Alan Lastufka, a Hoffer Award-winning author and owner of Shortwave, dives into the entrepreneurial mindset essential for success in today's publishing landscape. He discusses the evolution of publishing, highlighting innovative marketing strategies like subscription services. Lastufka shares insights on the challenges independent authors face, including navigating reviewer fees and the impact of AI on creativity. He emphasizes the importance of adaptability and resourcefulness in engaging readers, making a case for a balance between creative ambition and business savvy.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Alan's Origin Story in Writing
Alan Lastufka reignited his writing after leaving a previous business and using NaNoWriMo to draft his first novel.
He studied writing craft and techniques intensively before seriously pursuing his debut novel.
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Launching Shortwave Press
Alan created Shortwave initially as a vanity press to maintain control over his debut novel release.
The success of his book led him to expand Shortwave to publish other authors, mainly in horror genres.
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Past Business Funded Publishing Venture
Alan co-founded DFTBA Records with Hank Green, growing from a bedroom startup to a full warehouse and team.
Profits from this venture allowed him to fund Shortwave Press despite its early losses, making it a passion project.
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Set in Chamberlain, Maine, 'Carrie' by Stephen King tells the story of Carietta 'Carrie' White, a 16-year-old girl who is ridiculed and bullied by her peers and abused by her ultra-religious mother, Margaret. Carrie discovers she has telekinetic powers after a humiliating incident in the school locker room where she gets her first period. The story unfolds through multiple narratives, including newspaper reports, court transcripts, and personal memoirs, detailing Carrie's transformation from a shy and isolated girl to a force of vengeance. After being humiliated at the school prom, Carrie unleashes her powers, causing widespread destruction and death in the town. The novel explores themes of ostracism, bullying, and the psychological trauma experienced by its characters[2][3][5].
Harry Potter
J.K. Rowling
The Harry Potter series, written by J.K. Rowling, follows the journey of Harry Potter, an orphan boy who discovers he is a wizard. The series spans seven novels, each corresponding to one year of Harry's life at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry, along with his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, navigates the magical world, confronts various challenges, and ultimately faces off against the dark wizard Lord Voldemort, who murdered Harry's parents and seeks to dominate the wizarding world. The series explores themes of friendship, love, and the struggle between good and evil.
Join hosts J.D. Barker, Christine Daigle, Jena Brown, and Kevin Tumlinson as they discuss the week's entertainment news, including stories about Inkitt, Publishers Weekly, and Eric Smith. Then, stick around for a chat with Alan Lastufka!
Alan Lastufka is a Hoffer Award-winning author and the owner of Shortwave, an independent small press. He writes horror, supernatural, and magical realism stories.
His debut novel, Face the Night, received a starred Kirkus review, was a finalist for Best New Horror Novel at the Next Generation Indie Book Awards, and won the 2022 Hoffer Award for Best Commercial Fiction. It was also listed as one of the 100 Best Indie Books of the Year by Kirkus.
When he’s not writing, or recording with his band, The Caulden Road, Alan enjoys walking through Oregon’s beautiful woods with his partner, Kris.
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