Interview: Alfonso Romero, Author of Apache Roller 4.0 – Beginner's Guide

Alfonso V Romero is the author of Apache Roller 4.0 – Beginner's Guide which provides you step-by-step guidance on how to set up, customize, and market your blog using Apache Roller.

Alfonso V. Romero has been working with Linux & Open Source Software since 1999, when he started operating his first Web server (Apache) from a PC at home. Since then he’s been working for LASECLAT & ProECO Laboratories and several other clients in Mexico, as a Java, C++, C#, and Web applications developer. He also works for Pearson Education in Mexico as a Computer Books Freelance Translator & Consultant. When he’s not experimenting with new trends in Open Source and .NET applications, he enjoys spending some quality time with his beautiful wife, three kids and three dogs, or playing his old electric Ibanez guitar.

He’s also a big fan of Stephen King, and one of his maximum aspirations is to write a fiction novel, but his passion for computers and information technology keeps him busy as a technical writer.

He blogs at: http://alromero.posterous.com.

Packt: How did you find the overall experience of writing your book for Packt?
Alfonso: It was one of the most gratifying experiences I’ve dealt with, and also one of the most demanding tasks I’ve ever done! The Packt team helped me a lot during the process of planning and writing the first draft, and I also had a very flexible schedule. I was so pleased with the outcome that I’m about to finish my second book for Packt!

Packt: During the writing process, did you come across any issues/ difficulties that affected your writing and how did you overcome these?
Alfonso: Even though I had worked with Apache Roller as my main blog for quite some time, it wasn’t until I started writing the first chapter that I realized it’s not so easy to transmit your ideas to other people using words and pictures. Furthermore I was in the middle of remodeling a website for a new client, so I had to use weekends for working and writing, but all in all it was a very interesting and technically enriching experience.

Packt: Whilst writing your book, did you find that it overshadowed personal life in any way? How did you deal with this?
Alfonso: Well, it definitely was a task much tougher than I thought it would be, so I had less quality time to spend with my family, but there were times when I could spare a day or two to get away from writing and working, especially every time I managed to deliver a chapter on time.

Packt: Was there anything interesting that happened during the writing of the book?
Alfonso: I had the opportunity to start writing another book for Packt when I was about to finish the Apache Roller Beginner’s Guide, and I started working almost full-time on a 3 months project with a new client, so you could say I had a lot of interesting tasks to do at the same time! I also got to meet Dave Johnson –founder of Apache Roller –through email, and he agreed to write the foreword!

Packt: How did Packt’s Acquisition Editors help you - what kind of things did they help you with and how did they support you throughout the writing process?
Alfonso: They always were there when I needed coaching, along with the fact that the Packt template they provided me with to write the book was an excellent guide, and my writing style adapted perfectly to it.

Packt: Packt’s authors usually have full-time jobs whilst writing for us. Was this the case for you and how did you approach managing your time?
Alfonso: Well, I work as a freelance Web developer and computer books translator, so I have a more
flexible working schedule than if I had a real full-time job, but generally I have to work full-time on one or several projects at a time. When I started to write the Apache Roller Beginner’s Guide book, my work load was low, and that’s why I decided to start writing the VirtualBox Beginner’s Guide at the same time. I had about 4 hours available to write per day, but then I got a good load of web developing work and ended up writing on weekends!

Anyway, I would gladly spend my time writing tech books as a full-time job if I had the chance!

Packt: What benefits did writing a book bring to your specialist area?
Alfonso: I learned a lot of new things I didn’t know about Roller, Tomcat, the Apache web server and blogging, because I had to experiment with different settings and situations based on the exercises I wanted to write.

Packt: Do you have any tips for other authors, or tricks that you learnt whilst writing, that you'd like to share?
Alfonso: Spend all the time and effort you can when writing the Table of Contents, keeping in mind that it’s the foundation of your book; you need to have an utterly clear and concise idea of the subjects you’re going to include in it. Oh, and don’t you ever forget to read David Barnes's blog!
It’s full of excellent tips and suggestions for tech book authors.

Packt: Do you have any advice for other authors who may be interested in writing for Packt, but are still unsure?
Alfonso: Take the step forward and send that proposal! I guarantee you won’t regret it! Writing a book requires a lot of time and effort, but it’s worth it when you have the finished product in your hands! And you can’t go wrong with Packt!

Packt: What projects, if any, are you working on at the moment?
Alfonso: I’m about to finish writing the VirtualBox 3.1 Beginner’s Guide book, also from Packt. I’m also working on the "Swinging and Tweeting with Java and NetBeans" article series, where the reader will learn how to write a full-fledged Tweeter Java client, and I have several ideas for new books, so you’ll definitely be hearing more from me in the following months!

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