Interview with P.G. Sundling Interview with P.G. Sundling

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

I was born in L.A. I plan to live and die in L.A. Bonus points if you notice a movie title. Los Angeles rates as a top 5 best AND worst city to live in. The Superbowl and Olympics will be walking distance from my house. There’s something wonderful about having options, even if you just stay home and see where your imagination takes you.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

Other than a few years in Colorado, I’ve always stuck to Los Angeles. I get antsy if I’m away from L.A. for more than ten days.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

Star Wars inspired me to write and Dungeons and Dragons taught me world-building and gave me an early platform to tell stories.

I’ve always had to be a writer. It just took me a long time to learn the discipline to finish ideas. Waiting for inspiration is a trap. Short, or long, the important thing is to finish. I switched from screenplays to novels because 70% of movies are adapted from other formats, like books. I decided to join the 70% and skip past the gatekeepers.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

“Twisty and Unexpected.” I break a lot of rules, especially around genre.

I write in a terse cinematic style because I think in terms of visual media. The movies in my head have quotable lines and fast-paced action to complement the battle of wits. I have little patience for lengthy detailed descriptions and like to put in just enough for the reader’s imagination to fill in the rest. On whatever wacky adventure, there will be humor, even in the face of doom.

My stories are larger than life, but there’s enough truth in my fiction that I’ve had readers fact check me.

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

The Internet President: None of the Above blends so many genres and ideas that it’s really “its own thing.” There’s something for everyone in the book.

There is one dividing line, though. Some readers don’t like political commentary in their political thrillers. One of the ideas of the book is that even if leaders have ideas to fix problems, we don’t have the patience to listen. After I finish the first three books, I’ll be releasing a “hyperactive edition” that will allow fast-forwarding through the political commentary using a snarky alternative narrator to summarize. It’ll be a self-satirizing book.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

When I began writing the book in 2014, I was afraid that many of my ridiculous subplots, like a presidential candidate with his own reality TV show, were too hard to believe. Then Trump ran for president, and the book became more plausible by the day. When events similar to my book began to happen during the 2016 election cycle, it got so weird that I stopped reading the news. I have a “Fact Versus Fiction” section after the ending that details the similarities to real life.

One of the weirder coincidences was a minor plot point in my book where Russians mess with the election. It didn’t have any importance or relevance when I first wrote it. I had a big laugh about that!

The latest coincidence is an economic mystery from the novel. A year after the book was published, the economic trend dramatized in the book has accelerated and the Federal Reserve has responded in an unexpected way.

If you could, what advice would you give to past self yourself before embarking on this journey?

Success is rarely instant. Lay off the sodas and hamburgers. Find ways to exercise. Keep healthy so you’ll be around long enough to write more books and build towards that success.

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

All of them? There are so many ideas in The Internet President: None of the Above that the novel can be a thought-provoking journey for those open to it. There’s still plenty to entertain for those that aren’t. The hyperactive edition mentioned earlier should help the book reach even more people.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

It’s really difficult to get reviews. People message me on social media to tell me how much they loved my book, but don’t leave a review. It’s a double-edged sword though because I’m very thin-skinned and a review can affect my mood for days.

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

I put so much of myself into my novels. I craft hundreds of little touches, some of which won’t be noticeable on the first read-through. A lot of thought goes into every detail, even chapter titles. I get compliments on the vivid and memorable characters, the humor, the action, and the political commentary. The “Fact Versus Fiction” about all the similarities between the plot of the book and real life is also a reader favorite.

Book covers and author photos are my favorite part of marketing. Each book in the series will have a matching author photo in the same style as the cover. I get strong reactions to my author picture with the puppet master strings.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

Because I improved so much as a writer in the four years I write my first novel, the beginning is not as strong as later parts of the book, despite rewrites. Sometimes readers miss out because they don’t finish. The last third of the book is where it earns all those five-star reviews.

I love talking to readers about my books, but setting up advertising and all that goes with it feels like quicksand. It sucks up way too much time. As a result, I avoid marketing. Although, I’ll take it more seriously when later books are released.

When do you think you will you write your next book?

I’m putting my affairs in order and then I’ll go into writing mode until I finish the next two books. Most of my friends won’t see me much for a couple of years as I focus on writing. Because of the way book two ends, I’ll have part of book three written before release. The series is going in some unconventional directions, so it’ll be really interesting to see how readers react.

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

I self-published the ebook and paperback versions. The Internet President: None of the Above won the “Cross Genre” category in the American Fiction Award. After I announced the award, Skyboard Media was interested in evaluating the book. They liked it and went on to publish the audiobook with Blackstone as the distributor. I’ve seen pictures of the audiobook at a library and it was a staff pick at a Barnes and Noble. I don’t know that I would get that type of exposure if I self-published the audiobook too.

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