September 26, 2025 • 49 mins
San Diego USA Today best-selling author of 40+ books G. Michael Hopf talks about his latest venture “Beyond the Fray” not only a book series but as a full-service publishing house committed to providing authors value and support without criticism or ridicule and a prominent name in the post-apocalyptic, western and paranormal genres including “The New World Series”, “The Death Trilogy”, “The Bounty Hunter Trilogy” , “The Wanderer Trilogy” and more! G. Michael also serves as co-founder/managing partner of Beyond The Fray Publishing, a proud Marine Corps veteran and later served as a bodyguard and commercial diver, plus shares stories and insight into the series and more! Check out the amazing G. Michael Hopf and all of his works on many major platforms and www.gmichaelhopf.com today! #podmatch #gmichaelhopf #author #sandiego #beyondthefray #usatoday #bestsellingauthor #fullservicepublishinghouse #postapolcalyptic #western #paranormal #usmarinecorps #thenewworldseries #thedeathtrilogy #beyondthefraypublishing #spreaker #iheartradio #spotify #applemusic #youtube #anchorfm #bitchute #rumble #mikewagner #themikewagnershow #mikewagn #themikewaergmichaelhopf #themikewagnershowgmichaelhopf
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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Speaker 5 (01:25):
Make sure you check it out.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Today we're here at the Amazing Gentleman who is a
US Today best selling author of forty plus books, prominent
name and the post Apocalyptica and Western Paranoval Genres, co
founder managing partner of an amazing company, also goes by
the same tile in the book and a prob Marine
Corps veteran served as a bodyguard and a commercial diver.
(01:46):
And he's got a new company out there, full service
publishing house and also merged while the collaborating on the
first book we'll talk about Beyond the Frey Live Ladies
and Gentleman of plus Duties and beautiful Downtown San Diego,
the amazing US Today be selling author of forty plus
books and the owner of Beyond the Fray Publishing. The
multi talented g Michael Hoff or will just call him Jeff, Jeff,
(02:07):
Good morning, good afternoon, good evening.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
Thanks for joining us today.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Hey Mike, how you doing. Thanks for having me on.
It's an honor to be here.
Speaker 5 (02:14):
What's great to have you on board.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Jeff So USA today best selling author of forty plus books,
prominent in him and the pulse apocalyptic western paranoal genre.
You co founded with your managing partner, Beyond the Fray Publishing.
Your PROB Marine Corp veterans served as bodyguard and commercial diver.
Later on you have a new company which is full
service publishing house and emerged while you're collaborating on your
(02:36):
first book and commit to providing authors value and support
without criticism or ridicule. It's called Beyond the Fray. And
before getting on it a lot of the books into
a company. Jeff tell us how I first got started?
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Wow, So that all started. It was in my Actually,
the very very very very first book I ever did
was a children's illustrated bodybook that I was for my
two daughters. I was always the one that would kind
of go into them and read to them at night
before they go to bed kind of thing you have,
like that stack of books on the nightstand.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Oh yeah, we've had those days. Yeah, four kids, three kids,
two kids, I know what you mean.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
And so I'd read all the books they want, and
they want more, and so I tell them stories. And
then one night I just kind of came back and
my wife was watching TV and I was like, Hey,
how would you think about it if I if I
wrote a children's book. I mean, I've read hundreds of
them now, said I think I could do this. So,
the long story short, I did it. I ended up
having it. It was a really cool legacy project for them.
(03:34):
I actually did get on my money back. I really
hustled to sell that thing nice and so that was
kind of gave me the idea. I was like, okay,
So I had an idea, and on the back end
of it, I produced this book so that I'd always wanted.
I'd always wanted to write a novel or kind of
write I guess really, and I'd always been a big reader,
so there was always a book out there missing something
(03:57):
that I wanted to read. So I decided, if I
can't find i'm aus will write it. And that was
the very first book I had called The End, which
I published in April of twenty thirteen.
Speaker 5 (04:07):
Oh wow, Okay, what was that about at the end.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
The End is Lily. It's a post apocalyptic novel. It's
a first book in a series. It's done through Penguin
Random House Now, and essentially it just follows a myriati
of characters as they're struggling to survive after an EMP
is detonated.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Okay, okay, yeah, and I think that's something we go
further on. What was that one precise moment that simply
influenced you into what you do in the restler cars?
Besides reading books to your daughters or talking you wife
about what was that one light bulb moment set this
is what I'm gonna do.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Well, I'm a big believer in mindset and whatever you think,
whatever your mind conceive, can conceive it will actually occur
into reality. And so there was just this moment I
was just seeing myself I could I've always kind of
romanticized about it. There was this this one moment I
was sitting down and I was actually just kind of
writing the book. And then you get in these moments
(05:05):
when you're doing something that's really big, like that it's
not something you just do and five minutes later it's done.
It's something that just takes time, and you're like, oh
my gosh, what's going to happen at the end of
this year? Is this really going to happen? Should I
continue to do this? And those doubts definitely enter people's minds, right,
and I just sat back. I just saw my I
could see myself like doing book signings. I could see
(05:28):
people around the world reading the book and had that vision,
and I was like, this has to be done, because
this is going to occur. And I just kept pressing
at it. And the end of the day, so to speak,
the book went on. The first book went on and
did incredibly well. I quit my job at the time,
and then that turned into creating the second book, and
(05:50):
then I got a big deal with Penguin Random House
and that kind of set the stage for my career.
But I just again in doubt. It was it was
the idea, the answer question in doubt. When I had doubt,
I just believed in the visions I was having kind of,
so to speak, not visions like woo woo, but just
I could see myself doing this, right.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
So it plays in your head in a sense, right,
and like this is what I'm doing, Here's what I'm
dreaming of.
Speaker 5 (06:14):
Here, I'm gonna do this.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Yes, doorings, fans, everything that's all in your head, but
you don't and now we'll get on paper. But it's
been all in your head the whole time. But you know,
I want to write moment come out or is having
trouble coming out?
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Yeah, And that's exactly it. It's playing in your head.
And then of course again when you're taking on something
that's really big, that that takes months and months to do,
you can run into those those moments of doubt and
this is where your your dream has to be bigger
than that fear and might happen to be. At the time,
I could just see it and I just really wanted it,
and so I just kept I kept kept writing and
(06:48):
writing and writing and writing. I made it a job,
so to speak. I created like a part time job
for myself, so at night I would just sit down
and just write every night. I was very dedicated to that,
so I know the first not was born out of
just that vision. But then I just took discipline and
consistency and put them together and so many words each
(07:08):
day added up to a full length novel over time.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Oh my gosh, that's so amazing. We'll cover that book
in just a second. Who are zimber Fair? Authors and writers?
Speaker 5 (07:17):
Growing up? Are your favorite books?
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Well? I was always inspired by Ernest Hemingway. I read
him a lot growing up, you know. I mean everyone
who's Ernest Hemingway is kind of a revolutionary as far
as to speak, as far as writing. He kind of
created a new form of American literature. And I was
always a big, big fan of his and I always
liked kind of his life too. I mean, not some
(07:41):
of the troubles he had and how his life ended,
but just how he was a man that he's kind
of a renaissance man, you know, so to speak. He
was a guy that traveled around the world, did all
kinds of exciting things, and they kind of wrote about them, really,
And that's why you get kind of this realism in
his books, is that he had been there, done that,
as they say. That's what we say in the Marine Corps,
(08:03):
been there, done that, And he was that guy whatever
is the Spanish Civil War or World War One as
an ambulance driver or down in Cuba kind of on
a fishing boat. So he had done all these incredible
things and then you could feel that in his words.
So he was clearly a big inspiration for me, and
not that I'm ever going to be the talent that
he was, but definitely earn a semiway for whom The
(08:26):
Bell Tolls is kind of is one of my favorite books.
Speaker 5 (08:31):
How about some of the other favorite books are favorite authors?
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Well, I you know, I like George R. R. Martin
just for the fact you Game of Thrones fame, not
the show, although the show's good, I'll say it's been
a decent adaptation. I like his style. One. I love
how he world builds, and that's something that storytellers and
(08:55):
authors have to really get into because when you're creating
a book, you are creating a world, and then when
you get into like fantasy or science fiction, the world
building is really grand. I mean, when you get into fantasy,
you're just creating just magical worlds or worlds in another
universe or parallel universe or whatever like that. And then
in that world there are rules to that world, and
the physics might be different and things like that. So
(09:16):
his world building and Game of Thrones is incredible, probably
not probably not on par with J J. With Tolkien,
like Tolkien created an entire language for the elves and
things like that, and watching it. Yeah, and so that's
I find fascinating. So I like Tolkien as well, but
(09:37):
I like Martin. And what I like about what George.
What George did was the how he wasn't afraid to
take a primary protagonist and kill them off. But and
that was something and what I liked about it it
showed that he had created a cast of characters that
are also anchors for the book and for the story itself.
(10:00):
So if you you didn't take out the main protagonist
and then there was no other supporting cast so to speak,
that that could hold the story up and it would
collapse in on it on its own weight. And so
he just had this really he has this really good
way again world building and then just creating characters and
as well as putting readers on the edge of their
seat unsure and anxious about what's going to happen to
(10:22):
their favorite characters because he's not afraid to kill him off.
Speaker 5 (10:24):
Mm hmm right. And also maybe think of C. S.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Lewis as well too with the the nan Ya Sarah's
along those lines. C.
Speaker 5 (10:31):
S Lewis one of my favorites.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Yes. C. S Lewis is great. You know A one
of his nonfiction books is one I read years ago,
Mere Christianity. I thought that was a fascinating read as
far as his journey to essentially, uh, prove that God
didn't exist and then then you know, and then that
journey kind of where where he ended up. It's uh yeah. C.
(10:54):
S Lewis is another fantastic writer. I mean, and here
we are talking about him. Clearly. These are the are
These are writers that are long gone, but their works
are a legacy and we're still talking about them today.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
You also had a journey yourself, like with Hemyweight that
you've been US Marines and you went into serve as
a bodyguard and a commercial diver. Iman, you had a
career journey yourself before becoming an author and the honor
of a publishing company.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Yeah, and again that goes back to that Henyway. I
kind of reading Hemingway a lot in high school, and
I just I kind of romanticized the adventures she went on.
And I had really good grades that could have gone
on to college, but I just had this itch. I
really wanted to see the world. I just really wanted
to get out there, and I want to get outside
the classroom, and I wanted to see what the world
(11:41):
was all about, kind of touch it, feel it, tastes it,
smell it. And I thought the Marine Corps and I
just didn't want to go get a job. I wanted
to do something that was a part of something bigger
than me, right, And so the Marine Corps offered that,
and I wanted to go, and so I want I
just didn't want to go into any job in the
Marine Corps. I wanted to be part of an expeditionary force.
(12:02):
So I joined the infantry as well, and I did
it for six years, and I traveled a lot. I
saw a lot of interesting things. Three deployments, combat and yeah,
I went everywhere and it was an incredible experience and
meant a lot of good men. But then while my
time was up, it was up, but I still had
the it's for adventure. I wanted to do some other things.
And then I went from there into commercial diving, underwater
(12:26):
construction work, oil fields, things like that. Golf of the Scio. Yeah,
and that was quite an adventure. They don't make a
lot of money, by the way, so I don't believe
all the hype. They don't. You don't make a lot
of money. There's like one percent of those of those
guys that make money. Other than that, you're just working
your ass off for not a lot. And then and
(12:49):
then Z actually almost died doing that job, and I
was like, comel on, I'm making that much. I'm not
making that much money. And so I had an opportunity
to interview for an executive protection firm. So I did
that and I got the job. And next thing, you know,
after all the training, I was, I sent you a bodyguard,
and I did that for about a decade.
Speaker 5 (13:06):
Nice, okay.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
And then when you're in the the Navy as well too,
when you digital employment as well as your most memorable
assignment or remission that you're on well.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
Being in the Gulf War was very memorable, you know.
I remember when we got called up to go over there.
I was already in Okinawa, Japan, and it's just kind
of surreal, right, You're seeing all this. You always see
things like on the news, right you see wars and
all these things, and then suddenly you're being called to
have to go participate in something like that, and it's
the romance of a young man turns into the realities
(13:38):
of the harshness of what could be right death. That's
that's one of the things you're like, Okay, this is real.
And so it was very, very surreal, and I still
remember it just sticks into my head. We get activated.
We're in Okinawa. We just got an Okinawa too for
a six month depointers. So we get activated and we
have to we march down to the supply depot and
(14:01):
we're getting our desert cammis and these were desert camies.
They were pulling out of storage. They were like early
he's old. They called chocolate chip desert cammies. They were
like designed in the nineteen seventies. And it was just
surreal because like, okay, we're going to the desert. This
is what's going to happen. We have no idea, and
everyone was you can see that there was fear in
a lot of people's eyes. And then and then you know,
(14:24):
like a couple of days later, we get on ships,
we sail over there, and then you know, all that
happens that we arrived in. We arrived in the Kingdom
and was at August and then no, no, I'm sorry September.
We arrived the early September and then yeah, then the
golf wur was that six months later? Oh we invaded Kuwait?
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Okay, and of course you also had your journey as
well too, going beyond the Frail. Get to that with
with g Michael Hoff. We'll call them Jeff and this one.
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Speaker 3 (16:55):
Best selling author of forty plus books and prominent name
of the pulse apocalyptic and paranormal genre. G Michael Hoff
here on The Mike waders Show, and Jeff before we
talk about some of that, you started company called Beyond
the Fray, which is not just a book but also
a publishing company. So tell us about Beyond the Fray.
Speaker 5 (17:14):
You can do both.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
It's your choice. I'm sorry, say it's it's your choice.
You can do the book or you can do publishing.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Your choice. Yeah. So actually the origin story of the
company starts as a book. And so I was looking
at wanting to get into some different kind of writing.
And I really think I'm I'm an entrepreneur, business owner,
but I'm always constantly trying to think of additional income
streams that we could create and like outside of advertising
and merch like what you've got. I was like, what
(17:42):
what is something I could do? And I was I
love podcasts. I listened to a lot of podcasts now
and I was listening to one podcast called Into the
Fray and it deals with you know interesting, it's it's
it's Shannon. She's right. She's my former partner. She's the
co founder of Beyond the Pray with me. And I
(18:05):
was listening to her show. Love her show. Still she's
still doing it. She's one of the top when you
get into paranormal and and interviewing people that have had
first person encounters with strange and mysterious, the un you know,
the supernatural, so to speak. And I was like, because
it was people telling their own personal encounters. I was like,
this could make for a good book. So I reached
(18:27):
out there. I was like, hey, how would you like
to flip the content? That's what I call it, since
she's taking podcast content and turning into a medium and
shifting it to a different medium to a book, and
she thought it was a great idea. So that was
kind of the birth of Beyond the Fray the book. Yep,
we have Beyond the Freight Bigfoot, which has had Bigfoot stories,
and then Beyond the freat Paramoglamation, which is a mix
(18:49):
of the different supernatural stories from guests that she had
on her show. And after she after we published that
first one, a lot of the people that are in
that space paranormal, supernatural, UFOs, cryptids, all that, because she
knows a ton of people reaching out to her like,
oh my god, how did you do that? What's going on?
And she realized there was an opportunity. I realized there
(19:11):
was an opportunity. There was a group of people that
sometimes can feel stigmatized about putting their books out. There's
a lot of people have a lot of opinions about
a lot of things.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
A lot fear, a lot of what was a lot
of fear, a lot of like hold back whatever it is,
fear failure.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
I understand, yeah, yeah, And so I was like, you
know why, I said, I've got the expertise, I know
how to produce a book. I'm really good at marketing.
And then but she also and then she has the
connections in that space because I think when you do
a publishing company, you should niche down, you should find
a genres that are kind of similar, and you go
into that. You just don't publish everything for everyone because
(19:51):
you can't service the book correctly. And each type of
genre and each whether it's fiction or nonfiction, are completely
different marketing, it's not the same thing. And so she
knew a lot of people in that space, is like,
why don't we just create a company. And that's what
That's how Beyond the Freight Publishing was created. Again it's
She's got into the Freight her podcast, which it's not,
it's not affiliated at all. So we just kind of
(20:14):
tweaked it and made Beyond the Fray and we thought
it was a really cool name. So we started it
in November of twenty nineteen, and then I was at
mid last year, I bought out her interest in the company,
so I owned the company outright myself, although she is
always still near and dear. You know, we talk quite
a bit and she is still the co founder of
(20:35):
the company and always will be. But so, yeah, it's
we publish. God, we've got how many titles out now?
I think we've got close to one hundred and fifty
titles and dozens of authors. And we published non fiction
in the spaces of paranormal, cryptige, UFOs, ancient mysteries, true crime,
(20:56):
oh wow.
Speaker 5 (20:57):
Okay, and also western as well too. And yeah, well
we don't do westerns now, not anymore, okay, all right, No.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
We don't know I actually write westerns.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
Okay, all right, okay, So I just want to get
that clarifying as well too. And the first book you
wrote about the end as well too, and tell us
about the end and what exactly first inspired to worry about
the end?
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Yeah, so The End is my very first novel for
me as the author G. Michael Hoff. By the way,
real quick, I was added, the reason is G. Michael
Hoff versus Jeffrey Hoff is because when at first my
very first book was a children illustrated book, that was
under Jeffrey Hoff, And when I wrote the end, I
was thinking at the time, I was probably going to
(21:41):
go on and do more children's books. And I didn't
want to excuse me, I didn't want to like muddy
the waters between the two and you got children illustrated
and you got gritty, raw, violent apocalyptic. I didn't want
those two the kind of mesh. So I was like, well,
I should create a for the apocalyptic or fiction books.
(22:03):
That's where G. Michael Hoff comes from. That's the birth
of that pen name. So it can be very confusing
to people. And so, like I said, I was reading
a lot of apocalyptic fiction at the time, and I
couldn't find that one book that I really wanted to read,
one thing, one that was like really deep plot, had
lots going on. I'm sorry, excuse me. And then so
(22:25):
I said, if I can't find it, i'm also right,
and that was the birth of that. And that book
follows a myriad of characters as are struggling to survive
after an electra and electromagnetic pulse weapon is detonated, and
it kind of follows a group of characters, like a
group of characters that are in San Diego specifically like
suburban civilians that is also a character that's in the military,
(22:48):
and you've also got a character that's also in the government.
So you're getting the readers getting kind of a worldview
of what's happening after this massive event with the grid
collapses and people are struggling to survive. And the book
did really well, like incredibly well, and so much that
I quit my job so I could get the sequel out,
(23:08):
and then it kept doing really well, and so then
I had lots of publishers reaching out, and then Penguin
Random House gave me a call and they wanted to
they wanted to buy it.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
Oh my gosh. You had a lot as well too.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
In part of the New World series, you also had
a Long Road and Sanctuary, and you didn't talk about that.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Yeah, so Long Road and sank Crary just sequels in
the series. So the New World series, The End is
the very first book in that it's a seven book series.
You've got the sequel is the Long Road, and then
Sanctuaries the third book, and then there's former books after
that that that comprises that series. The New World series
sold lots of copies of it, done very well, it's
(23:48):
been translated into multiple languages, on audiobook, ebook, paperback, you
name it. It's in Barnes and Noble other bookstores so
to speak. And then yes, then I went from that.
The series does have some spin offs as well, and
then and then from there I finished that series up,
and I started writing some other types of apocalyptic fiction,
(24:10):
kind of different scenarios, things like that. And then and
then I got into westerns.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, I get more in the Wrestlings
as well too. I think we are we're sure to
cover that. But yeah, Westerns have to be pretty good.
Maybe a Western apocalypse what you think?
Speaker 2 (24:24):
So well, you know what's interesting when you look at
the wild West, the West is kind of what our
world would go to if the grid collapsed. Right, So
if you take if you have the grid collapse from
either a CME or an MP that or a malware
attack whatever. But if you have the grid collapse and
all kind of everything we know today the infrastructure is
powered by electricity. If you get rid of electricity, we're
(24:46):
essentially in the wild West.
Speaker 5 (24:48):
Right, Yeah, it makes sense.
Speaker 3 (24:49):
When you go on a horseback, you'd be tried digging
for gold. You'll dig for oil with pick axe and everything,
and then you try to like you know, pick for
water and you would have like gun fights trying to
settle and money is probably like you know, maybe rare
gold or even bartering everything and those so loose is
back in fashion too.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
Yeah, you things of value like paper money eventually could
not become worthless because if you look at our currency today,
it's a fiat currency. It's built upon confidence in the
money and the system in itself. And so you remove
that that confidence, then you then what becomes a value, right,
and what what becomes a commodity. And you can look
(25:34):
at gold and silver, precious metals and gems could become
a commodity for selling or buying. Then you just got
resources to become a commodity, whether it's food or water,
ammunition or firearms. These are things that are built around
what's what are you trying to do? Then, right in
a collapse, what becomes things kind of get distilled down
(25:56):
to the basic needs of for survival. You don't need
to worry about when you're gonna get your nails done,
to your hair done, or you know, your car wash.
That stuff's out the window. Now you're just worried about
am I gonna be able to eat? Am I gonna
be able to have water? And so that becomes the
main focus. That becomes the resources everyone goes for, and
therefore then those become very valuable, as do the means
(26:16):
of protecting that. So that's why firearms become very very
important in a collapse or grid down scenario because there're
gonna be people that don't have the resources or are
wanna hoard the resources, or they want to get your resources,
and so you have to have a firearm becomes a
tool that's available to you to protect yourself and your
family and your resources for survival. So there's a lot
(26:38):
and then and then, uh, in a collapse scenario, you
can look at skill sets become valuable, so you as
an individual become a value too to your group or
other groups. If you're a doctor, if you have medical skills,
if you know how to grow, if you're if you're
in the uh you know at a harvest, you know
how to you know, you know to hunt. So all
(26:59):
these things again become a commodity in that environment. You know,
in today's world, right, I mean you knowing the skills
for survival are completely different than the skills for survival
that are valuable in that kind of world. So if
we ever go to that kind of world, there's gone
a lot of human resources people out of work, and
(27:21):
as well as writers and podcasters, we won't have much
to do.
Speaker 5 (27:25):
Well.
Speaker 3 (27:26):
Then again, you know back in the day too, go
to ren sense, you'd be a herald. It's like, you know,
here ye here ye, we have the news, or like
you know, extra extra read about it.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
You could be a prior. That's what they called them.
I think they thank you criers, Harold.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
And of course you don't go have a Greek mythology,
Mercury was the god of communication, you know, delivering messages,
have a messenger service. And then of course you try
to find you know, trees and try to make paper everything.
Speaker 5 (27:54):
But go way back here. It's like the stone tablets.
You go further.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
Yeah, you know, it's interesting. I have had an idea,
Like I've got my computers filled with lots of like
many half written manuscript or ideas. I did have this
one kind of an interesting idea. It was kind of
a a kind of an apocalyptic hellscape and very few
people are left, and people are always hungry for news,
(28:18):
hungry for information, and it follows a character that is
kind of going around. But then so I had that
written and then no, shit, Tom Hanks has a movie
about that. Then that came out.
Speaker 6 (28:31):
Like Away right, Castaway, No, you know the one where
he I think it's a post Civil Wars in the West,
and he's traveling around and he's reading newspapers to towns
so they have up to date information.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
It's called I think it's called Stories from the World
or something like that. But I'd written I had an
idea and I jotted it down. My god, ten years ago,
I said that would be kind of a cool story
of this guy that's traveling around and he has information
and what and how it was going to do it.
He he he does it to bring hope to people.
But the end result for it was that he was
(29:08):
just lying that the world is dismal, there is no hope.
But his whole bang was so he was essentially a
he was giving fake news to every or like P. T.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
Barn back back in the day, it's like a sucker
is born every minute, you know, that sort of thing,
try and make people happy when really it's not. Also
made me think of a popular the term like, Will Smith,
what was that movie?
Speaker 5 (29:32):
You know? It was like I am or He was like, you.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
Know, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, I phil that legend.
Speaker 5 (29:36):
Yeah yeah, I legend.
Speaker 2 (29:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
He was like the only person in the world he
has to fight monsters and everything like that. That made
me think of that too, Will Smith, I am legend.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
Yeah, that's a by the way, that's that was. That
was adapted from a book that was written in the
nineteen seventies, I believe, and the book is fantastic. I mean,
by the way, I thought the adaptation was decent too.
I probably would have shanged the ending a little bit,
but it actually is. It's a good adaptation. But the
book I highly recommend people read. It's a quick read. Yeah,
(30:06):
I am legend.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
It's good that also too. And plus you also had
another offshoot of it. It's like, you know what continue
out of the New World series Sanctuary, the Lion Departure
was went in Tears, the Razors Edge, and Those who.
Speaker 5 (30:18):
Remain, you know, just a quick thoughts and else.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
No, those are discontinuations of the story itself. You know,
when you when you write a book, you have kind
of the story arc. You're trying to follow and then
then you have a series and you have the series arc,
and so that's all this does. Those books are the
seven books in the main canon of the New World series,
and as follows the characters from the very beginning. It
starts at the beginning, starts at the end, and it
(30:44):
takes you all the way through to those who remain
and sent you that as that book finishes up. Those
those are the characters that have survived this journey, you know,
during the collapse.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
And plus those opportunities for other authors to write books
and how to write books, how to get into a
publishing company. We'll get to that with gmichael Hoff. You
listen to the Mike Weidners Show at the Mike Winnershow
dot Com powered by Sonkweb Studios, Brought to by official
sponsor to The Mike Widner Show. International Worring author Me
and Wilson's Missing the Sweets Almost best REDA. Wagner based
on Life of Daving Fleet, Three Squiz Pains and Kandavid
(31:18):
Psalms The Sweet Sumist. Check it on Amazon keywords Sweet
Samaserena Wagner. We'll be back with the amazing Gmichael Hoff
up Beyond the Frame after this time.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
The Mike Wagner Show is powered by sonicwebs Studios. If
you're looking to start or upgrade your online presence, visit www.
Dot Sonicwebstudios dot com. For all of your online needs.
Call one eight hundred three oh three three nine six
zero or visit us online at www dot sonicwebstudios dot com.
(31:47):
To get started today, Mention The Mike Wagner Show and
get twenty percent off your project. Sonicweb Studios take your
image to the next level.
Speaker 7 (31:56):
Hey ver Dana Laxa here, American news anchor. Hey, let
me ask you something real quick. Why do you read
a book. You're buying a story, a thought, a message,
and a good book entertains and inspires. And that's exactly
what's a missing by Award winning author of Me on
the Zia does. I have his book right here, and
it's based on real events with relatable characters that hook
(32:19):
you from start to finish. I personally love this book.
It's super powerful and meaningful through you can actually get
it on Amazon right now.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
The Mike Wagner Show is brought to you by Serena
Wagner's book The Sweet Sawmist, now availed on emsoon. This
book includes thirty exquisite pintings by well known and unknown
painters and King David Palms. The Sweet Sawmist gives us
a new perspective on his life in this book through
the songs he wrote. His time as a shepherd in
the field is where the book starts, and it goes
on to describe his complicated and turbulent relationship with King Saul,
(32:47):
as well as other events. It's a story of love, betrayal, repentance,
and more. It also offers advice and approaching God and
living a life that pleases him. Check out the book
The Sweet Sawmist by Serena Wagner, now available on Amazon
keywords Sweet some as Sorrina Waggoner.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
Hey, Hey, this is Ray.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
How is and boy?
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Are you in luck? Right place? Right time? Tuned into
the Mike Wagner Show. You heard me?
Speaker 3 (33:16):
We're back with g Michael huff Up Beyond the Frey
here the Mike Wagner Show. Not just a book, but
a publishing company. And you also not just provide books
for the general public, your full service publishing house.
Speaker 5 (33:28):
And tell us more about that and what do you
guys have to offer?
Speaker 2 (33:31):
Yeah, so when Shannon and I created a company. We
did that we wanted to be. There's a lot of
people out there that say they're publishing companies and they're
really they're they call we call them vanity presses, and
they will take your money to produce your book for you.
I'm not a big fan of vanity presses, which are different,
by the way, than say being a consultant to help
(33:52):
people get their book published for a fee. So we're
a traditional publisher in the essence that we don't make
any money on the production of your book. We sign
a contract publishing agreement with our with our authors, and
then we finance the production of the book. That means
the editing, the proofing, the cover design, the formatting, the
(34:14):
whole nine yards. We do the whole thing. We only
make our money as a publisher based on a royalty
split that we have with the authors. So it's incumbent
upon us to ensure that the book sales in order
for us to at least get our you know, with
money we put into it back. So that's what we are.
We're just say we're a boutique traditional publisher, and we
(34:34):
we're very niche in what we what we publish, and
we do that for a reason, because we know, we
know how to sell paranormal books and non fiction and
again we're very very niche non fiction, paranormal, cryptid UFOs, UAPs,
true crime, and ancient mysteries, and they all kind of
have relationship with each other and that's why we we
(34:57):
we publish those and again we have a good connection
with lots of podcasters and radio and things like that
and marketing so to ensure that those books get once
they're published, get promoted and they sell.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
And how's that set aside from self publishing that has
been a trend that's been going on for quite some time.
How's that set aside from self publishing.
Speaker 2 (35:17):
Well, we handle all the public We handle everything for you.
So if you're self publishing, then you're actually doing all
the work. You're creating your own side business, really, because
that's what a lot of people don't think about. And
when you're creating a book, when you get beyond writing
the book, then you've got to do the heavy lifting
of doing the rewrites and the editing and the proofing
(35:39):
and the cover design and the formatting. All those are
very technical things that need to be done right now.
And self publishing you can find those people that are
out there. So essentially you have to go out there
and assemble your own team of people that can handle
those things. And I always encourage people. You got to
do that. So it's more than just writing, and publishing
(35:59):
is more than just sitting me on and writing. It's
it's all those other things. And so you can do
that and self published, and there's been I am a
big advocate of self publishing, by the way, big advocate,
but there's always not everyone's going to want to do
all that work. And so that's where beyond the fray
and free reign publishing kind of help is that we
step in and do that work for you. That's it,
(36:22):
and then we specifically for those genres, and then we
uh we work with you to promote it. And but
self publishing is very powerful. It's uh. I mean when
I when I published The End, I self published it
and it did incredibly well, and it did so well
that Penguin Random House picked me up so nice, and
(36:42):
then I signed my rights.
Speaker 3 (36:43):
Away books like Stephen King.
Speaker 2 (36:48):
Right, So oh yeah, I mean, I I did, really,
I just I did. I'm very grateful to Penguin. I
did very well and I'm very blessed. Uh, I've sold
a lot of books and uh, but self publishing is
definitely there. It's you can try to figure it out,
figure it out on your own, like I did. I
mean a lot of mistakes though, a lot of mistakes,
(37:11):
specifically on the technical side, and that's where can kill people.
And if you don't, if you don't properly get it
edited or approved or even formatted correctly inside the book,
it can be distracting. You can turn the reader off,
and you lose sales. Nothing's worse than getting a bad
review for technical issue. It's one thing to get a
(37:31):
bad review that's subjective, they just didn't like the story whatever, right,
But to get a bad review that says it's edited
horribly or it's formatted terribly, this is it?
Speaker 5 (37:42):
That is you make grammar errors all that.
Speaker 2 (37:45):
Yes, Oh, it's it's so. This is where. This is
where there's still even though there's self publishing, it's it's
out there. It's really democratized the publishing world, and I'm
a big advocate of it, but there's still there's still
a need for the publisher for those people that do
not have the time or they just don't want to,
(38:06):
or even some of them don't have the resources and
they can go to a publisher and maybe that we
can We can handle that for them because we cover
all the expenses for production and we don't carawl that back.
So that is our investment. So the writers invested their
time as the precious resource to create the book. We
then invest our financial resources to produce the book, and
(38:29):
then we hopefully can recoup that by selling it. And
that's it. But again, so publishing is very very prominent today.
It's and then again there's still a need for publishing
houses too, like ours.
Speaker 3 (38:45):
And what's the best advice for an author to get
with a publishing company, write a book and everything like that?
What's the best advice you can give to authors at
this point?
Speaker 2 (38:55):
All right? So the very best advice I like to
give to authors is specific new authors, is you see,
you have an idea for a book, You've never written
a book, you don't know what to do. And Ernest Hemingway,
I go back to him. He was being interviewed years
ago and he was being asked, what's the best advice you
give a new author? And it's simple, just right. So
(39:16):
many new authors will find themselves. They want to write
a book, and they decide, oh, I'm going to go ahead,
and before I do that, I'm going to take six
month creative writing class, or I mean I'm going to
get a degree in creative writing, or I'm going to
do this, or I'm going to do that. They start
setting up these obstacles in front of them when all
they need to do is to sit down and write
the book. I'm not saying that education on how to
(39:38):
be a better writer isn't important, but I wouldn't put
anything in front of you that stops you from beginning
the process. However, one of those processes you should never
be entertaining is like, what is the cover going to
look like? Who's my publisher going to be? How about
getting a book done first? Then you can worry about
all those other issues because all those other issues are
downstream from having the book the rough draft done so
(40:01):
just right is what I always tell new authors. Just
get it out there, let it flow, kind of connect.
And then as far as getting a publisher, most publishing houses,
specifically the big ones like Penguin, Shaman and Schusters, McMillan,
et cetera, et cetera, atche it they you have to.
The only way you can get into doors with them
(40:22):
are essentially three ways, and that is you have an agent,
which is very difficult to get, and you could do
what I did is self publish and have the book
take off. Because they actually scour the Amazon rankings, I
believe they see and they see who's selling, and they go,
let's take that person who's selling, who's not represented, Let's
(40:44):
take them down. It's a it's actually a win win
for them versus again getting a new author from an agent.
They had no idea whether that's going to sell or not.
That's zero clue. When they get someone who's already self
published and successful, that person already is coming in with
a bunch and they're doing it series like I was.
I was coming in with tens of thousands of readers
(41:04):
already ready to ready to start buying the second book,
and so it was it was a win win for them.
And then the third ways already have a big prominent
or like to be a celebrity in some fashion, have
a big platform already, and then now you want to
tell your story. And so those are really the only
three ways to get into into a big publishing house
(41:27):
and again, getting an agent's very difficult, So it's really
the only road for most people today is to is
to go to self publishing route and therefore think of
it as a business. I highly encourage that it's not
a hobby. It has to be a You have to
think of it as a business because then when you
have that thought in mind, you'll do everything correctly to
(41:50):
make sure it's successful.
Speaker 3 (41:52):
And I think those are really good advice as well.
And where can you find your works? And how do
people get a hold of you on.
Speaker 2 (41:58):
Jeff, Yeah, just go to Gmichael hop dot com. It's
the best my website. It's the best way to find
all my books and you can contact me from there.
Speaker 5 (42:07):
And also beyond the Fray Publishing.
Speaker 2 (42:10):
Yeah, but beyond the free publishing is beyond the Fray
Publishing dot com.
Speaker 3 (42:14):
We want everybody that checked those out once again with
the amazing author g Michael Hoff up beyond the Fray
Books and Publishing Company here on the Mike Wadners Show.
And Jeff, just a few more things. What else can
we expect me twenty twenty five and beyond.
Speaker 2 (42:27):
I'm dabbling in a lot of things right now. I've
got I gotta I had a I'm trying to have
trying to phrase this. I'm just dabbling a lot and
leveraging AI, creating some adjacent companies that will kind of
help writers. And I'm kind of into that space right now.
(42:50):
I can't go too much into it. I'm doing some
translation stuff and so I've just got some other companies
I'm working with. I really I'm a big believer in AI.
I think if people aren't leveraging using it, they're going
to get left behind. For those who remember the beginning
of the Internet, so if this was a year, this
would be nineteen ninety four ninety five in comparison where
(43:11):
AI is going to be. So if you look at
ninety four ninety five, look where we are, Look where
the Internet's brought us today. So go thirty years from
now with AI. That's that's that's growing at an exponential rate.
You could be looking at a completely different world in
five years for a lot of different people. And if
you're not, and if you're poo pooing AI, you're making
a gigantic, colossal and maybe professional mistake. So I'm really
(43:36):
really leaning in a lot and creating adjacent services and
companies that deal in AI one is in translation.
Speaker 3 (43:45):
I think that's been the big one right there, and
make sure it keeps up today. And who do consider
biggest influence in your career?
Speaker 2 (43:53):
Oh the oh? So actually this will be kind of
a surprise to people I know, Like I talked about
Ernest anyway, But when I was looking for some who
inspired me to write my first book, it was Stephanie Meyer,
that is the writer of Twilight. And I, by the way, Stephanie,
I'm sorry I didn't read her books. I saw the
movies years ago, but I was reading her story and
(44:13):
this is what inspired me. Her story of when she
started out and very busy mom, lots of kids, lots
of stuff going on, and so she decided that she
would tackle writing the very first book. And I modeled
it so at night, when all the kids were in
bed and everyone she had the time, she blocked out
so many hours a night and very disciplined, very focused,
(44:35):
sat down every night and would write, and then eventually
she had the book. And so I was really inspired
by that. So I literally modeled exactly what she did.
I sat down at night when the kids were in
bed and the wife's in bed, it's dark out, only
behind the globe of the screen on my computer and
just hammered out the words and I did it religiously, disciplined,
and I got the novel done, and that's what launched
(44:59):
everything there. So she was I always get I was,
you know, tip my hat to her. She was an
inspiration and she's done incredibly, incredibly well. And I find
that inspirational. I love that. I love people that have
a dream and they go after it, and.
Speaker 3 (45:15):
I think that's great as well too. And what's the
best advice you can give the aim? But at this point,
not just offers, we call that anyone in general.
Speaker 5 (45:22):
Best advice.
Speaker 2 (45:23):
The best advice I would always give people is going
back to our mindset and how we think, and that
is when something happens in your life will always tend
to be Most people tend to look at the worst
case scenario. I wouldn't. I don't do that anymore. I've
trained myself and I'll say this, only see this one,
I might say, only see see in your mind, Only
see what you want to see, don't see what you
(45:47):
don't want to see, Only see what you want to see,
and only focus on that dream. And that's what I
did when I was vision. When having the vision about
being a writer, I only saw I never saw failure.
I only saw myself doing book signings. I only I
saw my mind people around the world reading my book.
(46:07):
That's all I saw in my mind. Didn't see anything else.
Did see time wasted? I And if I did, I
push it on my mind and would go back to
that vision. So only see what you want to see.
Speaker 3 (46:21):
And I think that's great advice as well to all
the writers and everyone and klue with you amazing Bolt
to town Gmichael hoffa Beyond the Fray here on Mike
Widner Show, Jeff a very big thanks for telling me
You've ben absolutely fantastic, learned a lot looking forward having
soon keeps it up today, Keep in touch, lab av
you back on which website? How do people contact you?
Or in people purchase?
Speaker 5 (46:40):
Purchase? Check out your books, you're publishing company and more.
Speaker 2 (46:44):
Yeah, so again, just go to Gmichael hop dot com
for myself for Beyond the Free Publishing is Beyond the
Free Publishing dot com. If you're an author of the
kind of genres you could submit, we are open for submissions,
so you can submit your manuscript for us to review
it and then all my books, turn Amazon, Lemonium at
Barnes and Nobles to check them out.
Speaker 3 (47:02):
We will certainly do that as well. Once again, Jeff,
very thanks for time you've been. App's amazing looking forward
hamming soon keeps up today, keep in touch, Leve, I'd
be back. We wish our best and Jeff, you definitely
have a great fitch you.
Speaker 2 (47:14):
Next, Mike.
Speaker 1 (47:14):
The Mike Wagner Show is powered by Sonicweb Studios. If
you're looking to start or upgrade your online presence, visit
www dot Sonicwebstudios dot com for all of your online needs.
Call one eight hundred three oh three three nine six
zero or visit us online at www dot sonicwebstudios dot
(47:35):
com to get started Today, mention The Mike Wagner Show
and get twenty percent off your project. Sonicweb Studios take
your image to the next level.
Speaker 7 (47:44):
Hey ver, Dana Laxa here, American news anchor. Hey, let
me ask you something real quick. Why do you read
a book? You're buying a story, a thought, a message,
and a good book entertains and inspires. And that's exactly
what a Missing By Award win author me on the Ziadas.
I have his book right here and it's based on
real events with relatable characters that hook you from start
(48:07):
to finish. I personally love this book. It's super powerful
and meaningful through You can actually get it on Amazon
right now.
Speaker 3 (48:14):
The Mike Wagner Show is brought to you by Serena
Wagner's book The Sweet Sawmist, now availed on Amsoon. This
book includes thirty exquisite pintings by well known and unknown
painters and King David Salms. The Sweet Salmist gives us
a new perspective on his life in this book through
the songs he wrote. His time as a shepherd in
the field is where the book starts, and it goes
on to describe his complicated and turbulent relationship with King Saul,
(48:35):
as well as other events. It's a story of love, betrayal, repentance,
and more. It also offers advice on approaching God and
living a life that pleases him. Check out the book
The Sweet Salmist by Serena Wagner, now available on Amazon
keywords Sweet Saalmist, Serena Wagner.
Speaker 4 (48:52):
Thanks for listening to The Mike Wagner Show powered by
Sonic Web Studios. Listit online at Sonicwebstudios dot com for
all your needs. Quagner Show can be heard on Spreakers, Spotify, iHeartRadio, iTunes,
YouTube Anchor, FM Radio Public, and The Micwagner Show dot com.
Please port our program with your donations at the Mike
Wagner Show dot com. Join us again next time for
(49:14):
another great episode of The Mike Wagner Show
The Mike Wagner Show is powered by Sonicweb Studios.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
Hi This is Morsons are also known as Mea No
Time for Love. Check out my latest book, Missing, available
on Amazon.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
The Mike Wagner Show also brought to by The Sweet
So Much by Serena Wagner, Available on Amazon. Highlighted up
Boget David.
Speaker 4 (00:19):
It's now Time for The Mike Wagner Show. Powered by
Sonic Web Studios. Listit online at sonicqueb Studios dot com
for all your needs. The Mike Wagner Show can be
heard on Spreaker, Spotify, iHeartRadio, YouTube, iTunes, Anchor, FM Radio Public,
and The Mike Wagner Show dot Com. Mike brings you
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(00:40):
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Speaker 3 (00:51):
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Today we're here at the Amazing Gentleman who is a
US Today best selling author of forty plus books, prominent
name and the post Apocalyptica and Western Paranoval Genres, co
founder managing partner of an amazing company, also goes by
the same tile in the book and a prob Marine
Corps veteran served as a bodyguard and a commercial diver.
(01:46):
And he's got a new company out there, full service
publishing house and also merged while the collaborating on the
first book we'll talk about Beyond the Frey Live Ladies
and Gentleman of plus Duties and beautiful Downtown San Diego,
the amazing US Today be selling author of forty plus
books and the owner of Beyond the Fray Publishing. The
multi talented g Michael Hoff or will just call him Jeff, Jeff,
(02:07):
Good morning, good afternoon, good evening.
Speaker 5 (02:09):
Thanks for joining us today.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Hey Mike, how you doing. Thanks for having me on.
It's an honor to be here.
Speaker 5 (02:14):
What's great to have you on board.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Jeff So USA today best selling author of forty plus books,
prominent in him and the pulse apocalyptic western paranoal genre.
You co founded with your managing partner, Beyond the Fray Publishing.
Your PROB Marine Corp veterans served as bodyguard and commercial diver.
Later on you have a new company which is full
service publishing house and emerged while you're collaborating on your
(02:36):
first book and commit to providing authors value and support
without criticism or ridicule. It's called Beyond the Fray. And
before getting on it a lot of the books into
a company. Jeff tell us how I first got started?
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Wow, So that all started. It was in my Actually,
the very very very very first book I ever did
was a children's illustrated bodybook that I was for my
two daughters. I was always the one that would kind
of go into them and read to them at night
before they go to bed kind of thing you have,
like that stack of books on the nightstand.
Speaker 3 (03:08):
Oh yeah, we've had those days. Yeah, four kids, three kids,
two kids, I know what you mean.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
And so I'd read all the books they want, and
they want more, and so I tell them stories. And
then one night I just kind of came back and
my wife was watching TV and I was like, Hey,
how would you think about it if I if I
wrote a children's book. I mean, I've read hundreds of
them now, said I think I could do this. So,
the long story short, I did it. I ended up
having it. It was a really cool legacy project for them.
(03:34):
I actually did get on my money back. I really
hustled to sell that thing nice and so that was
kind of gave me the idea. I was like, okay,
So I had an idea, and on the back end
of it, I produced this book so that I'd always wanted.
I'd always wanted to write a novel or kind of
write I guess really, and I'd always been a big reader,
so there was always a book out there missing something
(03:57):
that I wanted to read. So I decided, if I
can't find i'm aus will write it. And that was
the very first book I had called The End, which
I published in April of twenty thirteen.
Speaker 5 (04:07):
Oh wow, Okay, what was that about at the end.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
The End is Lily. It's a post apocalyptic novel. It's
a first book in a series. It's done through Penguin
Random House Now, and essentially it just follows a myriati
of characters as they're struggling to survive after an EMP
is detonated.
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Okay, okay, yeah, and I think that's something we go
further on. What was that one precise moment that simply
influenced you into what you do in the restler cars?
Besides reading books to your daughters or talking you wife
about what was that one light bulb moment set this
is what I'm gonna do.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Well, I'm a big believer in mindset and whatever you think,
whatever your mind conceive, can conceive it will actually occur
into reality. And so there was just this moment I
was just seeing myself I could I've always kind of
romanticized about it. There was this this one moment I
was sitting down and I was actually just kind of
writing the book. And then you get in these moments
(05:05):
when you're doing something that's really big, like that it's
not something you just do and five minutes later it's done.
It's something that just takes time, and you're like, oh
my gosh, what's going to happen at the end of
this year? Is this really going to happen? Should I
continue to do this? And those doubts definitely enter people's minds, right,
and I just sat back. I just saw my I
could see myself like doing book signings. I could see
(05:28):
people around the world reading the book and had that vision,
and I was like, this has to be done, because
this is going to occur. And I just kept pressing
at it. And the end of the day, so to speak,
the book went on. The first book went on and
did incredibly well. I quit my job at the time,
and then that turned into creating the second book, and
(05:50):
then I got a big deal with Penguin Random House
and that kind of set the stage for my career.
But I just again in doubt. It was it was
the idea, the answer question in doubt. When I had doubt,
I just believed in the visions I was having kind of,
so to speak, not visions like woo woo, but just
I could see myself doing this, right.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
So it plays in your head in a sense, right,
and like this is what I'm doing, Here's what I'm
dreaming of.
Speaker 5 (06:14):
Here, I'm gonna do this.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Yes, doorings, fans, everything that's all in your head, but
you don't and now we'll get on paper. But it's
been all in your head the whole time. But you know,
I want to write moment come out or is having
trouble coming out?
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Yeah, And that's exactly it. It's playing in your head.
And then of course again when you're taking on something
that's really big, that that takes months and months to do,
you can run into those those moments of doubt and
this is where your your dream has to be bigger
than that fear and might happen to be. At the time,
I could just see it and I just really wanted it,
and so I just kept I kept kept writing and
(06:48):
writing and writing and writing. I made it a job,
so to speak. I created like a part time job
for myself, so at night I would just sit down
and just write every night. I was very dedicated to that,
so I know the first not was born out of
just that vision. But then I just took discipline and
consistency and put them together and so many words each
(07:08):
day added up to a full length novel over time.
Speaker 3 (07:11):
Oh my gosh, that's so amazing. We'll cover that book
in just a second. Who are zimber Fair? Authors and writers?
Speaker 5 (07:17):
Growing up? Are your favorite books?
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Well? I was always inspired by Ernest Hemingway. I read
him a lot growing up, you know. I mean everyone
who's Ernest Hemingway is kind of a revolutionary as far
as to speak, as far as writing. He kind of
created a new form of American literature. And I was
always a big, big fan of his and I always
liked kind of his life too. I mean, not some
(07:41):
of the troubles he had and how his life ended,
but just how he was a man that he's kind
of a renaissance man, you know, so to speak. He
was a guy that traveled around the world, did all
kinds of exciting things, and they kind of wrote about them, really,
And that's why you get kind of this realism in
his books, is that he had been there, done that,
as they say. That's what we say in the Marine Corps,
(08:03):
been there, done that, And he was that guy whatever
is the Spanish Civil War or World War One as
an ambulance driver or down in Cuba kind of on
a fishing boat. So he had done all these incredible
things and then you could feel that in his words.
So he was clearly a big inspiration for me, and
not that I'm ever going to be the talent that
he was, but definitely earn a semiway for whom The
(08:26):
Bell Tolls is kind of is one of my favorite books.
Speaker 5 (08:31):
How about some of the other favorite books are favorite authors?
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Well, I you know, I like George R. R. Martin
just for the fact you Game of Thrones fame, not
the show, although the show's good, I'll say it's been
a decent adaptation. I like his style. One. I love
how he world builds, and that's something that storytellers and
(08:55):
authors have to really get into because when you're creating
a book, you are creating a world, and then when
you get into like fantasy or science fiction, the world
building is really grand. I mean, when you get into fantasy,
you're just creating just magical worlds or worlds in another
universe or parallel universe or whatever like that. And then
in that world there are rules to that world, and
the physics might be different and things like that. So
(09:16):
his world building and Game of Thrones is incredible, probably
not probably not on par with J J. With Tolkien,
like Tolkien created an entire language for the elves and
things like that, and watching it. Yeah, and so that's
I find fascinating. So I like Tolkien as well, but
(09:37):
I like Martin. And what I like about what George.
What George did was the how he wasn't afraid to
take a primary protagonist and kill them off. But and
that was something and what I liked about it it
showed that he had created a cast of characters that
are also anchors for the book and for the story itself.
(10:00):
So if you you didn't take out the main protagonist
and then there was no other supporting cast so to speak,
that that could hold the story up and it would
collapse in on it on its own weight. And so
he just had this really he has this really good
way again world building and then just creating characters and
as well as putting readers on the edge of their
seat unsure and anxious about what's going to happen to
(10:22):
their favorite characters because he's not afraid to kill him off.
Speaker 5 (10:24):
Mm hmm right. And also maybe think of C. S.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Lewis as well too with the the nan Ya Sarah's
along those lines. C.
Speaker 5 (10:31):
S Lewis one of my favorites.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
Yes. C. S Lewis is great. You know A one
of his nonfiction books is one I read years ago,
Mere Christianity. I thought that was a fascinating read as
far as his journey to essentially, uh, prove that God
didn't exist and then then you know, and then that
journey kind of where where he ended up. It's uh yeah. C.
(10:54):
S Lewis is another fantastic writer. I mean, and here
we are talking about him. Clearly. These are the are
These are writers that are long gone, but their works
are a legacy and we're still talking about them today.
Speaker 3 (11:07):
You also had a journey yourself, like with Hemyweight that
you've been US Marines and you went into serve as
a bodyguard and a commercial diver. Iman, you had a
career journey yourself before becoming an author and the honor
of a publishing company.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Yeah, and again that goes back to that Henyway. I
kind of reading Hemingway a lot in high school, and
I just I kind of romanticized the adventures she went on.
And I had really good grades that could have gone
on to college, but I just had this itch. I
really wanted to see the world. I just really wanted
to get out there, and I want to get outside
the classroom, and I wanted to see what the world
(11:41):
was all about, kind of touch it, feel it, tastes it,
smell it. And I thought the Marine Corps and I
just didn't want to go get a job. I wanted
to do something that was a part of something bigger
than me, right, And so the Marine Corps offered that,
and I wanted to go, and so I want I
just didn't want to go into any job in the
Marine Corps. I wanted to be part of an expeditionary force.
(12:02):
So I joined the infantry as well, and I did
it for six years, and I traveled a lot. I
saw a lot of interesting things. Three deployments, combat and yeah,
I went everywhere and it was an incredible experience and
meant a lot of good men. But then while my
time was up, it was up, but I still had
the it's for adventure. I wanted to do some other things.
And then I went from there into commercial diving, underwater
(12:26):
construction work, oil fields, things like that. Golf of the Scio. Yeah,
and that was quite an adventure. They don't make a
lot of money, by the way, so I don't believe
all the hype. They don't. You don't make a lot
of money. There's like one percent of those of those
guys that make money. Other than that, you're just working
your ass off for not a lot. And then and
(12:49):
then Z actually almost died doing that job, and I
was like, comel on, I'm making that much. I'm not
making that much money. And so I had an opportunity
to interview for an executive protection firm. So I did
that and I got the job. And next thing, you know,
after all the training, I was, I sent you a bodyguard,
and I did that for about a decade.
Speaker 5 (13:06):
Nice, okay.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
And then when you're in the the Navy as well too,
when you digital employment as well as your most memorable
assignment or remission that you're on well.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
Being in the Gulf War was very memorable, you know.
I remember when we got called up to go over there.
I was already in Okinawa, Japan, and it's just kind
of surreal, right, You're seeing all this. You always see
things like on the news, right you see wars and
all these things, and then suddenly you're being called to
have to go participate in something like that, and it's
the romance of a young man turns into the realities
(13:38):
of the harshness of what could be right death. That's
that's one of the things you're like, Okay, this is real.
And so it was very, very surreal, and I still
remember it just sticks into my head. We get activated.
We're in Okinawa. We just got an Okinawa too for
a six month depointers. So we get activated and we
have to we march down to the supply depot and
(14:01):
we're getting our desert cammis and these were desert camies.
They were pulling out of storage. They were like early
he's old. They called chocolate chip desert cammies. They were
like designed in the nineteen seventies. And it was just
surreal because like, okay, we're going to the desert. This
is what's going to happen. We have no idea, and
everyone was you can see that there was fear in
a lot of people's eyes. And then and then you know,
(14:24):
like a couple of days later, we get on ships,
we sail over there, and then you know, all that
happens that we arrived in. We arrived in the Kingdom
and was at August and then no, no, I'm sorry September.
We arrived the early September and then yeah, then the
golf wur was that six months later? Oh we invaded Kuwait?
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Okay, and of course you also had your journey as
well too, going beyond the Frail. Get to that with
with g Michael Hoff. We'll call them Jeff and this one.
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us today.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
Best selling author of forty plus books and prominent name
of the pulse apocalyptic and paranormal genre. G Michael Hoff
here on The Mike waders Show, and Jeff before we
talk about some of that, you started company called Beyond
the Fray, which is not just a book but also
a publishing company. So tell us about Beyond the Fray.
Speaker 5 (17:14):
You can do both.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
It's your choice. I'm sorry, say it's it's your choice.
You can do the book or you can do publishing.
Speaker 2 (17:21):
Your choice. Yeah. So actually the origin story of the
company starts as a book. And so I was looking
at wanting to get into some different kind of writing.
And I really think I'm I'm an entrepreneur, business owner,
but I'm always constantly trying to think of additional income
streams that we could create and like outside of advertising
and merch like what you've got. I was like, what
(17:42):
what is something I could do? And I was I
love podcasts. I listened to a lot of podcasts now
and I was listening to one podcast called Into the
Fray and it deals with you know interesting, it's it's
it's Shannon. She's right. She's my former partner. She's the
co founder of Beyond the Pray with me. And I
(18:05):
was listening to her show. Love her show. Still she's
still doing it. She's one of the top when you
get into paranormal and and interviewing people that have had
first person encounters with strange and mysterious, the un you know,
the supernatural, so to speak. And I was like, because
it was people telling their own personal encounters. I was like,
this could make for a good book. So I reached
(18:27):
out there. I was like, hey, how would you like
to flip the content? That's what I call it, since
she's taking podcast content and turning into a medium and
shifting it to a different medium to a book, and
she thought it was a great idea. So that was
kind of the birth of Beyond the Fray the book. Yep,
we have Beyond the Freight Bigfoot, which has had Bigfoot stories,
and then Beyond the freat Paramoglamation, which is a mix
(18:49):
of the different supernatural stories from guests that she had
on her show. And after she after we published that
first one, a lot of the people that are in
that space paranormal, supernatural, UFOs, cryptids, all that, because she
knows a ton of people reaching out to her like,
oh my god, how did you do that? What's going on?
And she realized there was an opportunity. I realized there
(19:11):
was an opportunity. There was a group of people that
sometimes can feel stigmatized about putting their books out. There's
a lot of people have a lot of opinions about
a lot of things.
Speaker 3 (19:22):
A lot fear, a lot of what was a lot
of fear, a lot of like hold back whatever it is,
fear failure.
Speaker 2 (19:28):
I understand, yeah, yeah, And so I was like, you
know why, I said, I've got the expertise, I know
how to produce a book. I'm really good at marketing.
And then but she also and then she has the
connections in that space because I think when you do
a publishing company, you should niche down, you should find
a genres that are kind of similar, and you go
into that. You just don't publish everything for everyone because
(19:51):
you can't service the book correctly. And each type of
genre and each whether it's fiction or nonfiction, are completely
different marketing, it's not the same thing. And so she
knew a lot of people in that space, is like,
why don't we just create a company. And that's what
That's how Beyond the Freight Publishing was created. Again it's
She's got into the Freight her podcast, which it's not,
it's not affiliated at all. So we just kind of
(20:14):
tweaked it and made Beyond the Fray and we thought
it was a really cool name. So we started it
in November of twenty nineteen, and then I was at
mid last year, I bought out her interest in the company,
so I owned the company outright myself, although she is
always still near and dear. You know, we talk quite
a bit and she is still the co founder of
(20:35):
the company and always will be. But so, yeah, it's
we publish. God, we've got how many titles out now?
I think we've got close to one hundred and fifty
titles and dozens of authors. And we published non fiction
in the spaces of paranormal, cryptige, UFOs, ancient mysteries, true crime,
(20:56):
oh wow.
Speaker 5 (20:57):
Okay, and also western as well too. And yeah, well
we don't do westerns now, not anymore, okay, all right, No.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
We don't know I actually write westerns.
Speaker 3 (21:06):
Okay, all right, okay, So I just want to get
that clarifying as well too. And the first book you
wrote about the end as well too, and tell us
about the end and what exactly first inspired to worry about
the end?
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Yeah, so The End is my very first novel for
me as the author G. Michael Hoff. By the way,
real quick, I was added, the reason is G. Michael
Hoff versus Jeffrey Hoff is because when at first my
very first book was a children illustrated book, that was
under Jeffrey Hoff, And when I wrote the end, I
was thinking at the time, I was probably going to
(21:41):
go on and do more children's books. And I didn't
want to excuse me, I didn't want to like muddy
the waters between the two and you got children illustrated
and you got gritty, raw, violent apocalyptic. I didn't want
those two the kind of mesh. So I was like, well,
I should create a for the apocalyptic or fiction books.
(22:03):
That's where G. Michael Hoff comes from. That's the birth
of that pen name. So it can be very confusing
to people. And so, like I said, I was reading
a lot of apocalyptic fiction at the time, and I
couldn't find that one book that I really wanted to read,
one thing, one that was like really deep plot, had
lots going on. I'm sorry, excuse me. And then so
(22:25):
I said, if I can't find it, i'm also right,
and that was the birth of that. And that book
follows a myriad of characters as are struggling to survive
after an electra and electromagnetic pulse weapon is detonated, and
it kind of follows a group of characters, like a
group of characters that are in San Diego specifically like
suburban civilians that is also a character that's in the military,
(22:48):
and you've also got a character that's also in the government.
So you're getting the readers getting kind of a worldview
of what's happening after this massive event with the grid
collapses and people are struggling to survive. And the book
did really well, like incredibly well, and so much that
I quit my job so I could get the sequel out,
(23:08):
and then it kept doing really well, and so then
I had lots of publishers reaching out, and then Penguin
Random House gave me a call and they wanted to
they wanted to buy it.
Speaker 5 (23:18):
Oh my gosh. You had a lot as well too.
Speaker 3 (23:21):
In part of the New World series, you also had
a Long Road and Sanctuary, and you didn't talk about that.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Yeah, so Long Road and sank Crary just sequels in
the series. So the New World series, The End is
the very first book in that it's a seven book series.
You've got the sequel is the Long Road, and then
Sanctuaries the third book, and then there's former books after
that that that comprises that series. The New World series
sold lots of copies of it, done very well, it's
(23:48):
been translated into multiple languages, on audiobook, ebook, paperback, you
name it. It's in Barnes and Noble other bookstores so
to speak. And then yes, then I went from that.
The series does have some spin offs as well, and
then and then from there I finished that series up,
and I started writing some other types of apocalyptic fiction,
(24:10):
kind of different scenarios, things like that. And then and
then I got into westerns.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, I get more in the Wrestlings
as well too. I think we are we're sure to
cover that. But yeah, Westerns have to be pretty good.
Maybe a Western apocalypse what you think?
Speaker 2 (24:24):
So well, you know what's interesting when you look at
the wild West, the West is kind of what our
world would go to if the grid collapsed. Right, So
if you take if you have the grid collapse from
either a CME or an MP that or a malware
attack whatever. But if you have the grid collapse and
all kind of everything we know today the infrastructure is
powered by electricity. If you get rid of electricity, we're
(24:46):
essentially in the wild West.
Speaker 5 (24:48):
Right, Yeah, it makes sense.
Speaker 3 (24:49):
When you go on a horseback, you'd be tried digging
for gold. You'll dig for oil with pick axe and everything,
and then you try to like you know, pick for
water and you would have like gun fights trying to
settle and money is probably like you know, maybe rare
gold or even bartering everything and those so loose is
back in fashion too.
Speaker 2 (25:11):
Yeah, you things of value like paper money eventually could
not become worthless because if you look at our currency today,
it's a fiat currency. It's built upon confidence in the
money and the system in itself. And so you remove
that that confidence, then you then what becomes a value, right,
and what what becomes a commodity. And you can look
(25:34):
at gold and silver, precious metals and gems could become
a commodity for selling or buying. Then you just got
resources to become a commodity, whether it's food or water,
ammunition or firearms. These are things that are built around
what's what are you trying to do? Then, right in
a collapse, what becomes things kind of get distilled down
(25:56):
to the basic needs of for survival. You don't need
to worry about when you're gonna get your nails done,
to your hair done, or you know, your car wash.
That stuff's out the window. Now you're just worried about
am I gonna be able to eat? Am I gonna
be able to have water? And so that becomes the
main focus. That becomes the resources everyone goes for, and
therefore then those become very valuable, as do the means
(26:16):
of protecting that. So that's why firearms become very very
important in a collapse or grid down scenario because there're
gonna be people that don't have the resources or are
wanna hoard the resources, or they want to get your resources,
and so you have to have a firearm becomes a
tool that's available to you to protect yourself and your
family and your resources for survival. So there's a lot
(26:38):
and then and then, uh, in a collapse scenario, you
can look at skill sets become valuable, so you as
an individual become a value too to your group or
other groups. If you're a doctor, if you have medical skills,
if you know how to grow, if you're if you're
in the uh you know at a harvest, you know
how to you know, you know to hunt. So all
(26:59):
these things again become a commodity in that environment. You know,
in today's world, right, I mean you knowing the skills
for survival are completely different than the skills for survival
that are valuable in that kind of world. So if
we ever go to that kind of world, there's gone
a lot of human resources people out of work, and
(27:21):
as well as writers and podcasters, we won't have much
to do.
Speaker 5 (27:25):
Well.
Speaker 3 (27:26):
Then again, you know back in the day too, go
to ren sense, you'd be a herald. It's like, you know,
here ye here ye, we have the news, or like
you know, extra extra read about it.
Speaker 2 (27:36):
You could be a prior. That's what they called them.
I think they thank you criers, Harold.
Speaker 3 (27:42):
And of course you don't go have a Greek mythology,
Mercury was the god of communication, you know, delivering messages,
have a messenger service. And then of course you try
to find you know, trees and try to make paper everything.
Speaker 5 (27:54):
But go way back here. It's like the stone tablets.
You go further.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
Yeah, you know, it's interesting. I have had an idea,
Like I've got my computers filled with lots of like
many half written manuscript or ideas. I did have this
one kind of an interesting idea. It was kind of
a a kind of an apocalyptic hellscape and very few
people are left, and people are always hungry for news,
(28:18):
hungry for information, and it follows a character that is
kind of going around. But then so I had that
written and then no, shit, Tom Hanks has a movie
about that. Then that came out.
Speaker 6 (28:31):
Like Away right, Castaway, No, you know the one where
he I think it's a post Civil Wars in the West,
and he's traveling around and he's reading newspapers to towns
so they have up to date information.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
It's called I think it's called Stories from the World
or something like that. But I'd written I had an
idea and I jotted it down. My god, ten years ago,
I said that would be kind of a cool story
of this guy that's traveling around and he has information
and what and how it was going to do it.
He he he does it to bring hope to people.
But the end result for it was that he was
(29:08):
just lying that the world is dismal, there is no hope.
But his whole bang was so he was essentially a
he was giving fake news to every or like P. T.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
Barn back back in the day, it's like a sucker
is born every minute, you know, that sort of thing,
try and make people happy when really it's not. Also
made me think of a popular the term like, Will Smith,
what was that movie?
Speaker 5 (29:32):
You know? It was like I am or He was like, you.
Speaker 2 (29:34):
Know, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, I phil that legend.
Speaker 5 (29:36):
Yeah yeah, I legend.
Speaker 2 (29:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
He was like the only person in the world he
has to fight monsters and everything like that. That made
me think of that too, Will Smith, I am legend.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
Yeah, that's a by the way, that's that was. That
was adapted from a book that was written in the
nineteen seventies, I believe, and the book is fantastic. I mean,
by the way, I thought the adaptation was decent too.
I probably would have shanged the ending a little bit,
but it actually is. It's a good adaptation. But the
book I highly recommend people read. It's a quick read. Yeah,
(30:06):
I am legend.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
It's good that also too. And plus you also had
another offshoot of it. It's like, you know what continue
out of the New World series Sanctuary, the Lion Departure
was went in Tears, the Razors Edge, and Those who.
Speaker 5 (30:18):
Remain, you know, just a quick thoughts and else.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
No, those are discontinuations of the story itself. You know,
when you when you write a book, you have kind
of the story arc. You're trying to follow and then
then you have a series and you have the series arc,
and so that's all this does. Those books are the
seven books in the main canon of the New World series,
and as follows the characters from the very beginning. It
starts at the beginning, starts at the end, and it
(30:44):
takes you all the way through to those who remain
and sent you that as that book finishes up. Those
those are the characters that have survived this journey, you know,
during the collapse.
Speaker 3 (30:56):
And plus those opportunities for other authors to write books
and how to write books, how to get into a
publishing company. We'll get to that with gmichael Hoff. You
listen to the Mike Weidners Show at the Mike Winnershow
dot Com powered by Sonkweb Studios, Brought to by official
sponsor to The Mike Widner Show. International Worring author Me
and Wilson's Missing the Sweets Almost best REDA. Wagner based
on Life of Daving Fleet, Three Squiz Pains and Kandavid
(31:18):
Psalms The Sweet Sumist. Check it on Amazon keywords Sweet
Samaserena Wagner. We'll be back with the amazing Gmichael Hoff
up Beyond the Frame after this time.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
The Mike Wagner Show is powered by sonicwebs Studios. If
you're looking to start or upgrade your online presence, visit www.
Dot Sonicwebstudios dot com. For all of your online needs.
Call one eight hundred three oh three three nine six
zero or visit us online at www dot sonicwebstudios dot com.
(31:47):
To get started today, Mention The Mike Wagner Show and
get twenty percent off your project. Sonicweb Studios take your
image to the next level.
Speaker 7 (31:56):
Hey ver Dana Laxa here, American news anchor. Hey, let
me ask you something real quick. Why do you read
a book. You're buying a story, a thought, a message,
and a good book entertains and inspires. And that's exactly
what's a missing by Award winning author of Me on
the Zia does. I have his book right here, and
it's based on real events with relatable characters that hook
(32:19):
you from start to finish. I personally love this book.
It's super powerful and meaningful through you can actually get
it on Amazon right now.
Speaker 3 (32:27):
The Mike Wagner Show is brought to you by Serena
Wagner's book The Sweet Sawmist, now availed on emsoon. This
book includes thirty exquisite pintings by well known and unknown
painters and King David Palms. The Sweet Sawmist gives us
a new perspective on his life in this book through
the songs he wrote. His time as a shepherd in
the field is where the book starts, and it goes
on to describe his complicated and turbulent relationship with King Saul,
(32:47):
as well as other events. It's a story of love, betrayal, repentance,
and more. It also offers advice and approaching God and
living a life that pleases him. Check out the book
The Sweet Sawmist by Serena Wagner, now available on Amazon
keywords Sweet some as Sorrina Waggoner.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
Hey, Hey, this is Ray.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
How is and boy?
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Are you in luck? Right place? Right time? Tuned into
the Mike Wagner Show. You heard me?
Speaker 3 (33:16):
We're back with g Michael huff Up Beyond the Frey
here the Mike Wagner Show. Not just a book, but
a publishing company. And you also not just provide books
for the general public, your full service publishing house.
Speaker 5 (33:28):
And tell us more about that and what do you
guys have to offer?
Speaker 2 (33:31):
Yeah, so when Shannon and I created a company. We
did that we wanted to be. There's a lot of
people out there that say they're publishing companies and they're
really they're they call we call them vanity presses, and
they will take your money to produce your book for you.
I'm not a big fan of vanity presses, which are different,
by the way, than say being a consultant to help
(33:52):
people get their book published for a fee. So we're
a traditional publisher in the essence that we don't make
any money on the production of your book. We sign
a contract publishing agreement with our with our authors, and
then we finance the production of the book. That means
the editing, the proofing, the cover design, the formatting, the
(34:14):
whole nine yards. We do the whole thing. We only
make our money as a publisher based on a royalty
split that we have with the authors. So it's incumbent
upon us to ensure that the book sales in order
for us to at least get our you know, with
money we put into it back. So that's what we are.
We're just say we're a boutique traditional publisher, and we
(34:34):
we're very niche in what we what we publish, and
we do that for a reason, because we know, we
know how to sell paranormal books and non fiction and
again we're very very niche non fiction, paranormal, cryptid UFOs, UAPs,
true crime, and ancient mysteries, and they all kind of
have relationship with each other and that's why we we
(34:57):
we publish those and again we have a good connection
with lots of podcasters and radio and things like that
and marketing so to ensure that those books get once
they're published, get promoted and they sell.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
And how's that set aside from self publishing that has
been a trend that's been going on for quite some time.
How's that set aside from self publishing.
Speaker 2 (35:17):
Well, we handle all the public We handle everything for you.
So if you're self publishing, then you're actually doing all
the work. You're creating your own side business, really, because
that's what a lot of people don't think about. And
when you're creating a book, when you get beyond writing
the book, then you've got to do the heavy lifting
of doing the rewrites and the editing and the proofing
(35:39):
and the cover design and the formatting. All those are
very technical things that need to be done right now.
And self publishing you can find those people that are
out there. So essentially you have to go out there
and assemble your own team of people that can handle
those things. And I always encourage people. You got to
do that. So it's more than just writing, and publishing
(35:59):
is more than just sitting me on and writing. It's
it's all those other things. And so you can do
that and self published, and there's been I am a
big advocate of self publishing, by the way, big advocate,
but there's always not everyone's going to want to do
all that work. And so that's where beyond the fray
and free reign publishing kind of help is that we
step in and do that work for you. That's it,
(36:22):
and then we specifically for those genres, and then we
uh we work with you to promote it. And but
self publishing is very powerful. It's uh. I mean when
I when I published The End, I self published it
and it did incredibly well, and it did so well
that Penguin Random House picked me up so nice, and
(36:42):
then I signed my rights.
Speaker 3 (36:43):
Away books like Stephen King.
Speaker 2 (36:48):
Right, So oh yeah, I mean, I I did, really,
I just I did. I'm very grateful to Penguin. I
did very well and I'm very blessed. Uh, I've sold
a lot of books and uh, but self publishing is
definitely there. It's you can try to figure it out,
figure it out on your own, like I did. I
mean a lot of mistakes though, a lot of mistakes,
(37:11):
specifically on the technical side, and that's where can kill people.
And if you don't, if you don't properly get it
edited or approved or even formatted correctly inside the book,
it can be distracting. You can turn the reader off,
and you lose sales. Nothing's worse than getting a bad
review for technical issue. It's one thing to get a
(37:31):
bad review that's subjective, they just didn't like the story whatever, right,
But to get a bad review that says it's edited
horribly or it's formatted terribly, this is it?
Speaker 5 (37:42):
That is you make grammar errors all that.
Speaker 2 (37:45):
Yes, Oh, it's it's so. This is where. This is
where there's still even though there's self publishing, it's it's
out there. It's really democratized the publishing world, and I'm
a big advocate of it, but there's still there's still
a need for the publisher for those people that do
not have the time or they just don't want to,
(38:06):
or even some of them don't have the resources and
they can go to a publisher and maybe that we
can We can handle that for them because we cover
all the expenses for production and we don't carawl that back.
So that is our investment. So the writers invested their
time as the precious resource to create the book. We
then invest our financial resources to produce the book, and
(38:29):
then we hopefully can recoup that by selling it. And
that's it. But again, so publishing is very very prominent today.
It's and then again there's still a need for publishing
houses too, like ours.
Speaker 3 (38:45):
And what's the best advice for an author to get
with a publishing company, write a book and everything like that?
What's the best advice you can give to authors at
this point?
Speaker 2 (38:55):
All right? So the very best advice I like to
give to authors is specific new authors, is you see,
you have an idea for a book, You've never written
a book, you don't know what to do. And Ernest Hemingway,
I go back to him. He was being interviewed years
ago and he was being asked, what's the best advice you
give a new author? And it's simple, just right. So
(39:16):
many new authors will find themselves. They want to write
a book, and they decide, oh, I'm going to go ahead,
and before I do that, I'm going to take six
month creative writing class, or I mean I'm going to
get a degree in creative writing, or I'm going to
do this, or I'm going to do that. They start
setting up these obstacles in front of them when all
they need to do is to sit down and write
the book. I'm not saying that education on how to
(39:38):
be a better writer isn't important, but I wouldn't put
anything in front of you that stops you from beginning
the process. However, one of those processes you should never
be entertaining is like, what is the cover going to
look like? Who's my publisher going to be? How about
getting a book done first? Then you can worry about
all those other issues because all those other issues are
downstream from having the book the rough draft done so
(40:01):
just right is what I always tell new authors. Just
get it out there, let it flow, kind of connect.
And then as far as getting a publisher, most publishing houses,
specifically the big ones like Penguin, Shaman and Schusters, McMillan,
et cetera, et cetera, atche it they you have to.
The only way you can get into doors with them
(40:22):
are essentially three ways, and that is you have an agent,
which is very difficult to get, and you could do
what I did is self publish and have the book
take off. Because they actually scour the Amazon rankings, I
believe they see and they see who's selling, and they go,
let's take that person who's selling, who's not represented, Let's
(40:44):
take them down. It's a it's actually a win win
for them versus again getting a new author from an agent.
They had no idea whether that's going to sell or not.
That's zero clue. When they get someone who's already self
published and successful, that person already is coming in with
a bunch and they're doing it series like I was.
I was coming in with tens of thousands of readers
(41:04):
already ready to ready to start buying the second book,
and so it was it was a win win for them.
And then the third ways already have a big prominent
or like to be a celebrity in some fashion, have
a big platform already, and then now you want to
tell your story. And so those are really the only
three ways to get into into a big publishing house
(41:27):
and again, getting an agent's very difficult, So it's really
the only road for most people today is to is
to go to self publishing route and therefore think of
it as a business. I highly encourage that it's not
a hobby. It has to be a You have to
think of it as a business because then when you
have that thought in mind, you'll do everything correctly to
(41:50):
make sure it's successful.
Speaker 3 (41:52):
And I think those are really good advice as well.
And where can you find your works? And how do
people get a hold of you on.
Speaker 2 (41:58):
Jeff, Yeah, just go to Gmichael hop dot com. It's
the best my website. It's the best way to find
all my books and you can contact me from there.
Speaker 5 (42:07):
And also beyond the Fray Publishing.
Speaker 2 (42:10):
Yeah, but beyond the free publishing is beyond the Fray
Publishing dot com.
Speaker 3 (42:14):
We want everybody that checked those out once again with
the amazing author g Michael Hoff up beyond the Fray
Books and Publishing Company here on the Mike Wadners Show.
And Jeff, just a few more things. What else can
we expect me twenty twenty five and beyond.
Speaker 2 (42:27):
I'm dabbling in a lot of things right now. I've
got I gotta I had a I'm trying to have
trying to phrase this. I'm just dabbling a lot and
leveraging AI, creating some adjacent companies that will kind of
help writers. And I'm kind of into that space right now.
(42:50):
I can't go too much into it. I'm doing some
translation stuff and so I've just got some other companies
I'm working with. I really I'm a big believer in AI.
I think if people aren't leveraging using it, they're going
to get left behind. For those who remember the beginning
of the Internet, so if this was a year, this
would be nineteen ninety four ninety five in comparison where
(43:11):
AI is going to be. So if you look at
ninety four ninety five, look where we are, Look where
the Internet's brought us today. So go thirty years from
now with AI. That's that's that's growing at an exponential rate.
You could be looking at a completely different world in
five years for a lot of different people. And if
you're not, and if you're poo pooing AI, you're making
a gigantic, colossal and maybe professional mistake. So I'm really
(43:36):
really leaning in a lot and creating adjacent services and
companies that deal in AI one is in translation.
Speaker 3 (43:45):
I think that's been the big one right there, and
make sure it keeps up today. And who do consider
biggest influence in your career?
Speaker 2 (43:53):
Oh the oh? So actually this will be kind of
a surprise to people I know, Like I talked about
Ernest anyway, But when I was looking for some who
inspired me to write my first book, it was Stephanie Meyer,
that is the writer of Twilight. And I, by the way, Stephanie,
I'm sorry I didn't read her books. I saw the
movies years ago, but I was reading her story and
(44:13):
this is what inspired me. Her story of when she
started out and very busy mom, lots of kids, lots
of stuff going on, and so she decided that she
would tackle writing the very first book. And I modeled
it so at night, when all the kids were in
bed and everyone she had the time, she blocked out
so many hours a night and very disciplined, very focused,
(44:35):
sat down every night and would write, and then eventually
she had the book. And so I was really inspired
by that. So I literally modeled exactly what she did.
I sat down at night when the kids were in
bed and the wife's in bed, it's dark out, only
behind the globe of the screen on my computer and
just hammered out the words and I did it religiously, disciplined,
and I got the novel done, and that's what launched
(44:59):
everything there. So she was I always get I was,
you know, tip my hat to her. She was an
inspiration and she's done incredibly, incredibly well. And I find
that inspirational. I love that. I love people that have
a dream and they go after it, and.
Speaker 3 (45:15):
I think that's great as well too. And what's the
best advice you can give the aim? But at this point,
not just offers, we call that anyone in general.
Speaker 5 (45:22):
Best advice.
Speaker 2 (45:23):
The best advice I would always give people is going
back to our mindset and how we think, and that
is when something happens in your life will always tend
to be Most people tend to look at the worst
case scenario. I wouldn't. I don't do that anymore. I've
trained myself and I'll say this, only see this one,
I might say, only see see in your mind, Only
see what you want to see, don't see what you
(45:47):
don't want to see, Only see what you want to see,
and only focus on that dream. And that's what I
did when I was vision. When having the vision about
being a writer, I only saw I never saw failure.
I only saw myself doing book signings. I only I
saw my mind people around the world reading my book.
(46:07):
That's all I saw in my mind. Didn't see anything else.
Did see time wasted? I And if I did, I
push it on my mind and would go back to
that vision. So only see what you want to see.
Speaker 3 (46:21):
And I think that's great advice as well to all
the writers and everyone and klue with you amazing Bolt
to town Gmichael hoffa Beyond the Fray here on Mike
Widner Show, Jeff a very big thanks for telling me
You've ben absolutely fantastic, learned a lot looking forward having
soon keeps it up today, Keep in touch, lab av
you back on which website? How do people contact you?
Or in people purchase?
Speaker 5 (46:40):
Purchase? Check out your books, you're publishing company and more.
Speaker 2 (46:44):
Yeah, so again, just go to Gmichael hop dot com
for myself for Beyond the Free Publishing is Beyond the
Free Publishing dot com. If you're an author of the
kind of genres you could submit, we are open for submissions,
so you can submit your manuscript for us to review
it and then all my books, turn Amazon, Lemonium at
Barnes and Nobles to check them out.
Speaker 3 (47:02):
We will certainly do that as well. Once again, Jeff,
very thanks for time you've been. App's amazing looking forward
hamming soon keeps up today, keep in touch, Leve, I'd
be back. We wish our best and Jeff, you definitely
have a great fitch you.
Speaker 2 (47:14):
Next, Mike.
Speaker 1 (47:14):
The Mike Wagner Show is powered by Sonicweb Studios. If
you're looking to start or upgrade your online presence, visit
www dot Sonicwebstudios dot com for all of your online needs.
Call one eight hundred three oh three three nine six
zero or visit us online at www dot sonicwebstudios dot
(47:35):
com to get started Today, mention The Mike Wagner Show
and get twenty percent off your project. Sonicweb Studios take
your image to the next level.
Speaker 7 (47:44):
Hey ver, Dana Laxa here, American news anchor. Hey, let
me ask you something real quick. Why do you read
a book? You're buying a story, a thought, a message,
and a good book entertains and inspires. And that's exactly
what a Missing By Award win author me on the Ziadas.
I have his book right here and it's based on
real events with relatable characters that hook you from start
(48:07):
to finish. I personally love this book. It's super powerful
and meaningful through You can actually get it on Amazon
right now.
Speaker 3 (48:14):
The Mike Wagner Show is brought to you by Serena
Wagner's book The Sweet Sawmist, now availed on Amsoon. This
book includes thirty exquisite pintings by well known and unknown
painters and King David Salms. The Sweet Salmist gives us
a new perspective on his life in this book through
the songs he wrote. His time as a shepherd in
the field is where the book starts, and it goes
on to describe his complicated and turbulent relationship with King Saul,
(48:35):
as well as other events. It's a story of love, betrayal, repentance,
and more. It also offers advice on approaching God and
living a life that pleases him. Check out the book
The Sweet Salmist by Serena Wagner, now available on Amazon
keywords Sweet Saalmist, Serena Wagner.
Speaker 4 (48:52):
Thanks for listening to The Mike Wagner Show powered by
Sonic Web Studios. Listit online at Sonicwebstudios dot com for
all your needs. Quagner Show can be heard on Spreakers, Spotify, iHeartRadio, iTunes,
YouTube Anchor, FM Radio Public, and The Micwagner Show dot com.
Please port our program with your donations at the Mike
Wagner Show dot com. Join us again next time for
(49:14):
another great episode of The Mike Wagner Show
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