Interview with Gary Odendaal
Published 2016-01-25.
Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you?
I do not remember the first story I heard but I do remember the first large book that I read. I read Harry Potter and the Chamber of secrets when i was in the 4th grade. The book had the biggest impact on my life; I was that kid that was always bullied in school. I hid in the corner of the library and read books from that day forward. The harry potter books had such a huge impact on my life that I decided to keep a permanent reminder and have the deathly hallows symbol tattooed on my neck.
How do you approach cover design?
People always say never judge a book by its cover, it is impossible not to. I like to make my cover designs relevant to the name and topic I am covering but also to make it something eye catching and attractive.
What are your five favorite books, and why?
My five favorite books changed my life in school and introduced me to a world of fantasy and an escape from life. They sparked my passion for reading. The books are; Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Game of thrones and The Hunger Games. I have tattoos from 3 of them and will be getting the other 2 within the next year.
What book marketing techniques have been most effective for you?
I am a social media person by nature. I use my blog, Facebook and Twitter as my only marketing tools.
Describe your desk
Organized Chaos!
When did you first start writing?
I have always written small stories, kept a journal and the such. I have only recently decided to put pen to paper and turn this in to something more than a hobby. I want to share my passion with the world and get it out there. I have always said that if i write 100 books and only 1 person reads one of them I will still be happy because I will have enjoyed writing them and achieved what I set out to do.
What is the greatest joy of writing for you?
Taking what is in my mind and what will hopefully help someone else and putting it out there for them to enjoy and hopefully learn from.
What are you working on next?
I am doing a series of 10Step books. Some of the titles I expect will be out very soon are: 10Step Project Management,10Step Delegation,10Step Requirements Gathering,10Step Communication,10Step Data Analysis,10Step Work Ethics,10Step Time Management,10Step Planning, 10Step Budgeting,10Step IT Management,10Step Report Design,10Step Financial Planning
When you're not writing, how do you spend your time?
Working or sleeping. a hotelier has barely any life, it takes a hard working and dedicated person to be able to work in the hotel industry.
Do you remember the first story you ever wrote?
I have the strangest obsession with the story of the Titanic. The first story I remember writing was an essay about the sinking of the titanic for my English class.
Smashwords Interviews are created by the profiled author or publisher.
