Categories

Mark Hubman was born the last of six children, and raised in the Finger Lakes region of Central New York. Both of these instances had a strong bearing on who he is today. Since the age of 11, Hubman has been a Civil War history enthusiast and has parlayed all he has learned from reading and studying Civil War history into a new historical fiction/romance novel entitled, "Dearest Issabella." Hubman and his wife, Theresa, currently reside in the Philadelphia suburbs and are expecting their first child, Hannah, in December.

Thank you Mark for answering a few questions for us! Please tell us about the latest project you've worked on.

My latest project is "Dearest Issabella," a historical fiction/romance novel just published in May. The book is set in present day, but through the use of letters, flashes back to the Civil War era. Although these time periods are nearly a century and a half apart, various similarities tie them together.

We are a country at war in both eras and both wars are being fought by soldiers who would rather be home with their loved ones. And in both cases, soldiers write letters to let them know that. My present day character, Cassandra, finds love letters from Civil War soldier Samuel Ripley to his wife, Issabella. These letters touch Cassandra's heart and cause her to question the affections of her husband, Jake, who is fighting in Afghanistan. Cassandra has some difficult decisions to make and she makes them with the help of Samuel's letters and with a visit from an old friend.

Who inspires you on a personal or business level?

I have been inspired two times in my life. The first was on a trip to the Gettysburg Battlefield when I was 11. We had a tour guide who was so amazing in his presentation and so enthusiastic in teaching people about the Civil War that I could not help but be inspired to learn more about that bittersweet time period. Inspiration struck a second time through the encouragement of my wife, Theresa. In one week, while she had four consecutive night meetings as a municipal reporter, I wrote many of the letters that serve as the backbone of "Dearest Issabella."

What type of work is the most rewarding or satisfying for you?

I receive satisfaction from helping others and any chance I get to do that I take. My regular job is at a daily newspaper and I take satisfaction in my belief that I am keeping our readers informed of what is happening in their community, state, country and world.

What can you recommend for writers who are just getting started and are trying to make a name for themselves?

I would recommend a thorough investigation of all publishers to whom you submit your work and a thorough investigation of all agents you are considering as your publishing industry representative. In my rush to have my book published, I made some decisions I now regret and wish I could make over. Take advantage of all the contacts you have in the industry and be a sponge in absorbing their advice. Also, be proud of the accomplishment of completing a book. So many times I have heard people say that they wish they could write a book, so writing is not something just anyone can do. That pride in accomplishment will help you when pitching your book to agents and publishers.

How did you get started as a writer?

I actually started my writing "career" by reading a LOT. Since I was very young I have been reading Civil War books and biographies of those living during that time period. I had been writing "Dearest Issabella" in my head for many years before I finally put pen to paper. I think that is why I completed the first draft so quickly - less than four months. Something that helped me in my writing from the start is that I stopped writing for the night before I was out of ideas on how to advance the narrative. I was afraid that if I emptied the well on any given day, it might not be refilled. Each time I picked up the pen it was to complete the work of the previous day. Then by the time I was done, other plans for the narrative had come to mind.

What does a typical work day look like for you?

I work in the Advertising Creative Services Department for a daily newspaper in Suburban Philadelphia, so a large part of my work day consists of processing newspaper advertisements. But it seems like my work day continues when I get home and start the promotional duties for "Dearest Issabella." Compared to the marketing of the book, the writing was a breeze. I have always been humble, and in order to succeed at the promotional aspect of the publishing industry, the author must put themself in front of as many people as possible and give up a lot of their freedom in order to get people interested in their work. I am starting to enjoy the process, especially book signings, but I still look at it as a necessary evil.

Have you ever had a mentor, or someone who sparked your passion for writing?

There was a tour guide on the Gettysburg Battlefield when I took a bus tour at the tender age of 11. He sparked an interest in history that is just as strong today as it was then. The tour guide was a wonderful storyteller and was very enthusiastic about his subject. He wanted everyone to be as excited about the Civil War as he was, and it worked on me. He could tell I wanted to learn so he took a special interest in me and made sure I was in the front of the group at every stop.

At the summit of Little Round Top, while he was demonstrating how to fire the canon, he had me pull the lanyard and yell "BANG!" I still remember that day and how impressed I was by his ability to hold his audience with a great story. He sparked an interest in history, which has since become one of my deepest passions. My wife, Theresa, has been my inspiration to write "Dearest Issabella." Her encouragement helped me to complete the project, her proofreading abilities helped me to perfect it and her marketing experience helped me take it to a wider audience. In short, without her there would not a "Dearest Issabella."

What will your next project be?

I am unsettled on my next project, but since history has always been such a large part of my life the book will undoubtedly have at least undertones of history. I would, however, enjoy exploring other interests. Since "Dearest Issabella" was published I have not had the time necessary to dedicate to working on any one project. And since my wife and I are expecting our first child in December, spare time will be limited. I love storytelling and will be telling my baby daughter some of my favorites. Perhaps my next project will stem from being a new father.

Who is your favorite writer/author?

My reading interests are varied, and therefore, so are my favorite authors. I have always been a fan of Stephen King's books. But since my main area of interest is history, most of my collection is made up of history and biographies. Shelby Foote's Civil War trilogy is a classic, as is his book "Shiloh." I also enjoyed reading Newt Gingrich's trilogy depicting how the Civil War may have played out if the South had been victorious at the Battle of Gettysburg. It was an interesting take on revisionist history.

Is there any aspect of your profession that gets you in touch with your readers directly?

In my profession there is no chance for me to meet my readers, which is why I enjoy book signings so much They are my sole connection with people who would be interested in purchasing and reading "Dearest Issabella." I am still perfecting my sales pitch, but I just enjoy speaking about the book and I get such a rush when a connection is made. That deepens if a purchase is also made.

How has your education, profession or background helped in your writing career? Or conversely, how has your writing success helped you in your profession?

My background and interest in history has helped in my writing because the facts, figures and dates have become so ingrained in my memory that the hard part about writing is how to make the facts, figures and dates interesting to the readers. That is many times a chore in itself. But I think the best aspect of "Dearest Issabella" is that it takes the historic accounts of the Civil War and puts them in a present day fictional setting. The cross-section of genres will make the book appeal to a wide audience. At least I hope it will.

Finally, a most important question: what was the last song you sang out loud when you were by yourself? :)

That is a great question. I love to sing when I am in the car, when no one else will ever hear me. I love to sing Beach Boys songs because of their harmonies. My thought is that no matter what note I sing, there is a good chance one of the Boys is singing the same one. Some of the notes I sing have not been invented yet, so there is a good chance I am wrong in that thought.

Thank you Mark! We wish you great success with your historical fiction/romance novel Dearest Issabella!