So you want to be an author?

Local media personality Curtis Anderson took a giant leap of faith last year and dove head first into the land of fiction with his first work Gina French Is Not A Waste of Roofies and he wants to encourage others to do the same. “It was a long, three year process filled with rejection,” says Anderson. “In my journey, there was just enough positive feedback to keep me going.”

Gina French Is Not A Waste of Roofies is a crime, thriller, horror story that, thanks to his perseverance is now a published novel. It was picked up by Sweden’s Kraken Press. The publisher agreed to take the book on and it can now be found in many local bookstores and libraries around Saskatchewan as well as online.

Curtis Anderson’s first book (Facebook)

The story follows a woman who works as a guard at a male prison. Gina has a dark history with the inmates and is plagued by anger and paranoia. The book questions whether terrible people deserve an equally terrible fate.

Anderson is now taking what he’s learned and trying to help other aspiring authors. “I hope people are curious how to pull off getting published.” He explains, “I wasn’t willing to edit my book to a point it was unrecognizable. You have to stick to your guns if you want to make an impression on the literary landscape.”

You have to stick to your guns if you want to make an impression on the literary landscape.”

Author Curtis Anderson will help other aspiring authors get their stories out. (Kraken Press)

On Thursday October 13, he will be hosting a question and answer session at the Frances Morrison Library in Saskatoon. “My main piece of advice to aspiring authors is stick to your guns and go with your gut,” says Anderson.

There will be a reading from the book as well as a premiere of a prequel about Gina French he is now working on. This event is free and open to the public and the perfect way to get geared up for Halloween.

Click here for more details.