1. First, introduce yourself a bit. What is your name (or pen name) and where are you from?
Armand Rosamilia, originally from New Jersey but living in Jacksonville Florida now. Much better weather. I’m a full-time author (over ten years now able to pay the bills writing!), a podcaster, a bourbon drinker/collector, a lover of M&M’s and coffee. Sometimes at the same time.
2. Next, tell us a bit about your most recent work. Is this your first published book? What is it about and what genre would you classify it as?
A Month of Dunkin’ is my latest, a nonfiction book about me writing in, talking to people in, and eating/drinking in a different Dunkin’ Donuts location every day for a month. It is far from my first published book. I have over 150 releases so far, with many more to come.
3. Tell us a bit about your main character; what are they like, how did they come about, and what are some of their strengths and weaknesses?
Huh. I guess I’d be the main character in this non-fiction book, and I learned a lot about myself. I’m very introverted, so it was tough to leave the house each day for so many in a row, and have to talk to people. I met a lot of very cool people, and enjoyed the experience.
4. What was your hardest scene to write in this (or any) book?
When my wife was with me at a location, and I had to ignore her to write or try to awkwardly talk to another person with her there. It usually went badly, to be honest, but it was part of the charm of doing this.
5. Did you go the traditional route when publishing your book or did you choose to self-publish?
Originally, I had a publisher interested in it, but once Covid hit in 2020, they backed out. So I tried another but they weren’t putting out anything until 2023 and I didn’t want to keep waiting, so I self-published it. I am a hybrid, so I have many books with small press publishers as well as many self-published. Never want to put all my eggs in one basket.
6. What would you say is the most difficult part of your writing journey and what advice would you give to other writers?
Keep at it. I’ve been writing and being published for over thirty years and each new story is a great new experience. It’s also managing the publishing changes over the years. The constant changes are the toughest to stay on top of.
7. Do you want each book to stand on its own, or are you trying to build a body of work with connections between each book?
For my fiction work (I write mostly crime thrillers and horror) they are mostly all set in the same world. The same mythos. There are many Easter Eggs in my stories, tying into other works. Readers love to message and tell me when they find them. Cameos from characters from one series to another, situations talked about that affect another series.
8. What are some of your favourite authors and books and what inspired you to become a writer in the first place?
Dean Koontz. I started reading him when I was twelve and wanted to be a writer. His work is amazing, and his latest books are equally amazing as the ones I read forty years ago. he inspires me to get better and to write the best possible story.
9. What would you say has been the best way to market your books?
By marketing ME. By being myself, having something fun to chat about, spending time with readers and potential readers, and letting my personality show. My big, public one, anyway. I have to turn it on to not sit quietly at conventions, book signings, or online. It is worth it, though, because I do have fun meeting new people.
10. Are there any tropes, clichés, or writing styles that you dislike and, if so, what are they and why?
I think even a trope or cliché can be fitting if done right, and not overdone. I’m more upset when writers try to reinvent the wheel, tossing out all tropes and still trying to force it. Readers want a good story but they also like the tropes, the ‘rules’ in a specific genre. Don’t kill the main character in a romance. Vampires, zombies, etc. have some rules you need to at least touch on.
11. Do you read reviews of your book and, if so, how do you handle negative feedback?
I have not read a review in many years. The review is not for the writer, it’s for the potential readers. So they can tell one another whether or not a story is good. I’m not very good at handling a bad review, and even a great five-star review bothered me, like I was reading between the lines for the negative.
12. What are some of your quirks as a writer? Do you like to plot everything out or do you prefer to just “wing it” and see where the story takes you? Do you listen to music when writing and, if so, what do you listen to?
I am a total pantser. I get a rough idea in my head and then… I sit down and write. One interesting thing I enjoy doing is writing a new short story on my Twitch channel one or two days a week, having nothing more than a title. Writing live while people follow along, ask questions and chat with me. I love it. Forces me to write three days a week and get me away from the deadline books I have. I have to have music playing when I write, except when I do it on Twitch.
13. What is the best advice you’ve ever had when it comes to writing and what advice would you give to new writers?
To read everything, and not just in your specific genre. You learn a lot reading other genres, like the plotting, characters, etc. I read mostly non-fiction and learn things I can use in a future fiction story. Read and read and read.
14. What’s next for you? Are you currently working on any new books or stories?
Always working on new stories. I have fourteen open projects right now, six for publishers. My next release is Shake Down, the first book in my upcoming First Coast Thriller series. Coming January 15th 2022. The next two books will be released soon after, and then the last three books to fill in the year. Plus a lot of other books, too. I released thirteen titles in 2021.
15. Finally, feel free to plug your social media, website, and links to Amazon, GoodReads, and other relevant sites below, and detail any current offers available for your book/s:
Dirty Deeds, the first book of my crime thriller series, is only 99 cents through December 31st! I also have a few other titles at 99c on Amazon, too!
If you’d like to be featured in an interview, please check out the interview submissions page to submit your answers.
Dr. K's Waiting Room 