Interview with John Shors

After graduating in 1991 from Colorado College (where John Shors studied creative writing and received an English degree) He pursued his dream of living in Asia. Fate brought him to Kyoto, Japan, and landed him a job as an English teacher; a post he held for three years. Shors then backpacked across Asia, visiting ten countries over the course of the next few years.

Upon returning to America, he became a newspaper reporter in his home state of Iowa. Within two years he won three statewide awards in journalism, including one for best investigative reporting. He and his wife then moved to Boulder, Colorado, where he began a career as a public relations executive, working for clients ranging from Fortune 100 companies to local nonprofits.

Shors currently lives in Boulder with his wife and two young children. Beneath a Marble Sky is his first novel.


What book or project is coming out or has come out that you’d like to tell us about?

My first novel, Beneath a Marble Sky, came out as a hardcover in 2004 and a trade paperback in 2006. My novel is based upon the remarkable story behind the creation of the Taj Mahal. Beneath a Marble Sky has been received quite well. Out of the gate it garnered great reviews and won a national award. These days, it’s being translated into nineteen languages, being made into a major motion picture, hitting bestseller lists, etc. For a first-time novelist, it’s a dream come true.

Tell us about your journey to publication. How long did it take before your novel was published?
As most everyone knows, getting published is quite difficult. I went through a number of different agents and certainly had my share of rejection slips. But I always believed in Beneath a Marble Sky and felt that the people who were rejecting me were missing the boat. I simply refused to give up, even when I had many people advising me to quit pushing Beneath a Marble Sky and to write another novel—a thing far easier said than done.

What mistakes have you made while seeking publication?

Putting too much hope on the shoulders of agents with so-so track records.

What’s the best advice you’ve heard on writing/publication?

It’s very hard to get published, but don’t give up if you believe in your work. Persistence really does pay off in this industry.

What is the worst piece of writing advice you’ve heard?

Let everyone dictate all the rules for you. Everyone will have an opinion on your work (how to get it published, how to write it, etc.). Of course, I listened to people, but I didn’t blindly follow their advice.

What is something you wish you’d known earlier that might have saved you some time/frustration in the publishing business?

Again, to go after the top agents.

What are your favorite books?

Beneath a Marble Sky is a work of historical fiction that is set overseas and I certainly enjoy similar books such as Memoirs of a Geisha, Tai-Pan, Pillars of the Earth, and so forth.

What piece of writing have you done that you’re particularly proud of and why?

I’m quite proud of Beneath a Marble Sky. Every day I get scores of emails from people around the world telling me how much they enjoyed it. Such feedback is immensely rewarding.

Can you give us a view into a typical day of your writing life?

Now that I’m a fulltime writer, I work from nearly dawn to dusk on my new novel (The Poet Makers, which will be released in September, 2008). At night I promote Beneath a Marble Sky at book events.

Do you have a dream for the future of your writing, something you would love to accomplish?

I would love to write a dozen novels set in exotic parts of the world. My dream is to have a career that takes me to such places and that reveals the wonderful nuances of such places to my readers.

What is your favorite and least favorite part of being a writer?

Bringing a story to life is quite gratifying. Being responsible for the business side of my books (marketing, publicity, etc.) can get tiring.

Tell us how your book came to be chosen by so many book clubs.

Read Mr. Shors answer in our upcoming newsletter.

Parting words?

Marketing is a huge piece of one’s career as a novelist. If you don’t promote your books aggressively, don’t expect to sell many copies.

Also, as I mentioned before, this is a very difficult industry to break into. But it’s possible to do so. Two years ago, I had a day-job and was struggling to find an agent. Now I’m a fulltime writer, have a wonderful agent, have a two-book deal from Penguin, and things seem to get better every day.

If you write a great book, if you don’t give up along the way, fantastic things can happen…