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Dead Bodies and Dancing Ghosts: A Writer's Island Adventure
Manage episode 487793977 series 3307457
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What would drive someone to leave behind a comfortable six-figure corporate career and sell everything they own to pursue writing?
For JD Barker, New York Times bestselling author and collaborator with James Patterson, it was a calculated risk that changed everything.
In this conversation, Barker reveals the eerie inspiration behind his upcoming thriller Something I Keep Upstairs, a real-life haunted house perched on a tiny granite island just off the New Hampshire coast. He describes his personal experiences visiting the isolated structure and the visceral, instinctual dread it evoked.
"I felt something really weird. I just did not want to be in there," Barker confesses, explaining how the island's dark history as a quarantine facility, prison, and site of mysterious deaths dating back centuries formed the foundation for his novel's supernatural elements.
The conversation discusses modern publishing as Barker shares his journey from indie author to creating his own imprint with Simon & Schuster.
His unconventional marketing approaches, from television commercials to streaming platforms and innovative BookTok strategies, showcase why his books consistently reach audiences that other authors miss.
JD's daily writing discipline (even while working 80-hour weeks in finance), strategic business thinking, and willingness to reinvent himself demonstrate what it takes to succeed in today's publishing landscape.
As he explains his philosophy: "I look at what everybody else is doing and then I try to come up with something different."
Listen now to discover how this approach transformed his life and might just transform yours.
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➡️ P.S.: 📬 If you love the conversations on this podcast, you’ll love my Substack newsletter. I share personal stories, publishing advice, and tools to help you grow as a writer. Subscribe for free or become a paid supporter to access it all.
Chapters
1. Marketing a Haunted Book (00:00:00)
2. Introducing JD Barker and His Novel (00:04:48)
3. The Real Haunted Wood Island (00:13:05)
4. From Corporate Finance to Full-time Author (00:19:26)
5. Marketing Strategies for Authors (00:26:20)
6. Working with James Patterson (00:33:25)
7. The Haunted House Giveaway (00:37:08)
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