In this episode, Steve sits down with John David, author of the award-winning thriller The Bystander, longtime public relations and crisis communication consultant, nonfiction author, and corporate ghostwriter.

John shares his journey from writing nonfiction business books to crafting suspense novels that tackle timely and thought provoking issues.

Together they discuss:

• Writing the award-winning thriller The Bystander
• Transitioning from nonfiction to fiction
• Traditional publishing vs. self-publishing
• The realities of finding an agent and publisher
• Marketing books in today’s publishing landscape
• Book awards and whether they help authors grow
• Corporate ghostwriting and what the job actually involves
• Crisis communication, online reputation, and social media
• Writing complex stories around controversial topics without preaching
• How politics, culture, and current events influence modern fiction

The conversation also explores the slow pace of publishing, building a readership, creating a successful book series, and the challenges every new author faces.

Guest: John David https://www.byjohndavid.com/
Featured Book: The Bystander