Friday, July 29, 2011

Interview with Spencer Brokaw, Author of The Impenetrable Spy

I first met Spencer on GoodReads, when he offered to interview me on his blog, http://spencerbrokaw.blogspot.com. When I checked out his blog, I realized what an interesting young man he is. He has been writing since he was six, and six years later has published his first novel as an ebook. For anyone trying to write for young people, Spencer's interview is a must read.

1. Tell us about your book: The Impenetrable Spy follows secret agent Zack Carter, a newly recruited CIA spy. Being a brilliant scientist, he creates a time machine from a vision he has. He constructs it to go back in time when his heart rate stops, making him nearly impenetrable. Wang Bo, the leader of China is in possession of a statue that makes your worst fears come alive. Wang plans on delivering it to the president at an upcoming meeting. Zack’s mission is to obtain the statue and make sure the United States of America remains a war free territory. His missions include traveling to an asylum, a mansion, a war torn D.C., France, New York, and a secret test facility.

2. Where can people get it: My book is currently available on Smashwords and Kindle. It is entering premium distribution so expect to see it on popular reading devices and apps soon. It will also be available on Amazon in paperback form soon.



3If this is part of series, tell us about your plans for the rest of the series: Well I recently finished The Impenetrable Spy 2: Future Dreamer, so I have started a prequel on the character Jack. Jack is introduced in The Impenetrable Spy at around chapter 8. He was recruited for his amazing stealth skills. He was a bank robber and an art thief, but the CIA changed him into one of their best spies.

4What was your inspiration for this book? My dad was my main inspiration. He suggested that I write a book when I was six years old; after I told him I was bored. I wrote it down on notebook paper and it ended up being 21 pages long. Two to three years later I typed my first book. A year after I started The Impenetrable Spy at age 10. I finished it last year and published it this year on KDP and Smashwords. My dad read it and told me how much he liked it and told me to keep it up. Without him, I never would’ve begun writing in the first place.

6. How has writing affected the way you read other people's books? Well, I am really picky now that I have finished one. But after the experience of self-publishing, I am finding that some self published authors are better than the ones who have their books in stores. After writing, it seems like I enjoy reading other people’s books that are also self-published.

7. How do you put a book together, from first ideas to finished product? I normally brainstorm ideas and do outlines of what chapters will consist of. Once I’m done, I print the book out and find as many mistakes as I can. I read it about 10 times. Then I read it aloud to find other mistakes. Then my dad reads it and finds mistakes too. I then fix them on the computer before self-publishing.

8. What advice do you have for beginning writers? One thing is to read a lot. It is very important to read because it gives you ideas and makes your writing better. Don’t worry about how good it is, just keep writing. Even if the end result is terrible, your next book will be better. The one after that will get better and so on. You should also maintain a schedule so you remember where you’re at in your book. If you’re writing every couple of weeks, chances are you will forget a lot and you will have to read it.

9. What do you love most about writing? I love that I am able to create a fictional world where I can make anything happen.

11. Tell us about yourself: I am Spencer Brokaw and I am 12 years old (2011). I published my first book this year (The Impenetrable Spy).Writing is something I enjoy and I plan on writing a four part series. I enjoy writing fiction because I have control over the characters and the world they inhabit. I currently reside inOhio. In my spare time I enjoy swimming, golfing, playing drums, and reading.


Twitter: @spencerbrokaw

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