyped the Iraq/Afghanistan Wars as just guys with PTSD or Special Forces snipers. Anyone who’s ever served knows that’s not the case and that there’s so much more. It took about ten years after Vietnam for movies and books to appear that gave a more accurate account and I hope I’m part of a similar trend with my generation’s wars. I hope to improve the narrative.

Thanks for letting me do this and thanks for reading. -Darin

 

Tell us about your books. What are they about?

Both books are targeted to nurse leaders. The first book, The Nurse Leader Coach, was written to help leaders become more coachlike and improve staff retention.  I wrote my second book, The Nuts, and Bolts of Nursing Leadership, because we have so many new nurse leaders who are struggling due to the recent pandemic.

What motivated you to write these books?

I do extensive consulting and work with nurse leaders across the United States. I use both of these books in my workshops, but they also provide essential yet straightforward advice on being more effective as a leader in today’s turbulent healthcare environment.

Who is your target audience for the books? Why should they read them, or how will they help them?

My target audience for both books is nurse leaders working at the frontline of care. Although the books are focused on nursing leaders, many healthcare leaders outside of nursing have also purchased the book.

Are your books tied to a business you own or work for? If so, tell us about that business and how the books and the business work together.

The books are directly tied to the business. I use the books in workshops. I also recommend that leaders use their books in their leadership development programs using a book club guide that I provide for free. Some programs I do are not related to either book, but I will send clients copies of the books to say thank you.

Are you ever concerned that the language of your books are either too technically difficult or too elementary and potentially insulting for your target audience? How do you decide?

No, I have purposely worked hard to keep the writing as simple and straightforward as possible. I have had no complaints about this, and most readers prefer books that are easy to read (which can be challenging to find in my discipline).

How long did your books take to complete?

From start to finish, both books took about six months. Because I write so many blogs, I have a great deal of content to draw from as I write.

Are you currently working on another book? Is it the same genre?

Not at this time.

What is your goal as an author?

My goal is to provide valuable content in books at a cost-effective price to nursing leaders.

Why did you decide to self-publish?

I am an Elsevier journal editor so the decision to self-publish was one I gave a great deal of thought to. Two factors led to my decision. The first was a strong desire to hold copyright on my work as I do on my blog. The second was the recognition that publishing houses don’t offer as much value as they once did to authors. The timeframes for publishing with traditional publishers from start to finish are much longer. Publishing houses want input into the content/title and set the costs. In my subject area, books from traditional publishers are twice the cost of my books.  Authors are also expected to market their own books today – I have a strong brand and have written 100+ articles, so I felt confident in my skills to sell my work. You also make more money when you self-publish, and the payment process is more transparent. Traditional publishers pay once or twice a year, and authors are never sure how many copies are sold. With both Amazon and IngramSpark, you have an author dashboard with your book sales. Payment is monthly after the first 60 days.

Did you use IngramSpark, Amazon KDP, or another company to handle the printing and distribution of your books?

I used IngramSpark and Amazon KDP for both books. Amazon published the eBook and paperback. IngramSpark only published the paperback.

Did you purchase your own ISBN or have one assigned to you by Amazon KDP or IngramSpark?

I purchased the ISBNs for both books from Bowker, submitted the book to the copyright office, and obtained a library of congress number.

Now that your books are in print, do you have any regrets?

None at all, and I would highly recommend the self-publishing route. I have had great experiences with both Amazon and IngramSpark. I order many author copies for workshops, and the print on demand works seamlessly and is fast.

What parts did you do on your own, and what did you hire out to have done? (Editing, book design, cover design, eBook, marketing, etc.)

I bought a JERA Publishing Package that included book formatting, cover design, and marketing along with the eBook setup. I did my developmental editing (I am a good writer) but used a copy editor for both books. I also use Grammarly Premium to do self-editing as I write.

What would you do it differently if you were to self-publish again?

The first book that I wrote I put on Kindle Unlimited but decided not to do that with the second book.

What was the most difficult part of writing these books?

For me, the biggest challenge is always what to put in and what to leave out. I begin each book with the end in mind. I curate the table of contents before I ever start writing.

If you could tell yourself anything as a younger writer what would it be?

Writing is a learned skill, and every author has a different process. You become better over time, so the key is always to be writing.

What motivates you as a writer? 

I enjoy taking ideas and putting them into a context that is useful for others. I keep in mind that it is not about me but rather the reader, so I work hard to provide value in what I write.

How old were you when you started writing?

Interestingly, I did not write that much until I became a University Professor at age 49 when I had to because it is part of promotion and tenure.  Once I began, though, I realized how much I did enjoy writing.

What skills, education, and/or experience have you acquired that helped you develop as a writer for this topic?

I have a doctorate, and 40 years of work experience in the field I write about.  I also edit a major nursing leadership journal.

What marketing have you done for your books? What worked and what did not?

I did a LinkedIn book launch, and I did a book launch for my blog readers. I also have my books in my email signature block and on articles I write for journals. I also sent 60 copies of my book to key influencers in nursing leadership. Many pushed the book out on their social media sites and to their staff.

Did you start marketing before your books were launched? If not, do you regret that decision?

With both books, I started early with announcements of my blog site.

How do you use social media as an author?

Has it worked well for you, or is it something you want to do more or less of?   I have built a brand by writing a twice-weekly blog for ten years with more than 7000 nurse leader followers. On my site, I advertise the books with each blog. I also have included book club guides. I also use LinkedIn extensively in book promotion.

Which platform do you use the most?

My blog www.emergingrnleader.com  and LinkedIn

How are you handling marketing with COVID closing down many events authors often do, such as book signings and book clubs.

We don’t have the advantage of bringing the book to live events, so everything has been virtual. Not ideal but it has worked out.

Anything Else?

I had a great experience with JERA publishing and have found their work to be high quality and timely. I carefully looked at other companies before choosing JERA and came back to them with my second book. I have no regrets at all about self-publishing. It has been a win-win for me, and the books have done quite well. I worried that my professional colleagues would be critical of my decision to self-publish (very rare in my world), but they have not been, and many have asked for help in publishing their work.

Tell us about Finding Bertha, What is it about?

My novel spans two separate time periods, present and past. It’s a story within a story. The main modern character is Eli. Recently divorced and struggling financially and emotionally, he inherits an old house from his Aunt Bertha, which needs a LOT of repairs. During renovation, he finds a document with Bertha’s name on it, placing her as a young woman writing for a socialist newspaper in Berlin during WWII. Not knowing much about Bertha as a young woman, he’s astounded by this and later, after more research, discovers she was a remarkable woman who, like millions of others, risked their lives for the Resistance and saved thousands of children during the Kindertransport. By finding her story, he finds himself.

Who is your best target audience suited for this story?

I’ve enjoyed hearing from a diverse crowd of readers, so I’m not really sure there is a single target for this book. To me, historical fiction is just about for everyone. My children’s books are geared toward younger children about 3-6 years old.

Do you have a favorite character in your story?

I do! Although I love all my characters, i.e. Bertha, Eli, Robert, my absolute love is Eddy. Don’t want to give too much away here, but he embraces life to the fullest. His loves, laughs, acceptance of all, even when many don’t accept him as a gay man in the 1930s-1940s Europe. This sets him up to be one of the most vulnerable for nonacceptance, imprisonment, and death, even before the Nazis showed up. I believe Eli learns just as much from Eddy as he does Bertha! I can’t choose between my children book characters. They all have personal connections for me. Pelican, Pa, Bobby, Eco, Nylah, and little Eli…all my children!

When did you start writing? 

Ten years ago. 

How long did your book take to complete?

Too long! I actually put the book down for several years and then picked it back up. Once I got serious about where I wanted the characters and story to go, it took me about 5 years to complete. All of my children books take about a year, as I illustrate them by hand. It’s a little tedious, but I love the end result.

Now that your book is in print, do you have any regrets?

None. I’m very proud of my books.

Anything you would do differently?

Not really. Maybe take more time out of my day to write. Life seems to get in the way, sometimes.

What is the most difficult part of your writing or artistic process?

I tend to overthink and plan. It wastes time. I work and play hard so time is precious to me.

If you could tell yourself anything as a younger writer what would it be?

Just write. Don’t be so afraid or worry about what others may think. Do it for yourself. I greatly struggled with the illustrations of my children’s books for a long time. Never thinking I was artistic enough really held me back. Then one day I realized I could just create what I liked. As a result, I love my sweet creations. They are mine and I can only hope someone else enjoys them with their children. As for the novel, I really enjoyed writing, researching, creating my own story. So, just write it down.

What was the best money you ever spent as a writer?

Jera Publishing! My jump start came from their meet-up group of writers and just attending every class, seminar, writer’s group I could. It really inspired me to keep going. Finally, when I was ready to jump in the deep water, Jera helped me set up my own publishing forum, formatting my work for me, answering questions about everything from copyright to printing, and giving great referrals for good editors, cover design, etc. Their complete packages or options of a la carte services allowed me to publish in my own comfort zone. I really value their expertise and never go to print without them.

What motivates you as a writer?

Reading other great writers and their stories, listening to audio books and Storycorps on NPR. I really love real stories.

Are you currently working on another book? Is it the same genre?

I am. Both another novel and a children’s book. Again, getting that slow start. But, its swirling around in my head and in notes, for sure. Next comes my storyboard. That really helps me plot it out.

What skills, education, and/or experience have you acquired that helped you develop as a novelist?

I’ve been a language arts teacher for over 20 years. Certainly, that does not a writer/illustrator make! But I do practice what I’ve always taught my students: Write what you know, write what you love, and just write for yourself. It can be very cathartic.

Do you try to be original or to deliver to readers what they want?

No. Again, I must write what interests me. I love historical fiction as I love reading history and real stories about real people. But I wouldn’t be able to ever write a history book. I’m so grateful to those that have and have done it well, however.

Do you have a blog or social media page that keeps your fan base engaged and informed about your projects?

I post on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. But, honestly, not often. And I’m the worst salesperson on the planet with very little interest in marketing…even my own stuff. Haha!

Do you find reviews helpful?  Or intimidating?

First critique I ever got came from a fertilizing company that had a gift shop in their corporate office. They were actually interested in housing my Eco in the Garden (children’s book about an organic worm and his importance to the farm). One of the CEO’s pulled a ‘thumbs down’ to the book stating that the cover pictured a “worm eating through a perfectly good apple” and “that would never happen.” I got a little hot. So, I didn’t look at reviews on Amazon for awhile after that. But, time passed and now I actually enjoy a decent critique…and occasionally throwing a perfectly good apple in the compost.

What marketing have you done for your book? What worked and what didn’t?

Reaching out to book clubs. Discussing and signing the copies they purchased as a group…I loved doing that and hope to do more.

What publishing, editing, formatting, cover and/or interior design, website building, marketing, social media, etc. services did you do yourself, and what did you hire others for?

Again, I hired Jera for formatting and they referred me to a terrific editor. They also helped with font, spacing, etc.

What would your writing spirit animal be?

Sloth. I’m slow, but sure.