**INTERVIEW with SAM MOFFIE**

It is with great pleasure to interview author Sam Moffie. author of: "NO MAD" Genre: Fiction/ Humor INTERVIEW Geri: When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer? Sam: At an early age, when I took my first hearing test in the public school system, and it was determined that Iwas deaf in my right ear. A lot of activities were curtailed for me at this point. Found my niche in reading, which made me wonder how books were put together in the first place. Who were the authors putting all these stories together? Geri: What type of books do you enjoy writing? Sam: Fiction that makes people laugh at some point during the story! Geri: Did a special person inspire you to write? Sam: Not really! Probably all the authors that I contributed to me becoming one of them! Geri: Have you written any books based on a true life story? Sam: All stories have some truth in them! Geri: Who is your favorite author? Sam: A tie between John Irving, and Kurt Vonnegut. Geri: Are your characters created from the imagination? Sam: Some are from real life, and most are made up. I get most of my names from real people who have great names to use. The rest of the names come from various obituary pages. Geri: How many books have you written? Sam: Four, my most recent is The Book of Eli, which is in post production right now. Geri: Where can your books be purchased? Sam: www.amazon.com www.barnesandnoble.com www.booksurge.com www.Xlibris.com www.samsstories.com and Arbor Books Geri: Describe how you felt the first time you were published? Sam: A kind of happiness that I never expected, so it was a very different form of happy! Geri: Do you have any current work in progress? Sam: The Book of Eli in now in production! Geri: What are some links to your websites? Sam: www.samsstories.com www.myspace.com/sammoffie www.facebook.com/sammoffie Geri: Do you have goals set for the future? Sam: Yes! I would like to think I can write one, or two novels per year. I would like to find a non-fiction story to do before I quit. Geri: Are you exactly where you want to be with your writing? Sam: I am behind, because I got started very late! Geri: What can help authors to reach their dream? Sam: Never quit! Ignore critics, and the rejection slips, and move forward. Times are changing very quickly for the publishing world as we know it. Who knows where it will end up? I don't have a crystal ball that works, I have one that hasn't, but I am confident that the writers who stay the course of their convictions will all be very happy with the new publishing business that is coming. Geri: Have you ever experienced writer's block? Sam: Yes! From age twenty-two through forty-six! I didn't write a damn thing! Geri: What can prevent it? Sam: Like everything else in the writer's business, don't get discouraged. Something will come. Do something that will get your mind off the block, and while you're probably concentrating on the task at hand, the block will lift. Geri: As a child, did you have favorite books? Sam: "To Kill A Mockingbird!" Geri: As a child, did you read alot? Sam: No question about it, books saved me! Geri: If you had the opportunity to one day live the life of a famous author, who would it be? Sam: I would just like to live life a tad bit larger than I am now. The security for my family would be reward enough, but I definitely would move to a better climate than Northeast Ohio. Geri: Many authors feel a sense of self-satisfaction, a sense of achievement after publishing a book. Can you relate? Sam: For me it is both, plus one other item, a sense of let down because the story and all the characters are over. It lasts until I start my next story. Geri: How do you balance occupation with writing? Sam: There is no balance. The tavern I own pays the bills, and gets just as much attention as my writing. Geri: How did you feel at your first book-signing? Sam: Nervous! Geri: If you won the lottery tomorrow, what would change? Sam: I would start a publishing company that was owned and managed by authors who would all own a stake in it. Geri: As writers, we begin with a manuscript, and end in promotions. What was your most difficult task? Sam: There is nothing more difficult than creating something from nothing. For me, the promotional part is easy. I love to talk when I'm not writing. I'll go to a book reading and signing and have a great time, even if only one person shows up, which was what my second book-signing was like. Geri: Some writer's listen to music while writing, or focus on a particular scenery. Can you relate? Sam: The comforts of my home and family are my tonic! Geri: If you were to publish in a different genre, what would it be? Sam: A non-fiction story! Geri: Thank you very much for your time. This interview was very enjoyable! I remember the movie as if it was yesterday, "To Kill A Mockingbird." Sam: You're welcome!