Over in Florida, author Gary Williams has managed to create an Internet buzz and build a loyal fanbase without the benefit of a high-dollar marketing budget, much less a publisher. He did this by … well, here, let him tell you about it.

BOOKGASM: For those unfamiliar, how would you describe what your novels are all about? To whom would they appeal?

WILLIAMS: The first three books – FISH OF SOULS, GROUNDSWELL and THE GOD TOOLS - are supernatural thrillers. My upcoming novel, HALF-RED SKULL is a pure thriller. I will admit my work carries a distinctive horror flavor, which I attribute to my love of early Stephen King novels.

The trilogy follows two friends, Scott Seymour and Curt Lockes, who uncover ancient artifacts – tools – in Florida, which are integrated into local history and ultimately linked to the Old Testament. The tools, however, have been contaminated and their ancient purposes mutated. As other forces seek to gain their control, the underlying purpose as to why the tools have been discovered in the present day leads to a startling revelation.

Reviewers have suggested that fans of Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child, James Rollins, Stephen King and Dan Brown novels will find the trilogy intriguing.

BOOKGASM: Did you always intend for FISH OF SOULS to turn into a trilogy, or was that just an outgrowth as you went along?

WILLIAMS: When I wrote FISH OF SOULS, it was meant as a stand-alone book. It concludes with all of the storyline elements tied together. Although when I got to the last line of the book, I left a sliver of an opening. Not enough to leave readers hanging, but a pinhole – in case I wanted to continue the characters.

To my elation, reader support of the characters was overwhelming. It became an easy decision to pick up with a new adventure in book two, GROUNDSWELL. By that point, I was already planning the final book in the trilogy, THE GOD TOOLS.

BOOKGASM: Why go the self-publishing route? What benefits and frustrations do you think it holds for authors?

WILLIAMS: Because I have no formal writing experience or literary education, it was extremely difficult to get a traditional publishing house to consider my work. Frankly, I understand their position – publishing is a business.

At the time I wrote my first novel, I had no experience in the profession, just a belief in my abilities and a prolific imagination. So I went the self-publishing route as a means of gaining experience and refining my writing skills with hopes of one day drawing the attention of a mainstream publisher. I made sure that when I self-published, I retained all rights.

As for the concept of self-publishing, there are strong pros and cons for new authors. The primary pro is that anyone can publish. The number-one con is that anyone can publish.

Here’s what I mean: First-time authors, like myself, looking to gain experience, can get published and display their wares. The problem is that many authors self-publish only one book as a novelty and not a career. Because the self-published author is responsible for all content and, in many cases, the work has never been professionally edited, the quality is generally poor. In other words, there’s no discipline around the majority of the self-published books on the market.

This equates to substandard works, thus, readers tend to shy away from self-published books. Most periodicals won’t offer book reviews for a self-published book because of the assumed inferior quality. Self-publishing has become the epitome of a double-edged sword:Yes, you can publish, but there’s a bias against you by those in the industry, the media and readers who have experienced badly written self-published works. And yes, I use a professional editor.

BOOKGASM: How has the web helped you? Do you think you could have achieved as much without it?

WILLIAMS: The Internet has been a culture-changing event since the mid-nineties. My website has been an invaluable tool for publicizing my novels. The web offers immediate access to view sample chapters, reviews and other information that I wish to convey to readers. And with such sites as Amazon and a host of other online bookstores – such as Barnes & Noble, Borders, Books-a-Million – selling my novels, I’ve been able to reach a worldwide audience.

In addition – and people may find this surprising – MySpace has been a tremendous vehicle for me in connecting with my readers. On my MySpace, I’m now linked to thousands of people. One reader recently created a fan MySpace page for my novels.

BOOKGASM: What do you think the future holds for lesser-known authors, whether self-published or small-press? Do you think the Internet is changing the way people approach and consider reading material?

WILLIAMS: I’ll address the second question first. Obviously, the Internet allows readers to gather information on books and authors within the confines of their homes unlike never before. Online book clubs, reader chat rooms and forums can provide a great deal of information that previously was obtained only via word-of-mouth or through hard-copy periodicals.

Unfortunately, in some ways, we’ve come to information overload, as there are millions of web sites. Statistics show that most book purchases – over 91 percent – still occur in the brick-and-mortar bookstores where customers can meander from shelf to shelf and read the back covers.

I believe lesser-known authors will always struggle and face adversity. Like anything else in life, it’s a matter of how hard you work and refine your craft as to how successful you can become. As the old adage goes, success is achieved when timing meets opportunity. When your opportunity arises, you have to stand and deliver.

Ironically, while traditional publishers have viewed my lack of prior writing experience as a negative, I view my two decades of corporate experience a plus when it comes to my novels. Because ultimately, I understand that it takes dedication, commitment and above all, resilience, to be a successful novelist. –Rod Lott

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• Q&A with SECRETS OF THE MODEL DORM’s Amanda Kerlin