Interview with Rebecca Forster
American author Rebecca Forster is currently riding high in the Amazon download charts with her legal thriller Hostile Witness. Originally released as a paperback, she has been offering this compelling eBook read for free. So what makes her tick? I caught up with her to find out.
1. Hi Rebecca, please tell us a little about your background.
I worked in New York for 26 years with major publishers like Harper Collins, Pocket Books and, most recently, Penguin Putnam.
2. You’ve got quite a lot of experience in the publishing business. How well do you think publishers have dealt with the emergence of digital publishing?
Publishers are trying to figure out how to deal with digital publishing, they are not acquiring as many titles and distribution channels are shrinking.
3. So as a writer how are you navigating through that?
Currently, I don’t work with an agent or traditional publisher. I dipped my toe into the indie waters about two years ago with my backlist and was completely taken with the opportunity to control my own destiny.
4. How have things been going for you since making that decision?
Since doing this, I have written two completely independent novels and will release the third in a week or so.
5. You currently have Hostile Witness available as a free download, what prompted you to do that?
This series (Hostile, Silent and Privileged) did very well when it was traditionally published. Realizing there were many readers who prefer electronic devices who had never heard of me, I couldn’t think of a better way to introduce myself than by offering a free book.
6. What are the advantages of offering the eBook for free?
This allows readers to ‘take my work out for a test run’. Josie, Hannah and Archer proved to be a hit and Expert Witness will be released in time for Christmas.
7. Finally, what are your thoughts regarding the current climate of electronic publishing?
We certainly are in the Wild West of publishing, and it will be so interesting to see where it takes both writers and readers.