Non-Stop Reads: Marc Schiller – What inspired me to write this book?

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Marc Schiller – What inspired me to write this book?

What inspired me to write this book?

by Marc Schiller

I started to write the book almost 17 years ago when after my ordeal had ended I wrote 200 pages of detailed notes. Soon afterward I made a halfhearted effort to see if anyone would be interested in publishing it. With no visible interest I put my notes away.

In 2008 I did a television program about my ordeal and once again did a halfhearted effort to find someone that would be interested in publishing the book. I saw no interest in my story and once again desisted from the idea. In 2012 a friend informed me that Paramount Pictures and Michael Bay were making a movie based on an interview I did in 1997.

My friend and I were going to collaborate and write a book since we both were the prime subjects of the movie. He insistently made calls and try to reach out to anyone interested in our book. At first it appeared promising, but eventually there were no takers again. During Thanksgiving I flew to New York to film a segment for 48 HRS. As I was leaving for the airport I received an article from another acquaintance of mine through the mail.

The article was about the self-publishing industry and how it had grown and thrived. That instant, a light went of in my head and I decided that I was going to self-publish my book. No more obstacles and no more excuses, no more looking back. When I returned home I immediately went to work on my manuscript that was ninety percent finished, I hired and editor and called my daughter about designing my book cover. The next month was devoted to putting all the pieces together to publish it. On January 25, 2013 the project I had started in January 1995 had finally been realized.