ANNE K. ALBERT

My Guest Today on the Mystery We WriteTour

So much has changed in the world of publishing in the very recent years, it’s mind-boggling. Who would have thought, five years ago, that the major publishing houses would decline and e-books would become such a powerful force?

I’m sure, like me, you’ve wondered what’s coming around the next bend. That’s why I thought it would be fun to ask Anne K. Albert to gaze into the future. But first, let me tell you about her.

Anne’s award winning mystery and romantic suspense stories chill the spine, warm the heart and soothe the soul…all with a delightful touch of humor. When not at the keyboard she loves to travel, walk on a beach, visit friends and family, and of course, read using ‘Threegio’ her beloved and much cherished Kindle 3G. She can be found online at Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Goodreads, Pinterest, Amazon and her blog.

So, Anne, put on your fortune teller hat and tell us what you think the future will hold for us five years down the road.

Anne – Before I do, Earl, I want to say thank you for the opportunity to chat and talk writing during the 2012 Mystery We Write Blog Tour.

Now, as I gaze into my crystal ball, the one thing I can tell you is the only constant is change. The publishing world is not immune to this phenomenon, and while some authors may begrudge this reality, I’m excited and energized by it.

Okay. I’ll admit I’m a card carrying “glass-half-full” kind of person, but I believe the e-book revolution is a very good thing. It gives voice to authors who may not have otherwise had an opportunity to be heard. It gives readers the freedom to decide what they like and dislike in a book. There’s something inherently democratic about that!

Earl – Will Amazon continue to gobble up the book selling market?

Anne – I predict it will, if only because I’m a reader and proud Kindle owner. The ease of having access to a virtual bookstore that’s open 24/7 and downloading a book–any book–in seconds is sheer brilliance. Talk about user-friendly! Thanks to Amazon I’m discovering a slew of amazing authors I would have certainly missed in the past. Plus, instead of a pile of books on my night table, now everything is neat and tidy as there’s only ‘Threegio’ (my Kindle 3G) taking up space. If there is a downside to Amazon, from either a reader or writer’s point of view, I honestly don’t see it!

Earl – Will the major publishing houses find a way to turn themselves around and reestablish their dominance?

Anne – If they wish to continue being a profitable entity, they will change. I doubt, however, it will be in the same vein as the past. This is a new world with new rules! As to will they reestablish their dominance, not with this reader. I’m perfectly content to make my own decision about what is and isn’t a great book.

Earl – With the number of e-books published every day will it continue to grow until buyers are inundated with garbage and a truly good book will be the needle in the haystack?

Anne – Finding a ‘truly good book’ is a joy, but let’s be honest—what one person deems garbage is an absolute treasure to the next! It’s subjective. Prior to e-books, publishers basically told readers what to read. They selected a team of authors they deemed worthy, dictated guidelines of what they considered literature, and then flooded the market with the by-product.

That worked in the past because, well, to put it bluntly, it was the only game in town. But since when is a monopoly ever a good thing for consumers? Or writers?

I’d wager every reader has at one time or another picked up a best-selling (print) book, paid ten to thirty dollars for the glossy edition, started reading, and then wondered what all the hype was about. E-books and self-publishing cuts out the middle man and allows readers to decide what will or will not become a bestseller.

I believe the next five years will evolve much as they should. Writers who don’t make the grade will see dwindling sales and be forced to return to their day job! Writers who gain a readership will benefit both financially and emotionally because they rose to the challenge. Their career is in their hands.

What’s not to like about that?

Earl – Tell us about FRANK, INCENSE AND MURIEL.

Anne – I thought you’d never ask! Frank, Incense and Muriel takes place the week before Christmas when the stress of the holidays is enough to frazzle anyone’s nerves. Tensions increase when a friend begs Muriel to team up with a sexy private investigator to find a missing woman. Forced to deal with an embezzler, kidnapper, and femme fatale is bad enough, but add Muriel’s zany yet loveable family to the mix and their desire to win the coveted D-DAY (Death Defying Act of the Year) Award, and the situation can only get worse. This story, book one of the Muriel Reeves Mysteries, is recipient of the prestigious 2011 Holt Medallion Award of Merit.

I’d like to encourage readers to enter my giveaway contest. Up for grabs is an e-copy of FRANK, INCENSE AND MURIEL. Leave a comment and you’re automatically entered. The winner will be chosen at random and announced on my blog on December 11, 2012. Good luck!

Anne K. Albert

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