LIVE with The Famous Dr AL and Douglas Weissman

Show Notes for Interview with Douglas Weissman Introduction: Dr. Allen Lycka introduces his guest, Douglas Weissman, a Los Angeles-based author known for his captivating tales of friendship, hidden beauty, and everyday magic.Douglas holds an MFA in creative writing and is the author of Girls in the Ashes.He lives with his wife, daughter, dog, and an indifferent cat. Douglas Weissman's Writing Journey: Douglas shares that his love for writing began in second grade with a story about Cinderella’s unhappy ending.Encouragement from his teacher and later college instructors played a crucial role in his decision to pursue writing.He faced societal pressure about writing not being a viable career but resisted and pursued his passion. Overcoming Doubts: Dr. Lycka relates his experience with doubts about his writing but used them as motivation to write 17 technical books and 3 bestsellers.Douglas shares a similar experience where an editor doubted one of his book projects, which ultimately became the most well-received in the series.Both highlight the importance of perseverance and proving naysayers wrong. The Genesis of Girls in the Ashes: Douglas explains how his wife’s love for the TV show Dexter inspired the concept for Girls in the Ashes—a female serial killer in World War II Paris.The book explores the protagonist’s moral gray areas and her struggle between joining the resistance or protecting herself. Research Process for the Book: Douglas conducted extensive research, despite pandemic restrictions, focusing on orphans in France and daily life in occupied Paris.The book When Paris Went Dark provided key insights into the occupation of Paris during WWII.He also used podcasts and historical records to gather additional information. Challenges of Marketing and Selling a Book: Douglas talks about the challenges of selling a book, especially with the overwhelming number of books published daily.He emphasizes the importance of continuous self-promotion through social media, podcasts, and local bookstores.His wife helps him creatively promote his book, sometimes physically rearranging bookstore displays. Publishing Industry Insights: Douglas discusses the shift in the publishing industry, where a book's success is no longer determined by its first few weeks of sales.With the power of social media and other promotional tools, books can have a longer shelf life.He emphasizes that even authors with big publishers often need to do their own marketing. Douglas' Travel Writing Journey: Douglas got into travel writing through a Craigslist ad while finishing his graduate program.His extensive travels, including a year-long trip around the world, provided him with rich experiences for his travel writing.His travel essays often influence his fiction, blending his adventures with creative storytelling. Memorable Travel Destinations: Douglas shares that every destination is memorable, but places that surprise him tend to be his favorites.He recalls an unexpected trip to northeast Cambodia, where he stayed in a treehouse and experienced local culture, which left a lasting impression.Dr. Lycka reflects on the fascinating history of Cambodia and its great kingdoms. BIO: Douglas Weissman writes stories of friendship, of finding beauty in the grotesque, of finding magic in the mundane. He is the author of 9 novels, including Girl in the Ashes. He is a graduate of the Master of Fine Arts program in Creative Writing at the University of San Francisco and lives in the Los Angeles area with his gorgeous wife, fun-loving daughter, anxious dog, and indifferent cat.  Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/douglasweissman/ https://www.facebook.com/douglas.weissman https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-weissman/