Carol: Give a short bio about yourself.
Steve: I am a father of 3 daughters, married for 25
years (to the same women) I have 4 grandchildren. I am a former
Police Officer, a Personal Bodyguard (retired) for 22 years,
former Radio Talk Show Host and Congressional Campaign Manager.
Now I am a preacher.
Carol: Tell us about your motivation to write.
Steve: I hope the horrible experiences I have had
in my life will help others overcome obstacles in their lives.
Carol: Explain your journey to publication. What was
your reaction and how has it changed your life?
Steve: I tried every publisher I could think of BEFORE
I went with Publish America. I don’t know that it changed my
life, but my experience with them has been fairly good.
Carol: Describe your current book.
Steve: From my web site: Written to help the Christian
who has been hurt or wounded in a church or Christian organization,
this is my fourth book: There Will Be No Rescue. Allow
me to clarify. My first three writings were more like booklets.
A children’s book that I co-wrote, a booklet to help parents
struggling with rebellious teenagers, and finally an expose
of a religious cult being taught in public schools.
As a former police officer, bodyguard, D.C. lobbyist, and radio
talk show host, I tell the story of my life with a self-help
approach I hope, will encourage the reader.
From the pinnacle of success to absolute ruin and public scorn;
from breaking my neck to coming back later and winning a state
racquetball championship; and from running the most heated congressional
campaign in the country to losing almost everything in our lives
again, my wife and I hold nothing back in sharing the biblical
life lessons we have learned.
Carol: List your other books, and describe them.
Steve: My first book was called Satanism, Sacrilege,
Silly or Serious? And was a guide to help Parents whose
teenagers became involved in Satanism and the Occult. My next
book was an expose’ of a curriculum being taught in Public schools
that I objected to on the basis of the fact that it was teaching
religion. My third book, I would prefer not to mention.
Carol: Who is your one favorite author?
Steve: Frank Peretti.
Carol: What is your advice to aspiring writers?
Steve: Keep writing and don’t stop.
Carol: What is your genre of writing?
Steve: Christian.
Carol: Where do you want to take your writing in the
future?
Steve: I think anybody who writes books to "make money"
is fooling themselves. If you don’t enjoy it and others don’t
read it you are wasting your time. IF, on the other hand, you
do one day make some money, all the better!
Carol: What are your favorite writing websites if any?
Steve: Don’t REALLY know any.
Carol: Do you like writing short stories, novels, poems
or novella? Which is your favorite and why?
Steve: I like writing things that are true, reporting
or investigating for the benefit of others.
Carol: Are you in any book clubs?
Steve: No.
Carol: What is your opinion of your current publisher
and would you recommend them to others?
Steve: Publisher America has a bit of a reputation,
(a bad one) but my experience has been good over-all with them.
If young writers enter an agreement with them with the clear
understanding that they themselves must take responsibility
for marketing their book, Publisher America is great. In fact,
they are better than "Self publishing" which I had done with
my first two books. I also think Publish America is ahead of
their time. I believe more and more publishers will eventually
go the way of PA.
Carol: Would you self-publish and why or why not?
Steve: I did and because of hard work marketing, I
was reasonably successful. I sold about 14,000 copies of my
first book and 7,800 of my second. My third book was written
almost 10 years ago and is still selling today at a rate of
about 900 per year.
Carol: What do you think of the black writers today?
Steve: I’m white, but that should not disqualify me
from answering the question. The black community has unique
perspective on a lot of things, things only other people of
color can relate too. On the other hand, in the general arena
of literature I agree with Dr. King when he said: "it is not
the color of a man’s skin that matters, but rather it is the
content of his character."
Carol: What family member, if any, supports your writing?
Steve: My wife and children all seem to enjoy the
tremendous effort I put in my writing.
Carol: Have you done any book signings? If so, what
was the result?
Steve: None / never, I’m afraid nobody would show
up : )
Carol: What are your marketing tools for your books?
Steve: Press releases, web site, e-mails, word of
mouth and speaking engagements (Mostly to churches)
Carol: Give us your website and email address where
we can purchase and check out your work.
Steve: SteveAiken.com
Carol: Did you attend writing classes, and if so, what
is your opinion on writing seminars, degrees, and workshops?
Steve: None, I was too busy learning stuff to go to
college!
Carol: How are your other hobbies?
Steve: My grandchildren and racquetball.
Carol: What is your favorite voice to write in and
why?
Steve: First person, me. Cause I know what I want
to say.
Carol: Do you want to write full-time or is this just
a hobby for you?
Steve: Just a hobby
Carol: In reviews of your books / short stories, etc.,
is the feedback positive or negative?
Steve: Polarizing. People either REALLY love this
book, or they hate it!
Carol: Do you have an editor?
Steve: No, I wish I did.
Carol: Do you have an agent?
Steve: Kind of, but he’s useless.
Carol: Of all your books / short stories, what is your
favorite and why?
Steve: My current book, cause it is the true story
of my life, with a self help twist.
Carol: Where can your books/short stories be purchased?
Steve: SteveAiken.com
Carol: What is the message you want to send out with
your books?
Steve: No matter how bad things get in your life,
there is always hope; don’t ever give up on yourself.
Carol: Is non-fiction and historical something you
want to write in the future?
Steve: Never say never, but I doubt it!
Carol: Is science-fiction, romance, or mystery a genre
you’d like to pursue?
Steve: I like reading sci-fi but writing it is better
left to people more qualified than I.
Carol: What kinds of books do you like to read?
Steve: Educational / Political
Carol: What is your full-time job?
Steve: Retired
Carol: If God gave you three wishes what would they
be and why?
Steve: That others would come to know His Son Jesus,
as I do, that He would come back soon and that there would finally
be peace on earth forever!
Carol: Tell us about your upcoming books and events.
Steve: NO events planned yet, but the new book will
be out in about a week!
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