Sins in Blue received a 4+ star review, making it an IndieReader Approved title.
Following find an interview with author Brian Kaufman.
What is the name of the book and when was it published?
Sins in Blue was released on May 21,2020 (Black Rose Publishing).
What’s the book’s first line?
“Kennedy Barnes chose a barstool away from the window, but halfway into his first beer the evening sun angled his way, leaving him blind.”
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
Young Kennedy Barnes pins his hopes for fame and fortune on Willie Johnson, a Depression-era blues man who may (or may not) have invented rock and roll.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
A young co-worker at the restaurant where I cooked had a better blues collection than I did. Drunken nights spinning vinyl and playing guitar ensued. Our conversations convinced to me dust off an old outline and writing the novel in earnest.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
The story reads like butter.
What’s the most distinctive thing about the main character? Who-real or fictional-would you say the character reminds you of?
When he drinks, Willie dispenses wisdom—but each nugget is hard won through failure and sorrow. He doesn’t remind me of anyone—he’s just Willie.
When did you first decide to become an author?
I considered the idea when I was twelve, but didn’t settle on it until I was sixteen, when it became clear that I would never be a major league ballplayer. You can’t play center field if you run the 100-yard dash in 14 seconds.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I write textbooks for an online college.
What’s the best and the hardest part of being an indie?
The best part is being able to write outside of the box, parting with commercial expectations (with the support of my publisher, Black Rose Writing). This means I can write the stories I want to write. Though I enjoy it, marketing is the hard part. There are a lot of books out there, and I’m not a “look at me” kind of guy.
What’s a great piece of advice that you can share with fellow indie authors?
Marry someone who is supportive of your writing. Or stay single. I married a poet, and she’s been my smartest decision.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
I did, to some extent. I have a Civil War novel coming from Five Star/Cengage. I wanted a book in hardcover, and I wanted a nice advance, probably for validation purposes. I knew Cengage because of the textbook business. They’re not huge, though, and they seem to have retained the heart of an independent publisher.
Is there something in particular that motivates you (fame? fortune?)
The finished book. That’s it. Since I was very young, books have been icons (I still have some Golden Books on my “keeper shelf.”) My book on that same shelf reminds me that I’ve built a writer’s life. Good life.