The Tiger's Eye: Angel's of Mumbai, book cover

The Tiger’s Eye by Scott Delaney is the Xulon Press February 2024 Book of the Month

February 29, 2024 - By Erika Bennett

Every month, the Xulon Press staff votes for the Book of the Month selection, and this month The Tiger’s Eye: Angels in Mumbai by Scott B. Delaney won by a landslide. If you enjoy reading books by Tim LaHaye, Frank Peretti, and Gregory David Roberts, you’ll want to add The Global Calling series to your “to be read” pile.

To learn more about the inspiration behind The Tiger’s Eye: Angels in Mumbai, his favorite part of self-publishing, and what he hopes readers take away from his books, we sat down with Scott Delaney to get all the details on our latest Book of the Month.

What inspired you to write The Tiger’s Eye: Angels in Mumbai?

A: Having worked with many Indian-based pharmaceutical companies, I have made over fifty trips to India since 2008. I have developed a love for the people of this mysterious and beautiful country and wanted people around the world to see the country of India through my eyes—the good, the bad, the mysterious, the exciting, the depressing, the sad, and all of the senses and emotions in between.

I also wanted the book to be a springboard for discussion with people of all religions about the presence of God, angels and demons, and the opportunity for the relationship that God provides to all of his children around the globe. It has truly opened the door for amazing discourse, and I am thrilled that God is using it in such amazing ways to reach the hearts and minds of those who are searching.

How long did it take you to write your book?

A: Since The Tiger’s Eye is my second book in the series, the writing process for book two was much more streamlined than book one. From start to finish, this book took about eighteen months before the release of the final product from Xulon. Plus, the process of editing, proofing, creative, and production at Xulon was remarkably better than my first experience with another publisher. For comparison purposes, it took over three years to write my first book, The Shaft, A Supernatural Thriller.

Were there any challenges you faced while writing this book, and if so, how did you overcome them?

A: For The Tiger’s Eye, Angels in Mumbai, the challenge was finding time for writing. With the sale of a company and the move to a new company, keeping all of the plates spinning appropriately was a delicate balance. Fortunately, I had a lot of travel time that allowed for some focused writing opportunities that allowed me to get to the finish line.

Was there a specific part of your self-publishing journey that you enjoyed more than you thought you would?

A: I have enjoyed the collaboration with my committed beta readers. Purposefully, I engaged people from different faiths and backgrounds to critique my work and provide their thoughts. Their suggested edits and strategic questions were invaluable as I wrote and rewrote the first few manuscripts.

Their constant support and encouragement also fueled the fire inside of me to get The Tiger’s Eye completed in a timely fashion. Typically, I like to maintain total control of all my writing but giving up some of this control led to better ideas and a better overall finished product.

What do you hope readers will take away from your book?

A: I want my books to challenge readers to determine what they really think about angels and demons. Do they exist? How do they work within the context of our broken and fallen world? What is their relationship to God? How does the Devil use demons to influence humankind? Is this real or fantasy?

I hope these books also push people towards a closer relationship with God and a stronger reliance on God for protection, peace, guidance, and love. I pray that people’s hearts are opened to the opportunity that this stronger relationship with our creator will provide them with blessings beyond their wildest imagination.

Tell us a little bit about how you’ve marketed your book since its release.

A: I have used many resources to market my books, both professional marketing and individual marketing. I had phenomenal success using onlinebookclub.org to get reviews and then leveraged these reviews in “book of the day” promotions to generate thousands of downloads from users of the site. This sparked a grassroots campaign of promotion that continues to percolate even a couple of years after the promotion.

I also utilized some of the Xulon Press resources to target new readers, from traditional advertising to spots in various catalogs to social media campaigns.

I would also highly recommend that new authors who feel they have a great product should enter appropriate award contests. I was fortunate to win or be a finalist in several key literary award categories with various, well-respected award groups and have leveraged these to generate significant interest across a wide range of interested readers. Marketing books is extremely difficult if you are not with a traditional publisher. Still, with the right focus and determination, I can assure you that you can find a very satisfying level of commercial success.

Meet Scott Delaney

Scott Delaney, author of "The Tiger's Eye"

Scott Delaney is not only a multi-award-winning writer, but he also serves as President and Chief Executive Officer in North America for Unichem Pharmaceuticals Inc., he plays the piano and trumpet, sings with the Buck’s County Choral Society, performs as a baritone soloist for several other choral organizations, and he plays golf and spends time with his family. In college, he played basketball for the University of Texas at Austin, so it’s safe to say he’s a big college basketball fan, too!

The Shaft: A Supernatural Thriller (Book 1 in The Global Calling series) by Scott Delaney is also available for purchase. And you may even see The Global Calling series on your television or the big screen in the future!