Meet Mark Love | Author & Teacher We had the good fortune of connecting with Mark Love and we’ve shared our conversation below. Hi Mark, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business? I worked in many industries, in a variety of roles for years. In some cases, I realized the owners or managers in charge didn’t have the best standards when it came to ethics or integrity. The way they ran their businesses showed a lot of errors and faults. It wasn’t difficult to think I could do it better. About ten years ago, I began teaching a small business management class at the local college. I learned quite a bit from the various textbooks and business journals while developing my lesson plans. It was at this point that starting my own business began to make more sense. I wanted it to be related to something I enjoy. At one point I had a side hustle, working as a freelance reporter for one of the major newspapers in the Detroit area. That helped sharpen my writing skills, which carried over into every job I’ve ever had. I’ve always been a mystery junkie, so it was time to start writing them. When my novels were accepted and published, it was a golden opportunity to start my business. I began with a small budget and just the essentials, finding art festivals and shows where my work could be displayed. From the beginning, I ran it professionally. That meant keeping track of all my expenses, sales and promotions. I’m constantly looking at ways to improve it, to reach more people. Let’s talk shop. Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community? My art comes my experience as a storyteller. I have written 5 Jamie Richmond mysteries, 3 Jefferson Chene mysteries, and a number of short stories. All of my books take place in Michigan, primarily in the metropolitan Detroit area. I’ve always been an avid reader. In college I took a couple of creative writing courses in addition to journalism and business classes. Writing fiction allows me the freedom to run with a crazy story idea, or let the characters loose and see where they take me. It’s not easy. In the beginning there was plenty of rejection. But creative people must be born with thick skin. We learn to roll with being turned down. Some authors prefer the self-publish approach. But they will never know the adrenalin rush you get from seeing a letter or email from a publisher when they accept your work. I’ve learned that the first draft is never perfect. But there will be plenty of time to edit it later. First, you have to write it. Get the story down. I have also learned that ideas and inspiration can come from anywhere, at any time. It’s important to become objective about your work and take feedback from readers and editors into consideration. I’m not perfect. It takes help to craft a great story. My books are contemporary and I use real locations people may be able to identify with. My characters are distinctive, but they are far from perfect. Jefferson Chene was an orphan who became a cop. He does well in that role, but he’s awkward at dating and relationships. Jamie Richmond is a stubborn redheaded female who wants to see the bad guys caught. Both series are written in the first person point of view, from either Chene’s or Jamie’s perspective. Some people are surprised that I’ve captured the complicated nuances with both characters. But that’s a big part of what makes these books stand out. If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to? Well, that might depend on the time of year. If it’s summer, we’re definitely grabbing a boat and heading out to Lake St. Clair for a cruise. Then we’ll have to check out Comerica Park for a Tiger’s game and head over to the Elwood Bar & Grill. Belle Isle Park is in the middle of the Detroit River. It’s also an ideal setting for watching the hydroplane races, which take place in August. If it’s autumn, we’ll catch either a hockey game with the Red Wings or a Lions football game. Afterwards, we must stop at Lafayette Coney Island for one of their legendary dogs. There is plenty to see and experience in the Detroit area. Pegasus Taverna in Greektown, right in the heart of downtown, has the best Greek fare I’ve ever tasted. We could check out a show at the historic Fox Theater, which was built in 1928 and refurbished in the 1990s. There are also outdoor venues for concerts. A trip to nearby Dearborn would include a tour through the Ford Motor Company’s Rouge Plant, where the F-150 trucks are made. Greenfield Village is nearby, so we could check that out as well. Right across the Detroit River is Windsor, Canada. We can take a tour at the Hiram Walker & Sons Distillery, which includes a sampling of the product. Detroit is a melting pot. So if there’s a particular culture or type of food you’re looking for, chances are we can find it. Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am fortunate to work with two publishing houses. Let’s start with them. Inkspell Publishing, which handles my Jamie Richmond series, is led by Melissa Keir. Melissa does an outstanding job supporting the authors in her house. She goes above and beyond the norm to promote our work. Melissa is also a great one to brainstorm with. She is quick to offer support, guidance and encouragement. Rhonda Penders and R.J. Morris run the show at The Wild Rose Press, which publishes the Jefferson Chene mystery series. Both Rhonda and R.J. deserve recognition for all their efforts to support authors. R.J. even designed the cover art for two of my books! There are a couple of fantastic groups that share information and offer support here. One is led by fellow author Ingar Rudholm and it’s called Written in the Mitten. This is a fountain of information about events, contests, open mic shows, coffee shops and more within Michigan. The other is Diana K. Penn’s Pages Promotions. Diana offers a number of services for authors. She also hosts the “Indie Reads Aloud” podcast, where indie and small press authors can share a bit of their background and read scenes from their work.
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