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Thanks for coming back again for the third and final post on writer Sean Ferrell.

The first two posts are below if you have not seen them:

Sean Ferrell – The Author Talks About Writing

Sean Ferrell – The Author Talks About Numb the Character

Today Sean talks about his Amazon Kindle book trailer Numb giving us an idea of how it was created.

If you have not seen it, please take a moment and view it below (you can also view it at Sean’s website and YouTube but if you want a day of ease – clicking one less click – just click play below):

Sean Ferrell’s Numb Book Trailer

Let the interview begin.

Imagine – we’re good at that, writers that we are – Sean Ferrell sitting on a comfy leather chair and I’m sitting on an identical one opposite. The cafe is full of people sheltering from the wind outside. We’ve finished our coffee. There is only silence in our corner. Our faces serious and intense. Then the samurai swords come out. Flick. Flick. No, not really. But the questions and answers are serious and he did answer them with his own email program. Oh Yeah. Ready?

Let the interview begin (again):

~

Q: Was the trailer ad libbed, improvised or scripted?

A: Ad libbed. I spoke into a recorder and did several takes on some lines (like the synopsis of the book). My brilliant brother edited it into one track using the best takes. He then filmed the video and used editing tricks so that the visuals matched my commentary.

~

Q: Who came up with the idea?

A: I did. I wanted to do something simple (one shot, no actors) and quick.

~

Q: Did you have a team to set it up or was it mostly just you and a cameraman?

A: Video was shot in Boston, audio recorded in Brooklyn. The magic of the internet. I recorded the audio and then used a file sharing site to transfer it to my brother. He filmed his own lovely hands (back off ladies, he’s married) with his wife’s Kindle. He created the graphics and sent me the final video via the file sharing site. There were a few minor edits, and then it was done. If it hadn’t been for my brother it wouldn’t have happened, so anyone who hated it: blame Matthew.

~

Thanks Sean ~

Are we going to blame Matthew? No. His hands are too lovely.

The 3 questions just raised more questions. Now I want to know more. Don’t you? This is what I want to know from Sean:

• Your brother Matthew – is he an editor?

• Do you think Matthew will buy his wife an iPad or something that looks like it’s not from 1986 (quoting you mate)?

Perhaps you could ask for me. That samurai sword scene did happen and frankly Sean is scared of me. See that Numb book cover? See that man with the ripped trousers? That’s what I did to Sean’s trousers with my samurai sword people. Oh, it’s okay. Don’t worry, he’s still alive.

Find Sean on Twitter @byseanferrell and ask him anything you want. Tell him I sent you.

Oh take a samurai sword.

You don’t have one?

Take a hammer.

No, he knows about hammers. Don’t take a hammer.

You only have a hammer? (Okay, read previous post and be prepared if you really insist on taking a hammer)

What? You have a ceramic mask?

Where did you hear about that? Nevermind. Take it.

Ready?

Wait.

Be prepared. This is what Harley May had to say about the book Numb. Yep, you heard right, she got to read it – THE BOOK NUMB. See previous post and comment from Harley. She knows something about that ceramic mask and she’s not telling me. She might tell you. (If you really insist on taking that ceramic mask of yours.)

Ready?

Wait.

Be extra prepared. Rumors abound – but I am sure that Patty Blount met Sean Ferrell recently. She might be able to give you clues.

Ready?

Okay.

Go. Go. Go.

Move. Move. Move.

*shouting into the internet ethers*

Sean Ferrell can also be found at his byseanferrell.com website if you don’t find him on…you still there?…Nevermind…Well if you can hear me – have a good weekend…and go safely into the night as someone said sometime somewhere…if not, they should…you still there?

(Please note: I don’t work for Apple though conveniently my last name is Mac. And it is my real name. I have no association with Apple whatsoever. And they didn’t disown me either for deciding to go against the path of technology to chase after my dream path – writing novels. I just love their products.)

Similar Posts ~

Sean Ferrell – The Author Talks About Writing

Sean Ferrell – The Author Talks About Numb the Character

“High achievers spot rich opportunities swiftly, make big decisions quickly, and move into action immediately. Follow these principles and you can make your dreams come true.”

Robert H. Schuller – Author

CURRENT STATUS: Reminder, Motivator and Review Meeting (Read on if you want to join me in my Corporation of One meeting)

What l have learnt:

• Introducing Guestblogging by Jon Morrow. There are free videos. I’ve signed up.
• Mike Larsen’s 6 Keys to Being a Contentrepreneur has good advice. I read his quote in Christina Katz’s book ‘Get Known Before the Book Deal’: ‘You are in three businesses: the book business, the marketing business, and the people business.’ Get used it people, you are. Hide away that eccentric recluse wannabe side of you. I have to. And you have to too. I know. *Group hug sob sob*
• I’m in it for the long haul. I’m tired but I’m in it for the long haul. Read Publishing Insiders Wrap-Up: From Blog to Book by Pamela Redmond Satran to see what I mean.
• Found Fictionaut.com and I signed up to be notified if I can sign up on this invite-only website. It focuses on short stories but there’s no word limit they say.
• Outsourcing. It makes perfect sense if you have the money to do so. Read BookEnds Spending Money to Make Money.
• The BookDepository.co.uk tells you who bought what book where. (via Guardian.co.uk) Are you a book voyeur?

What I have done:

• Participating. That’s work. It is. It is. *getting annoyed* It is work.
• Cleaned the other bathroom. Okay this isn’t work but there would be angry folk knocking down my door if this isn’t done.
• Christina Katz left a comment on my blog. Hurrah! Thanks Christina. *grins*

WORD COUNT: Night Walker 136,000 in total. Thursday 29 July wrote 1,000 words. Oh Yeah.

It’s great to have you back after the first part of the interview with novelist Sean Ferrell – The Author Talks About Writing.

Today, we continue with Sean talking about Numb the main character of his book (the book is also called Numb). I had 3 questions for Sean about his main character and I must admit, and he can verify, that these questions popped into my head while writing my email to Sean. It’s cool that Sean doesn’t mind me being silly. Well, read on and you’ll understand what I mean:

1) If your character could take 3 items on a desert island, what would he take?

I don’t think he would want to take anything. Numb is a pretty unattached guy: at one point he becomes very aware of the uselessness of the materialistic items around him. So, the metaphysical answer to the question would be: nothing.

However, that’s not a fun answer, so: he would take a hammer, his suit, and a ceramic mask.

2) Is the character based on yourself or someone you know or was he conjured up totally from your imagination?

Yes.

I’m not trying to be difficult, but I think that he is all three, an amalgam of me and others and imagination, and I think that if I tried too hard to break him apart and “know” where he came from I wouldn’t have been able to write the novel. Sometimes its just best to listen to our characters instead of picking them apart.

3) If your main character could be an animal, what would he want to be and why?

A monkey, for two reasons. First: monkey is an awesome word and can’t be said enough. Try. Monkey monkey monkey. By the third monkey it’s like heaven.

Second, when I think of a monkey I think of an animal that seems observant and soulful. Numb is both, or at least he is to me.

Somebody ask Sean what he means by saying his character would bring a suit and a ceramic mask. Is it for fun? See, the hammer I understand. I’m dying to ask and should have asked but did not ask. So I’m asking now. Why the suit and ceramic mask? You may think I’m taking this questioning and answering a bit too seriously. You’re probably right. I’m just curious. Sean? Why? You’re going to say they were just random items that came to mind and now under such intense scrutiny you feel you’ve got to make up a reason?

Okay, I’ll quit provoking you.

While we wait for an answer…you could chant monkey monkey monkey to see if it’s like heaven… or you could watch this funny Numb book trailer – no, this book trailer is not the one I responded to – see previous post – this is another one (exact title and video taken from Janet Reid’s website):

Hell with 2010…the world might end Wednesday

Monkey, monkey, monkey…Monkey, monkey, monkey….Monkey, monkey, monkey…

And no, I did not make this up.

Sean, tell them I did not make up the answers.

People please.

Oh, don’t go yet.

Just a reminder, the third part of the interview: Sean Ferrell Talks About the Book Trailer Numb will be posted on Friday.

Yes, I am dragging it out. I’m just too long-winded and frankly I fear for your health, and Sean’s of course.

Don’t worry, I’ll remind you.

I have Twitter and Hootsuite. Oh yeah. I’ve been playing…and probably annoying. All in the name of work.

Monkey, monkey, monkey…I think I feel it’s like heaven.

Try it.

Then find Sean on Twitter @byseanferrell and let him know if you feel it’s like heaven.

Oh, and according to Janet Reid, the world is ending today. So get out there and do something.

Published by HarperPerennial, Numb is out in August 2010.

Numb ~ Review from Publisher’s Weekly
Sean Ferrell, Harper Perennial, $13.99 paper (288p) ISBN 978-0-06-194650-9
In Ferrell’s offbeat debut, an amnesiac joins a Texas circus where his inability to feel pain makes him a big-top hit and earns him the name Numb. After a haunting experience wrestling a lion, Numb and his best friend, Mal, give up the circus for life in New York, where they live in a crappy hotel and make a living as a lowrent one-man freak show. When Numb lands a talent agent and begins to move up through the layers of celebrity, he leaves Mal behind for a cast of characters including a blind artist girlfriend and bad news model Emilia. But in Numb’s world, nothing hurts much at all, so Mal comes back and predictably turns things upside down, despite the men’s bond being difficult to comprehend. There are captivating moments and passages, but details like Numb’s rise to recognized-on-the-street fame aren’t sufficiently explained and require a hefty suspension of disbelief. Though some of the storytelling nuts and bolts are missing, the book has a lot of heart. (Aug.)

(via Sean Ferrell’s website)

[All photos used belong to Sean Ferrell]

Sean Ferrell – The Author Talks About Writing

Sean Ferrell – The Author Talks About the Book Trailer Numb

Chuck Sambuchino – An Interview: Published Book, Writing and a Writer’s Life (Part 1)

“You cannot change anything in your life with intention alone, which can become a watered-down, occasional hope that you’ll get to tomorrow. Intention without action is useless.”

Caroline Myss – Author

CURRENT STATUS: Reminder, Motivator and Review Meeting (Read on if you want to join me in my Corporation of One meeting)

What l have learnt:

• Ebooks. More angst. Read When Assholes Collide by Matt Stewart (via Huffington Post).
• “Electronic rights are not e-book rights”. Read E-book Traps by Ron Knight (via UpAuthors.com). Something to think about.
• Could ‘The Jackal’ be the Death of Publishing? (via The Independent). I don’t know.
• There’s a 3 day novel writing contest in September. It sounds crazy to write a novel in 3 days and I’m tempted to try it.
• Mythbusting by Rachelle Gardner. It’s good to know.

What I have done:

• Learning about Squidoo.
• I cleaned my room and the bathroom. Ah, the smell of fresh linen. A gleaming bathroom is a wonderful bathroom.

WORD COUNT: Night Walker 135,000 in total. Tuesday 27 July 2,000 words.