I did an interview with Foreword This Week recently. Here is the interview. Enjoy.
John Kremer's Dossier
John Kremer is a book marketing expert, whose books include 1001 Ways to Market Your Books, The Complete Direct Marketing Sourcebook, High-Impact Marketing on a Low-Impact Budget, Do-It-Yourself Book Publicity Kit, and Celebrate Today. He owns his own publishing company, Open Horizons, and offers consulting services to self publishers and presses of all sizes. He hosts seminars and speaks frequently on book marketing. He lives in New Mexico with his wife Gail, the author of Little Fox and the Golden Hawk.
Occupation: Author and publisher, Open Horizons
Residence: Taos, New Mexico
Why you know the name: Author of 1001 Ways to Market Your Books
In his free time: Walking, playing with dogs, cuddling with wife
In his former life: Teacher, clerical worker
What book are you reading, and where is your favorite place to read?
For entertainment, I primarily read mysteries, one or two a week. I read in bed before going to sleep.
What qualities do you value most professionally?
Integrity, enthusiasm, honesty. The neat thing is that many of the people in the book business are really great people. They are open, sharing, kind, sweet, and honest. I would trust many of them with my life.
What are you still determined to learn to do?
Fly an airplane. As for things I'd like to do, I'd like to be on stage with Bruce Springsteen in front of thousands and thousands of screaming fans (probably yelling at me to get off the stage, but, oh well, it'd still be fun).
If you were a member of a tribe, what would be your special role in it, and why?
Ambassador to other tribes.
What is your favorite hometown library and/or bookstore?
I've just moved to Taos, so I don't know the library or bookstores that well. In Fairfield, Iowa, where I used to live, I loved the library and the head librarian who was one of my best friends and co-conspirators. In other cities, I love Tattered Cover in Denver, Colorado; Elliot Bay Bookstore in Seattle, Washington; and Book Passage in Corte Madera, California.
What kind of music do you enjoy while you are reading?
Rock and roll from the '60's and '70's, country music, Kitaro, folk music.
What would you save from your home if it were burning?
My wife, my dogs. Since my office isn't in my home right now, I don't have much else that I would need to save. Of course, in my office I have many things I would want to save: notes for future books, computer files, books I've yet to read, research, etc.
What question has never been answered for you?
What is love? I understand the experience but I couldn't tell you exactly what it is.
What would surprise most people to learn about you?
I can't sing. Well, actually, I doubt many people would be surprised by that.
If you could have any five people over for dinner, who would they be?
A literary dinner: Mark Twain, Henry David Thoreau, Walt Whitman, Robert Heinlein, and Emily Dickinson. Emily would really blossom at this dinner. For my spiritual and political dinners, of course, the guests would be different.
What is your prediction for independent publishing in 2007?
I think we will see the first bestselling self-published novel. It has to happen sometime. Why not in 2007? We will also see the advent of the first blogging network for authors that will actually pay authors to blog (I'm working on that one right now). Next year could also see the first book to sell a million copies via the Internet alone. That would be exciting.
