Today we’d like to introduce you to Frank Reteguiz.
Hi Frank, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
This time last year, I was laid off from my job at Tesla during the pandemic. Before that moment, I worked a lot of jobs, I was a quirky, rebellious cop in a corrupt Savannah, an adventure-hungry Deck Officer for Disney Cruise Lines who was accused of nearly starting a mutiny, I tried my hand and spectacularly failed at two businesses and then got lost somewhere in between.
But I had a dream of becoming a writer, which I didn’t think was feasible or if it could financially sustain me. I was rejected well over 200 times by publishers and agents, which gave me a heavy doubt.
But I want to be a storyteller, a writer of something breathtaking. This dream, this audacious feat has now possessed my head and my heart. So, I decided to start my own publishing company and sell my books myself.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No. I have been doing this full-time since getting laid off during the pandemic and I had a lot of obstacles to overcome. I had to work odd jobs in warehouses, worked as a waiter, and do seasonal work at UPS to help pay rent and my bills as I use the profits from the sales to help me grow.
Advertising/marketing is an issue as well as I am finding out what works and what doesn’t work. I recently made a decision to stop spending money on social media ads such as Facebook and TikTok because I saw plenty of likes and clicks but no sales. Personally, it’s been hard. The worst was going through a terrible and agonizing breakup this year; which caused me to feel doubt about what I was doing along with dealing with the heartbreak.
But despite all this, I chose to keep going. Every time I thought about quitting, I would get a message or run into a customer who tells me how much they loved my books and wanted to buy the others they haven’t read. That validation keeps me wanting to endure through the suffering and to get better. It makes me realize that my dreams are going to come true because I’m going to make them come true.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I write in the contemporary horror, fantasy, and Sci-Fi area. Such as Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, Dean Koontz, and Dan Brown. But the genre is just a backdrop for telling the story of a hero. Despite the horror the main characters will face, they will find a way to triumph against the monsters.
What sets me apart is my use of imagery and using a grounded approach in telling a fantastic story. I use my personal experiences from life, my time as a cop, and my travels.
What sets me apart business-wise is my creative marketing and my tenacity. I sell my books at bars using a promotion called “Buy a Book, Get a Free Shot.” I have a working relationship with bars across Jacksonville and I have done this promotion in Austin, Savannah, and New Orleans. I was on the news several times for the promotion and it brings in revenue.
I do this along with selling my books at art markets and festivals. I rarely take a weekend off because I’m determined to grow my audience exponentially.
Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
How valuable life and our time are. I never want to waste both again for a job or a company that doesn’t care about me but only sees me as disposable. That’s why I work hard to turn my art into a profitable business so that I can do what I love and make a living from doing it.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://rickandllewyns.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rickandllewyns/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frank.reteguiz
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/RLlewyns?t=YJ7mp2JuhreM35i8rUa5xw&s=09
- Other: https://instabio.cc/21217lAbtQv
Image Credits
Frank Reteguiz
