Showing posts with label advice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label advice. Show all posts
Thursday, January 4, 2018
100+ Tips on Book Marketing (website list)
I've been doing some research on self publishing and self marketing. I figure at some point I'll need to know ALL. THE. THINGS. I'd like to share them with you, too!
Thursday, February 16, 2017
Using Amazon Free Samples to Better your Writing
I have a confession. I may or may not be addicted to those free samples on Amazon. You know, the teasers you can download to convince you to buy the book?
It’s a great marketing tool, and an awesome way for readers to decide whether or not they want to invest in the characters. For writers, it is also a fantastic way to really study the beginning of the competition.
When I read these beginnings as an upcoming author, I like to look at the first line and see if it hooks me. Examining the sample allows me to figure out the best way to convince a reader that my words are worth their time and money. How does the author make the character or their plight memorable enough to warrant further reading? What unique features of the world or magic system (I love fantasy!) or government or society are highlighted so the reader is immersed? How can I apply those calculations or techniques in my own writing to make my agent able to sell my books to editors who can sell them to the public?
Do you utilize those Amazon samples as a reader or writer? Or do you study the beginnings and blurbs of books you buy? Have you ever done this to improve your writing and/or marketing strategy? Let’s chat about it in the comments below!
Thursday, February 9, 2017
A Study on Tragedy in Modern Literature and Drama
A few years ago, I did a shout out across the interwebs about modern novel tragedies. My latest (and still latest) project was going to be unique. I'd been reading young adult novels in an effort to understand the dynamics involved compared to the middle grade I'd been writing before and realized that mine would be unique simply because almost all YA had the hero's journey as its plot arc.
Mine flipped it on its head in the form of a tragedy.
At that time, I did some research, but I was caught up in the fervor of free writing the draft, my favorite part.
And I was at a stand still until recently, when I watched this very helpful video on Youtube by lfrankers. Not sure exactly what she said that I'd never heard before, but between watching this and looking at a list of tragic movies in the last two decades, I understood this on a whole new level:
Some movie examples:
Man on Fire: The protagonist purpose is to save the girl he's supposed to protect. He trades himself for her, and dies to save her.
Blood Diamond: Leo D sets out to become famous, but ends up dying in order to save his partner so that his partner can save his own family.
Gladiator: Maximus wants to avenge his family. He battles and destroys all those involved, even though it means he dies at the end.
Some more recent literary examples:
Of Scars and Stardust: Older sister acts as detective to find the wolf that killed her sister. As she finds more clues, she falls deeper into insanity. By the end of the book, you realize the truth is she was insane all along and she killed her sister. She's put back into an asylum.
It means I'm excited because I finally figured out two very important things that will guide how I rewrite Rudger's Story.
1. His motive: To be a leader that unites the two races of his world.
2. He'll have to get there at the expense of his character, losing someone close to him, and losing his sanity.
In order to accomplish this, I'll need to up the tension of his guilt as he makes bad decisions, up the animosity with the current leaders that don't treat the other race well, and Rudger will also need more pressure from his family.
This also means my beginning needs a complete overhaul. But I already knew that!
Please comment and tell me a recent tragic novel you've read, or what you've learned during some of your own editing. I'd love to hear from you and I will write back!
Or CLICK HERE to Tweet:
"What @egmoorewriter learned while #amediting + recent tragic reads. join the discussion! http://bit.ly/2jQSElg Pls RT! #amwriting #tragedies."
Mine flipped it on its head in the form of a tragedy.
At that time, I did some research, but I was caught up in the fervor of free writing the draft, my favorite part.
Now I'm in the trenches of my least favorite part.... editing.
And I was at a stand still until recently, when I watched this very helpful video on Youtube by lfrankers. Not sure exactly what she said that I'd never heard before, but between watching this and looking at a list of tragic movies in the last two decades, I understood this on a whole new level:
In Tradegies, the purpose of the character has to be stronger than the outcome, even death.
(SPOILERS ALERT!!!)
Some movie examples:
Man on Fire: The protagonist purpose is to save the girl he's supposed to protect. He trades himself for her, and dies to save her.
Blood Diamond: Leo D sets out to become famous, but ends up dying in order to save his partner so that his partner can save his own family.
Gladiator: Maximus wants to avenge his family. He battles and destroys all those involved, even though it means he dies at the end.
And we all remember the Titantic.
Some more recent literary examples:
We Were Liars: The entire time, the main character is trying to fix her family. Slowly, though the reader realizes something isn't right. Eventually, we learn that the protagonist has gone insane after the tragedy of the fire in which her and her cousins were trying to fix the family.
Of Scars and Stardust: Older sister acts as detective to find the wolf that killed her sister. As she finds more clues, she falls deeper into insanity. By the end of the book, you realize the truth is she was insane all along and she killed her sister. She's put back into an asylum.
What does this mean for my editing?
It means I'm excited because I finally figured out two very important things that will guide how I rewrite Rudger's Story.
1. His motive: To be a leader that unites the two races of his world.
2. He'll have to get there at the expense of his character, losing someone close to him, and losing his sanity.
In order to accomplish this, I'll need to up the tension of his guilt as he makes bad decisions, up the animosity with the current leaders that don't treat the other race well, and Rudger will also need more pressure from his family.
This also means my beginning needs a complete overhaul. But I already knew that!
Please comment and tell me a recent tragic novel you've read, or what you've learned during some of your own editing. I'd love to hear from you and I will write back!
Or CLICK HERE to Tweet:
"What @egmoorewriter learned while #amediting + recent tragic reads. join the discussion! http://bit.ly/2jQSElg Pls RT! #amwriting #tragedies."
Friday, April 22, 2016
#CPfest 2016 Query Critique Day 3
Are you getting excited about #FicFest? I know I am! In honor of this first annual manuscript contest, a few of the mentors (incluyendome a mi) are giving away a query critique each day leading up to submission day (that's April 24th guys, as in a day!) For more details, check out my posts here and here, and the hostess with the mostest Tiffany Hofman's post here.
When Friday strikes and you volunteer to help at your daughter's private school's auction and get roped into clean up crew, you post at nearly midnight.....
Day 3 #QueryHelper Critique
First thoughts: Great length of query (a common theme in CPFest critiques, so bravo all of you!), though its broken down into littler paragraphs. We'll see if that is necessary.
As fear rips the world apart[EM2] ,
Allisane and Damien will sacrifice everything to protect their people. The
problem? They’re on opposite sides.[EM3]
Existing
in self-imposed isolation, Ӕled and the Empire of Voluce have maintained a
fragile peace that shatters when the Empire begins exterminating Ӕled’s winged
horses. As a Wind Rider trained in combat, Princess Allisane Kent is used to
confronting conflict head-on, but she knows her people cannot survive open
battle. Their inexplicable power to control light vanished generations ago. To
let the Empire know could mean a stay of war. Or immediate annihilation.[EM4]
Captain
Damien Ardeo, common born and uncommonly advanced[EM5] , will do anything to prevent war between
the men of fire and flight. But with every winged horse trained, the light-wielding Ӕleders
threaten his people’s very existence. [EM6] His Emperor spurs the conflict. His
nobility preys on their own subjects. Who truly deserves his protection?[EM7]
When
an overzealous division of Imperial Corps attacks Allisane, mistrust ignites
into total war. As power collides, one race will rise in power. The other faces
extinction.[EM8]
ASCEND
is an adult high fantasy with crossover potential complete at 113,000 words
with a level of violence and multiple POV style similar to Sanderson’s Mistborn trilogy and a depth of world
resembling Maas’s Throne of Glass.
[EM9]
[EM9]
Graduating this May with a degree in
English, I am a recipient of multiple academic awards for writing but am not
yet published. Thank you very much for your
time.[EM10]
Sincerely,
Rachel
C.
[EM3]I
think this whole paragraph could work as a hook if it was written a tad
differently with more specifics.
[EM4]I
had to read this several times to understand it, I think because of all the
pronouns. Then you throw in Imperial Corps below and I don’t know whose side
their on? Maybe bring up the fire vs. flight races sooner will help us sort out
the problems sooner? Make it clearer which side each of your MCs are one and
what they stand to lose.
[EM7]This
almost seems like he’s uncertain of how right his side of the conflict is. If
that’s the case, make it more clear and use it to add tension to your query. What is he questioning and does he consider switching sides? What holds him back? This doesn't all have to be included in the query, but these questions can help you with the stakes for this character.
[EM8]While
I understand that the stakes are which side of war will win, I’m not invested
or rooting for either one. Also, no where in this query do we know if Allisane
and Damien meet or end up working together, or if there is a connection there.
If you use the connection in your opening hook, I’d almost want to see it in
the stakes wrap up too. Bring it full circle.
Final thoughts: This query is a little confusing because there is a lot going on and we aren't grounded in the world and don't completely understand the sides. Also, I want to know if there is more of a connection between the MCs and how that plays out. Don't despair with all my suggestions. Use what works for you and your novel.
Thank you Rachel for trusting me with your work!
The rafflecopter picks have already been chosen, but I may or may not have a little surprise coming on tomorrow. So keep coming back to these critiques and connect with me on twitter for the announcement.
All #PCFest posts for PB writers will be in the comments on Monday's post. You are welcome to comment however you like, though if you are specifically searching for a CP, you should make sure to include your critiquing style, maybe some favorite authors of yours, what sort of critique you are looking for, etc. You don't have to be entering Ficfest to post in the #CPFest.
Come on back tomorrow for our next #CPFest critique!
Monday, April 11, 2016
Release day Interview with Shari Schwarz for TREASURE AT LURE LAKE
It's with a mega grin and confetti that I announce that my dear fried Shari L. Schwarz is releasing her debut middle grade labor of love, TREASURE AT LURE LAKE. This story has been through a ton of revisions and late night talk-it-out sessions, plus all the other craziness that debuts normally do. Shari is an incredible mom and critique partner, but even more so, a friend. She offered to do an interview, and I thought what better way to let all of my readers really get to know her? So once you've swooned over the cover, fallen in love with the plot teaser, and read a bit about Shari, we get to really get to know her below. Without further adieu....
It's it shiny and beautiful???
Twelve-year-old Bryce’s
best-laid plans for a backpacking trip with his grandpa seem about to fall
through all because his big brother, Jack, is threatening to boycott the trip.
But when Bryce stumbles upon a secret treasure map in his grandpa's barn loft,
he doesn't mean to steal it or unearth a painful family secret that will
explain the root of the brothers’ conflict. Bryce is determined to find the
treasure even if it means lying to his grandpa.
As Bryce, Jack, and Grandpa hike to a remote cabin
in the Rocky Mountains, sibling rivalry clouds the brothers' judgment, and all
Bryce's plans for an epic adventure go downriver. The boys must work together
to survive the dangers of the wilderness, and each other, or the treasure and
their family's secret may never see the light of day.
Shari Schwarz lives
in Colorado with her husband and their four boys. TREASURE AT LURE LAKE is her
debut middle grade adventure which reflects her love for a good adventure story
and spending time hiking and camping in the Northern Colorado Rockies.
EM: How many versions of TREASURE's manuscript did you go through?
SS: It went through five major versions of the story which included POV changes, plot changes, and even character changes. I always had the grandfather in the story, but in the first version, he was a very minor, background character. In the final version, he's the one who goes on the backpacking trip with the boys.
EM: What was the hardest part of writing TREASURE?
SS: The hardest part was learning what advice to use on my writing. I had well over 30 critique partners or beta readers look at parts of or the whole manuscript. At first, I tried to take almost every piece of advice. It was like trying to constantly do a patch job on my manuscript. I learned the hard way that, although I became good at receiving critiques, the process wasn't meant for pleasing every single person. I had to learn to pick and choose the advice that I knew would work with the story I was trying to tell.
EM: How about the easiest part of writing it?
Ha! The easiest was planning and writing the first draft! It only took two months and pretty much just came out as a whole story. If I had been told then that it would be the easiest part, I would have laughed! I wrote a book! At the time it didn't seem so easy.
EM: What personal experiences, if any, influenced this story?
SS: I actually made a list of these recently and there are at least twenty different people in my life that I owe a nod of thanks to (or much more than that) for the experiences that in some way shaped TREASURE AT LURE LAKE. One experience was camping with my husband in the mountains one June and enduring a surprise ice storm that night. Another experience that went into the book was my love for rock-climbing or bouldering along rivers when I was younger and the terror I have felt when one time I was sure I was going to fall off the rock face to my death.
EM: Yeah, that all seems like too much real-life adventure for me. Did you do any special research to write TREASURE?
SS: Yes! I researched a lot of near-death or out-of-body experiences...people who have died and then come back to life with stories of life on the other side, so to speak. I also researched a lot of survival techniques like starting fires, setting traps, skinning and cooking a marmot...you know, normal stuff like that. I also had to research the habits of bears, elk and mountain lions, although the mountain lion scene didn't make it into the book.
EM: I bet you were getting camping gear ads on your computer side bars. lol. Do you feel like the multi-age POV will mean that your readers can be of both age groups? Why or why not?
SS: This is a great question. I really struggled with the ages of the boys. Originally I had them as 16 and 14 years old because they were going on the hike alone. But I really wanted to write a book geared towards middle schoolers, not high schoolers, so I toyed with lowering their age and sending their grandpa along with them. Right now, two of my own boys are reading it and love it and they are ages 11 and 14, the exact age range that I was shooting for, so I feel like I got that right.
EM: At least you had a firm grip on what you wanted your readership to be in terms of age. That can be hard sometimes. In what ways do you think this story will most resonate with middle grade boys?
SS: From the feedback I've gotten from the few middle school boys who have read it/are reading it, they say that it's exciting and suspenseful. My 14yo son said that it's one of the best survival books he's ever read. I also hope that there might be something that boys with siblings can take away from the complicated relationship between Jack and Bryce, the brothers in the story. Despite the deep issues they have to work through, they are able to come out knowing that their bond as brothers is stronger than just about anything...even death.
EM: What else are you working on now that TREASURE is out in the world?
SS: I'm working on several picture books and a chapter book. I also have a YA historical fiction set in WWI that is written but needs a lot of revising time. I can't wait to get back to that soon!
EM: I can't wait to help you look over the WWI book. Some people claim this book is religious, but you are surprised by this reaction and how do you respond to it?
SS: I asked my husband what he thought about this the other day when he finished reading TREASURE AT LURE LAKE. He said he was surprised at how non-religious it was. It was not my intention to write a religious book...there certainly is no overt religion in it. There is, however, the near-death-experience which points to an afterlife. There is also a point at which one of the brothers becomes so desperate that he tries praying. More than anything, my intention was to address themes of purpose, worth and hope. Themes that children in their early teens really start to question and wonder about. I hope that these are the takeaways, not any one religion.
EM: Love this answer. When I read through the draft, I was surprised how un-religious those parts felt. They felt very real to me, not preachy at all. So I agree with your husband. So tell us. Are you a fly-by-the-tap-of-your-fingers pantser or twelve-piles-of-paperwork plotter?
SS: I am a plotter, for sure. I love the process and all of the different kinds of outlines and worksheets that can help you along the way. I'm kind of a geek that way! One of my favorite ways to plot is to use the Plot Whisperers Workbook by Martha Alderson. However, I didn't know about that when I wrote TREASURE AT LURE LAKE as I was quite the newbie to writing at the time.
EM: Do you prefer the writing or editing stage more?
SS: This is a hard one! I love editing, and I'm constantly learning more about it. But the writing process probably edges out for first place for me. I love writing and always have. I love the freedom of writing a first draft. I don't edit much as I go. Even though I have things plotted out in advance, I still allow room for twists and turns that I didn't see coming. This is so exciting to me...just like reading a book with plot twists or a movie where you're on the edge of the seat as the scenes unfold. As the words come out, sometimes I am shocked or moved. It's an amazing process! Writing is how I express myself.
EM: What is your favorite drink if any while writing and editing?
SS: An almond milk latte or spicy chai...every time...all the time! :) I love writing at coffee shops while my son is in preschool or my big boys are at youth group.
EM: Do you have any other writing rituals? (music, quiet, place, space, etc...)
SS: It makes me sad, but I cannot write with music on. I just can't concentrate unless it's background music. But I can write in the middle of anything. I write in the kitchen, in the carpool line, at coffee shops. However, I can't edit that way. When I'm editing, I need a pretty quite and concentrated amount of time. That's the hard work of writing a book!
EM: I can think of a few places we've hung out that you probably wrote chapters at. Now the question some people are dying to know. Which house of Hogwarts?
SS: Seriously? Are you going to ask me this question? (Shhh...don't tell anyone. I have started Harry Potter three times and have't gotten past the second chapter. Ugh! I promise I will someday!)
EM: Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. haha. If I had to guess I'd say you were Hufflepuff. Bet that will make you get reading. :) What's your favorite outdoor activity?
SS: I love hiking! We live close to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, and I can walk from my front door and be hiking in them in about seven minutes. I also love mountain biking and rock climbing but my old body is not letting me do those activities these days. I'm working on getting back in shape to take my boys mountain biking this summer.
EM: Now for the most important question (or at least I think). What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
SS: Anything with chocolate and peanut butter or caramel. Oh, and Ben and Jerry's, 'Everything But The.'
EM: Girl after my own heart. Lastly, if you could go anywhere in the world for free, where would it be?
SS: One place?! Hmm...In my mind, I keep coming back to Italy, somewhere along the coast. I'd love to go on a photography tour where you get to experience the culture and learn photography. Is there something like that? Now you've got me thinking!
EM: I'm cool like that. I'd go to Italy with you. We can hunker down in coffee shops and write for an hour each morning and then spend the rest of the day exploring. We gotta make that happen!
Thank you so much for stopping by Shari and congrats on the release of TREASURE AT LURE LAKE!
Monday, April 20, 2015
Ghostwriting Series #3: My Learning Curve
Hello and Good Monday everyone!
A quick, shameless plug before we dive into the meat of this post: my first ever blog interview after hooking my agent just went live over on Brenda Drake's blog, so please go check it out! It's me and my super secret Pitchwars mentor, now revealed, chatting about the experience.
Today is the final post of the ghostwriting series I've had going as my family moved cross country. If you haven't had a chance to see post 1 and post 2 with Marcia Layton Turner, be sure to check them out! She has great tips and experience to help you break into and succeed at this unique faucet of freelance work. I'm not nearly as accomplished in ghostwriting as Ms. Turner, but I thought I'd share a little bit about what I have learned as I meandered this part of my short freelancing career.
Unlike the sort of projects Marcia accomplished in 30 days, I started on much smaller projects. I wrote a fun bath book to accompany a bath toy, and got raving reviews from the client. (This was a small step that later lead me to writing picture books, but that's a topic for another post.) In addition to this project, I also took on half a dozen 25-page recipe eBooks. Most of the focus on these books was formatting, but it still required some research and creative writing before each recipe.I also did sporadic articles and short eBooks in between these, all with a clause in contract that these were ghostwriting and I would never have a public claim on them.
The first significant ghostwriting project came from a current client that had already tested me out on several of these smaller ghostwriting projects. She approached me after having hired and fired another ghostwriter, who from what I could understand, didn't have the same voice or conviction on the topic that she could tell I did. The client had a better grasp of what she wanted and felt confident in me (even though I didn't). But at that precise moment in my life, finances were tight and the big number offered was too tempting. I reasoned that the research was done, that I simply needed to rewrite it in her style and format all 40,000 words. That could be done in a month, no problem.
However, my lack of experience didn't prepare me for the depth that ghostwriting goes compared to other freelance writing I'd been doing. There were hours of additional research I needed to do, and it was harder for me to focus on the topic and write then cranking out some content articles. Thankfully, the client was gracious with deadlines and willing to pay for my additional time.
Through this experience, I learned a few key things that I want to share with you. These may reiterate some of Marcia's suggestions, but that just means their even more relevant.
1. It's really important to understand the project before you take the job. It's expected that you ask lots of questions and understand the client's audience, intentions, and needs. Break down the time period you'll need to complete the project and make sure you're getting paid accordingly. If you are taking the project on alone, give yourself some leeway hours just in case.
2. Once the project starts, communicate regularly with the client. If you've preproposed deadlines or check-in days, be sure to stick to them. In my case, the communication kept her in the loop and led to more pay when I made her aware of every step and why it took so much longer then originally planned.
3. Loving or knowing the topic well ahead of time makes the project go smoother. Most freelancers have one or more niches that they write within, and often those topics are what they are passionate about. Those are the ghostwriting topics you should consider, especially when you will be working on it for a month or for thousands of words. In my case, this big project called to my passion for natural health care and treatments.
In the end, this ghostwriting endeavor taught me a lot about deadlines and my time's worth. I also discovered that if I'm going to write that many words for one manuscript, I'd rather it be mine and fictional. But it was a wonderful learning experience, and I still chalk it up to extra writing practice.
Have you done any ghostwriting work? What was your experience like? Please tell me in the comments below!
A quick, shameless plug before we dive into the meat of this post: my first ever blog interview after hooking my agent just went live over on Brenda Drake's blog, so please go check it out! It's me and my super secret Pitchwars mentor, now revealed, chatting about the experience.
Today is the final post of the ghostwriting series I've had going as my family moved cross country. If you haven't had a chance to see post 1 and post 2 with Marcia Layton Turner, be sure to check them out! She has great tips and experience to help you break into and succeed at this unique faucet of freelance work. I'm not nearly as accomplished in ghostwriting as Ms. Turner, but I thought I'd share a little bit about what I have learned as I meandered this part of my short freelancing career.
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| Source: www.laustel.com |
Unlike the sort of projects Marcia accomplished in 30 days, I started on much smaller projects. I wrote a fun bath book to accompany a bath toy, and got raving reviews from the client. (This was a small step that later lead me to writing picture books, but that's a topic for another post.) In addition to this project, I also took on half a dozen 25-page recipe eBooks. Most of the focus on these books was formatting, but it still required some research and creative writing before each recipe.I also did sporadic articles and short eBooks in between these, all with a clause in contract that these were ghostwriting and I would never have a public claim on them.
The first significant ghostwriting project came from a current client that had already tested me out on several of these smaller ghostwriting projects. She approached me after having hired and fired another ghostwriter, who from what I could understand, didn't have the same voice or conviction on the topic that she could tell I did. The client had a better grasp of what she wanted and felt confident in me (even though I didn't). But at that precise moment in my life, finances were tight and the big number offered was too tempting. I reasoned that the research was done, that I simply needed to rewrite it in her style and format all 40,000 words. That could be done in a month, no problem.
However, my lack of experience didn't prepare me for the depth that ghostwriting goes compared to other freelance writing I'd been doing. There were hours of additional research I needed to do, and it was harder for me to focus on the topic and write then cranking out some content articles. Thankfully, the client was gracious with deadlines and willing to pay for my additional time.
Through this experience, I learned a few key things that I want to share with you. These may reiterate some of Marcia's suggestions, but that just means their even more relevant.
1. It's really important to understand the project before you take the job. It's expected that you ask lots of questions and understand the client's audience, intentions, and needs. Break down the time period you'll need to complete the project and make sure you're getting paid accordingly. If you are taking the project on alone, give yourself some leeway hours just in case.
2. Once the project starts, communicate regularly with the client. If you've preproposed deadlines or check-in days, be sure to stick to them. In my case, the communication kept her in the loop and led to more pay when I made her aware of every step and why it took so much longer then originally planned.
3. Loving or knowing the topic well ahead of time makes the project go smoother. Most freelancers have one or more niches that they write within, and often those topics are what they are passionate about. Those are the ghostwriting topics you should consider, especially when you will be working on it for a month or for thousands of words. In my case, this big project called to my passion for natural health care and treatments.
In the end, this ghostwriting endeavor taught me a lot about deadlines and my time's worth. I also discovered that if I'm going to write that many words for one manuscript, I'd rather it be mine and fictional. But it was a wonderful learning experience, and I still chalk it up to extra writing practice.
Have you done any ghostwriting work? What was your experience like? Please tell me in the comments below!
Monday, April 6, 2015
Welcome Becky Villareal!
Happy Monday Everyone!
I'm thrilled to be interviewing Becky Villareal today as a stop on her blog tour for her novel Gianna the Great, recently published by Anaiah Press.
1. Can you tell us a little bit about your writing career? Is
this your first published novel?
I have been writing since I was six years old and could make
little books out of scraps of paper.
Since then, I have published articles in the Dallas Morning News, have
been a finalist in the Texas Writer’s Journal quarterly, and have a website
entitled “Becky’s Getaway” at https://vramon249.wordpress.com/
where I publish short stories. Gianna the Great is my first published novel.
2. What inspired Gianna the Great?
Gianna was inspired by two people, my mother, and a young
girl from my journal club named Gianna.
She was interested in everyone and everything and very bright and
articulate. My mother did not have any
knowledge of her family history and I began my genealogical research because of
her. I was also inspired by the character Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird by
Harper Lee.
3. In the blurb released by Anaiah Press, Gianna is looking for
her family history. Why is this so important to her?
Gianna has no knowledge of her family. She knows she doesn’t look a lot like her
mother and wonders who she does look like.
She wants to find out not only about her family, but the beginnings of
her family as well. As it turns out, the
more she finds out, the more she wants to know.
4. What are Gianna's talents? Flaws? How do they help and
hinder her in the novel?
Gianna is bright and curious especially about people and the
reason they do things. This is the
biggest reason she is so interested in her family. Her determination and doggedness, though a
bit aggravating to her mother at times, will help her persevere when she comes
to dead ends. She also wants to know why
her ancestors made the decisions they did.
How did these decisions help them to survive and go on? This will be revealed more and more as the
stories go on and she is able to help others in their journeys as well.
5. What kind of research did you have to do?
In order to complete this work, I had to explore all the
avenues of genealogical research including the National Archives, the Baptismal
Records of Mexico, and pictorial records from Fold 3 as well as
Ancestry.com. I also had to do research
within the library system itself and within the records of the Family Search
organization in order to find out not only about my own family but to
experience what Gianna will have to face as she continues this journey.
6. How much time did you spend on the opening line or
paragraph? Has it changed in the publishing process?
This opening line has changed again and again especially
when the book format itself changed to become that of an early reader instead
of a young-adult book.
Why did you decide to work with Anaiah Press to get Gianna
out into the world?
Jessica Schmeidler, the editor I worked with in the beginning,
showed a genuine interest in not only my work but my characters as well. “I want to see more of them,” she stated and
won me over completely.
7. Where's your favorite place to write?
In a big blue leather chair and ottoman by the window in the
den of my home.
8. When do you do your best brainstorming?
I can be in the middle of house cleaning, making dinner, or
driving home from work and ideas pop into my head. I have to keep a notebook close by otherwise
I’ll lose those nuggets of inspiration the Lord sends from time to time.
9. What advice would you give to unpublished authors?
To believe in yourself and never give up. To believe in your writing and follow your personal
passion. I would also like to recommend
for them to look inward, what is special about you and your story? What can you bring to the table that is fresh
and alive that no one else can share?
Also, collect positive quotes about writing and join others who are struggling
and don’t be afraid to help other beginning writers.
That advice speaks so much to me! Thank you so much for being here today Becky! Congrats on Gianna's release!
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