Larry Sweitzer is a writer, musician, and avid baseball fan. He was born and raised in western Maryland and now lives in Virginia with his wife and two daughters. The Ghost, the Eggheads, and Babe Ruth’s Piano is his first novel.
Thank you for this interview, Larry. Can you tell us a little about yourself and how long you’ve been writing?
Larry: Thanks for interviewing me. I live in southern Virginia where I write a lot, read a lot, spend way too much time following baseball, help raise my daughters, have more hobbies than any one person should, sleep too little, and try to smile every minute of every day.
I’ve been writing for about five years now.
Do you write full-time?
Larry: Yes, in the sense that I write or promote my writing every day. Writing is not my sole career, though. I still have a “day job” that helps pay the bills.
You’ve met an old friend from high school and you want to pitch your book to him/her in five minutes or less. What would you say?
Larry: First, I would be amazed to run into a high school classmate since I haven’t seen any of them in a very long time. Pitching my book to them would be easy since some parts of the book are loosely based on happenings from my middle and high school days.
Who is your intended audience? Have you been able to crossover into other audiences as well?
Larry: Preteen and teen boys, but I hope girls of the same age group will enjoy it as well.
Yes. The book takes place at a summer camp, so anyone who’s ever gone to camp will be able to relate. In the short time my book has been out, I’ve already spoken to a number of people who just love sharing their childhood stories of camp.
There’s also the ghost element. Paranormal stories are always popular. We love to be scared and love to explore the unknown.
I hope baseball fans—particularly Boston Red Sox fans—will enjoy my book. Many of the characters are Red Sox fans and, of course, Babe Ruth played for the Sox early in his career.
Why did you choose your particular genre?
Larry: It’s a fun genre to write about that has a lot of enthusiastic readers. We all probably have fun, interesting, awkward, and entertaining memories from our childhood. I certainly enjoy drawing from my own experiences from that time of my life.
Do you ever experience self-doubts with your work?
Larry: Absolutely. It’s natural for us to have self-doubt about our work. Not everyone will like everything you write. The internet is now a platform for anyone to voice their opinions about anything.
It has been said that you should write books that you, yourself, would like to read. I always try to keep that in mind when I’m writing. If I’m happy with the end result and I’ve grown as a writer, then I feel a great sense of accomplishment when I finish a book. If other people enjoy it, then it’s a bonus.
Where do you write? Do you have a favorite place?
Larry: I write just about anywhere. I usually keep paper and pen close by in case inspiration hits me out of the blue. I tend to write a lot at my desk when it’s very late. I’d say 50 percent of my new novel was written there between midnight and 4 am.
What kind of research did you have to do during the writing process?
Larry: I researched a few historical facts about baseball and verified some details about the setting. I also spoke to people about their camp experiences. My teenage daughters provided help when asked about current slang, teen expressions, and dialogue.
How are you promoting your book thus far?
Larry: I’m concentrating my efforts on the internet, initially. I have a website, a blog, and a Facebook page for the book. I’m slowly getting my book entered into the various book databases and related book sites. My book has just been released, so my current virtual book tour is a big part of the launch.
If you could give one book promotion tip to new authors, what would that be?
Larry: Try to create a buzz on the internet. It’s very doable. Try to target audiences that are related to your book. A lot of marketing and promotional campaigns can go viral and spread across the internet in no time!
What’s next for you?
Larry: I always have multiple projects going at one time! I have two manuscripts in the works—both are young adult novels. One is about a group of amateur ghost hunters. It’s very dark and a much more serious than my current book, but I can’t help but add a little humor into everything I write. My other work-in-progress is still in the research stage, but I’m excited about it as well. It’s a modern day retelling of a story from ancient Greek mythology.
I also have some music related projects that I hope to get off the ground in the coming months that I’m really eager to get started on.
Thank you for this interview, Larry. Can you tell us where we can find you on the web?
Larry: Thank you for having me! You can find me at www.larrysweitzer.com.
Win a copy of his book, The Ghost, the Eggheads, and Babe Ruth's Piano by clicking here!
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