Interview with Author Daniel M Warloch – Ramona Portelli Blog

Interview with Author Daniel M Warloch

They say there is a book in everyone! Well, I was 58 before I began to research and write my first self-published book – 9/11: Official Complicity, which was published in 2010, and it was 9 years later (2019) when I published my true story – Morocco or bust August ’69.

My name is Michael Rowland, I am 70 years young, and I am an award winning children’s author writing under the pen name of Daniel M Warloch – an anagram of Michael Rowland.  The reason for the pen name is because I didn’t want to associate 9/11: Official Complicity and Morocco or bust August ‘69 with my five children’s novels and fourteen children’s short stories.

The short stories are about a young girl called Holly KissKiss, and have been written to help children with learning difficulties and autism. The reason behind for this is because I met a young boy when I was doing a workshop at my local school that I became aware there were very few books for these special children. In fact one of the short stories – The Snowflake Trail – was written personally for him.

Ramona: Tell me more about your latest books.

At the beginning of this year (2019) I published the second in the Leap Year series – Leap in The Dark, and only last week I published the second in the Jake Hollywood series – We Are Not Alone, both available on Amazon to download.

But I am delighted to announce that ‘Morocco or bust August ’69’, which was published on Amazon in April, having to date, 24 x 5 star reviews. The cover, which was designed by my brother, Andrew, won the best in its category in the TopShelf Cover Awards July 2019, and has been nominated in the TopShelf Indie Book Awards 2020, and the TCK Readers Choice Awards 2019, and was chosen as one of the Top Ten Best of Summer Reads 2019 by the award winning journalist – Fran Briggs.

It chartered at number 2 on the Hot New Releases on the day of publication and has been in and out of the Top 100 since publication.

Morocco or bust August ’69 by Michael Rowland is a true account of six friends and I, who back in 1969, set off in a clapped out van to Morocco…

And at the moment I am putting the finishing touches to the manuscript for the third in the Leap Year and Jake Hollywood series. 

Ramona: What was the most challenging aspect of writing?

I wouldn’t say I was challenged writing the children’s novels and short stories. Why? Because I’m a big kid at heart. But the 9/11 novel was hard work. I spent two years researching about that fateful day, and spent a week in New York. In fact, I am proud to say that Dr David Ray Griffin, the leading exponent in 9/11, has endorsed the book.

As I said above, Morocco or bust August ’69 is a true account, based on the journal written at the time by one of the seven, Steven Wilson. And after talking to the others, I added their accounts of what happened.

In fact six of us met up in the Lake District at the beginning of the August to celebrate the event.

Ramona: What motivated you to become an author?

I have always been interested in conspiracies, and after witnessing what was happening in America on the day, and reading about it, I realised something wasn’t stacking up, and the only books available at the time were factual books, so unless you were like me, you wouldn’t even think of checking them out. So I decided to write a novel based on facts – faction.

After that I was hooked in writing, especially for children.

Ramona: How many books have you written so far?

Two serious books by Michael Rowland, and five children’s novels and fourteen short stories.

Ramona: What type of promotion or medium did you find best to sell your books?

I tend to promote my books on Amazon, but I have just done a book signing at our local bookshop. The only problem is that I have to pay the full amount for the books, and then go 50/50 with any sales with the shop. But at least I am getting exposure.

Over the years I have visited a number of schools in the UK, working with children, encouraging them to read more, instead of playing on their Games Consoles and I-Pads.

Ramona: How easy or difficult process has it become for you to write & publish a book?

I find writing easy, and publishing on Amazon is fine, but like other self-published authors around the world, on average an Indie author will sell a maximum of 100 in its lifetime, with a royalty of £1/$1 a book. And after getting the manuscript edited at a cost of say, £500/$600, plus the cost of a cover … well, what do you think?

Ramona: What book or books have had a strong influence on you or your writing?

There hasn’t been any one book, but if I had to name one it would be The Lord Of The Rings, which I read when I was 18. Yet having said that, as far back as I can remember, I have always had a book in my hand.

Ramona: What is your advice for aspiring writers?

If I can write anyone can. I never liked school, leaving at the age of 15 to become an apprentice in the Printing Industry. But I wish I spent more time studying than fooling around, as I do struggle, but that’s all part of life’s tapestry.

“Finally, Reviews are very important to Indie authors like myself, as they help other readers find our work as well as provide feedback and encouragement. I don’t have a major publishing company backing me, nor do I have the budget that such a company has. All I have is you, the reader. Thank you. MR.”

Visit Daniel M Warloch book links – amazon link:-

Facebook: – www.facebook.com/michael.rowland.790

www.danielmwarloch.com

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=daniel+m+warloch&crid=R28U6A4BM1JX&sprefix=Daniel+m+w%2Cdigital-text%2C148&ref=nb_sb_ss_c_2_10
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Daniel+m+warloch&i=stripbooks-intl-ship&ref=nb_sb_noss
Scroll to top