Here are some of the frequently asked questions that K.P. Andrews answered for his fans.
Who is the NFCR?
Understanding the genetic and molecular events in health is essential for developing effective therapies against any diseases. Only by knowing the root causes of illnesses can we find methods to prevent or reverse these diseases. Founded in 1973, the National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR) was established with a commitment to support basic science cancer research in the laboratory. It is our belief that by supporting basic science cancer research and by promoting synergistic collaboration among scientists, advances in one field contribute to discoveries in another.
For the past 30 years, we have witnessed many significant cancer research breakthroughs, primarily results of discovering the fundamental mechanisms of tumor development. The technologies and theoretical bases involved not only facilitated the development of effective anti-cancer treatments, but also contributed to enrich the understanding of other devastating diseases such as Alzheimer‘s, diabetes, and anthrax toxins.
Today, NFCR remain determined in exploring previously uncharted territories for potential anticancer agents by supporting proven scientists with the “seed” money to substantiate their ideas, as well as the sustaining funding to advance their research. Additionally, our “Laboratory Without Walls” greatly encourages NFCR supported researchers across all scientific disciplines to share their knowledge and research effort to bring forth better prevention strategies, more powerful diagnostic techniques, and more effective new therapies for cancer and many other disease.
What is PayPal?
PayPal is a leading eCommerce payment service provider used by hundreds of thousands of consumers and businesses around the internet. The company was recently acquired by eBay and is located in Mountain View, California. PayPal was recently named the 2002 SIIA Codie Awards winner for “Best eCommerce Solution” and is recognized by PC Magazine as one of “The Top 100 Web Sites.” They enable credit cards to be securely processed in eCommerce transactions.
I am a teacher. Can I use your book as a subject for a creative writing course?
Absolutely. The book can be a great tool to examine structure, grammar, plots/subplots, etc. And, because I have never had the luxury of a professional editor, there should be a lot of subject matter to discuss.
When is the next book coming? What is it about?
The next book is underway and is untitled at this time. It is another thriller that involves religion, corporations, and the government. An advanced screening of the first chapter will be sent via email to those purchasing Leapfrog as a paperback.
How can you self-publish? Isn’t it expensive?
The reality is that doing this even several years ago was a far-fetched dream for many aspiring authors. The barriers were many but started with the printing process. Basically, a publisher was unlikely to work with an unknown writer because it cost many dollars to set up the printing presses for a run of 50,000 books, a number that had to be big to make the set-up worth it. It was even more expensive to invest in the marketing and promotion of the book to move those 50,000 copies. Because of this, publishers had to be highly selective, only talking to agents who represented well-known commodities. Therefore, all aspiring authors were forced to send in their unsolicited manuscripts to the infamous slush pile where their hard work would most likely go unread among the piles of their peers.
So what’s changed?
In a word: Print-On-Demand. And the Internet age. Now printers are armed with technologies that can take a digital file (i.e. a word document) and print and bind one copy at a time as it is ordered somewhere on the web. Because the set-up costs are negligible, an author can partner with one of these printers and simply submit the file to be ready to print in any quantity as needed. Toss in the marketing power of the internet and the inherent strength of word of mouth and you have the ultimate recipe for an author to bring their work directly from the pen to the reader with a modest investment.
Do you have an agent?
No. As the matter of a fact, I have never approached anyone with the rights to this novel or the next. I have spent all of my time, leveraging my own business skills and the assistance of others, to bring this directly from my pen to the reader’s eyes and to give those profits to charity.
Did you have an editor helping you?
No. I have never had the luxury of a professional editor. But because each book is printed as it is ordered, I can adjust the text and submit a new master file at any time. Please submit page number and location if you wish to suggest an edit, using the contact me page.
What authors do you like/read?
To be honest, I don’t read that much for pleasure. Most of my time is spent on business or with my own creative writing. I suppose I’ve enjoyed books like The Firm by Grisham, Disclosure by Michael Crichton, and The First Horsemen and Genesis Code by John Case.
Is Kirch P. Andrews a pen name?
Yes. I use a pen name to enable me to write about issues that I may not personally agree with. Also, Kirch has been a nickname with friends and family for a long, long time.
Are you doing this just for publicity?
Absolutely not. My father died from cancer and my grandfather from Alzheimer’s. No one has to purchase the book. They can simply make a direct donation if they wish.