Gulp! – Author Interview – Gabriella Goddard

As a highly successful international marketing director Gabriella Goddard enjoyed an 18 year career spanning the globe including working in Mexico, Brazil, Japan, UK, France and New Zealand for companies like A.C. Nielsen and MCI/Worldcom. She thought her life was on track until one day a big change was forced upon her. The dot.com bubble burst and the start-up broadband company she worked for went bankrupt.

Overnight she was left without a job, an income and all the symbols of success that go with being a high flyer, including the expense account, swanky leather chair and big corner office.

This twist of fate was shortly followed by the devastating experience of a breast cancer scare. It forced Gabriella to take stock of her priorities and re-evaluate what was truly important in her life.

And that’s when she realized that the ladder she’d been so enthusiastically climbing had been leaning against the wrong wall!

She realized that true success comes from within. It comes from unlocking the innate talents and gifts we all have and allowing them to simply shine through. It comes from choosing to live our greatest life, one full of potential and possibility, rather than mediocrity. And it comes from knowing that we can make a difference, in our special own way.

So in 2001 Gabriella started Goddard International Ltd, a leadership development company dedicated to helping people to “leapfrog” to a completely new level of self awareness, professional growth and personal success by making fundament shifts in how they think, what they feel and what they do.

All it takes is a strong dose of inner clarity, vision, commitment and self belief. And Gabriella’s books, movie clips, coaching services and speaking topics are all aimed at catalyzing this shift.

Originally from New Zealand, Gabriella now lives a free spirited lifestyle with bases in London, New York and Spain.

Hi Gabriella

Welcome to Paperback Writer.

PBW: Would you share with us how you came up with the idea for your book? Was it a light bulb moment or something that you thought about for a very long time?

GG: My writer’s journey has been an interesting one. The catalyst came during Breast Cancer Awareness week and I was watching a well-known actress being interviewed on TV about how she survived breast cancer. I remember admiring her honesty and courage and thinking how awful it must have been for her. Then the strangest thing happened. She turned her head and looked straight into the camera and said, “You never think it can happen to you–that’s why you need to check.” It was weird. It felt like she was looking straight at me.

For some reason I was compelled to heed her warning and went upstairs to check. Of course the last thing I expected to find was a lump. But I did. Not just one, but two. I immediately booked an appointment to see my doctor who confirmed my findings and sent me off for further tests at my local hospital.

And so began the longest wait of my life. Now we all know we are going to die one day, but when the possibility is literally staring you in the face, it really puts life into perspective. It was a massive wake up call, and I heard it loud and clear.

It forced me to take a good hard look at my own life. Was I living my true life? Was I being who I was born to be? Was I really doing the things that made my heart sing and my soul dance? And that’s when I reconnected to my childhood dream of being a writer.

I asked, “If not now . . . then when?”

And that’s when I started to write.

PBW: How did you come up with the title?

GG: As you know, the title can make or break a book, and I really struggled with mine. My agent had given me some good feedback but I just couldn’t seem to come up with a strong title. Then one Friday I went down to the pub and vowed that I wouldn’t leave until I’d come up with title. Funnily enough, I randomly opened the manuscript to a page where I’d written the word “gulp!” three times. A light bulb went off. “Gulp” was the perfect title for a book that was about facing your fears, stepping outside your comfort zone and making profound changes in your life.

PBW: How did you find an agent and publisher?

GG: Like many things in life, often it’s not what you know, but who you know that really counts. I was coaching a TV presenter at the time and she’d just had her first book published. She kindly introduced me to her literary agent who signed me straight away. My agent then pitched to the publisher and we had a signed contract within two months.

PBW: Who reads you work in progress?

GG: To be honest, I’m much better at editing than I am at writing. Once I’ve written a huge chunk of copy, I usually head off to Starbucks with a red pen and put my “editor’s hat” on, shaping it and tightening it up. I really love this part of the creative process. It’s like being an archeologist dusting off the top soil to reveal the ancient gems below.

PBW: Who made a difference in the book’s quality?

GG: What really made the difference to “Gulp!” were the real life stories from people who had faced their fears and made major breakthroughs in their life. They were really personal and moving. When you read them you can’t help but feel inspired. Plus I was fortunate enough to interview some amazing specialist experts who willingly shared their thoughts and insights with me. These have added real substance, and compliment my more pragmatic and coaching approach.

PBW: How long did it take you to complete the first draft?

GG: I only had about five months to write “Gulp!” from the date I signed the contract. For the first two months I suffered from “writer’s procrastination” and did everything BUT write the book. It was only when I realized that I had three months to write 60,000 words, that thee panic set in and I pretty much dedicated the whole three months to writing, editing and finishing my manuscript. Luckily I made the deadline.

PBW: How long did it take from start to publication?

GG: It took about 14 months to go from pitch to publication. The longest part is waiting to get a contract. But once you have that, time seems to fly alarmingly quickly. In saying that though, the publishing process definitely requires patience – and lots of it.

PBW: Do you have any advice for new authors?

GG: Oh I have plenty of advice for new authors! My first piece of advice is to never give up. I know it sounds clichéd, but you never know when your luck will turn. You just need to keep chipping away at it, doing a bit each day and honing your art.

My second piece of advice comes from Day 6 of “Gulp!” which is to “focus and flow.” Writing a book is about 20% inspiration and 80% discipline. The only way to write a book is to sit down and write it. So be very focused about what you’re doing. Set deadlines and proposal submission targets. Develop the writing disciplines of a published author. And then flow with it and watch what happens.

And my third piece of advice is to stay inspired. Writing is a creative process and your best ideas will “come out of the blue.” So do things that spark your imagination, like watching a movie, or going for a walk in the countryside or taking a painting class. Just one spark could change your manuscript forever.

If you need a little inspirational lift right now, here’s the official book trailer for “Gulp!” (so just turn the speakers on, sit back and enjoy!)

Thank you, Gabriella for stopping by Paperback Writer on your virtual book tour. I wish you continued success through the rest of you tour.

Thanks for inviting me to visit your blog and good luck!

GULP! VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘08 will officially begin on April 1, 2008 and continue all month. If you would like to follow Gabriella’s tour, visit http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in April. Leave a comment on her blog stops and become eligible to win a free copy at the end of her tour! One lucky winner will be announced on this blog on April 30!

Kiss Me I’m Single: An Ode to the Solo Life

Paperback Writer spotlights Amanda Ford, author of Kiss me I’m Single. 

Kiss Me, I’m Single: An Ode to the Solo Life is the book that grew from that stormy, excited-yet-fearful energy that enveloped Amanda in the years following her divorce. Part coming of age memoir, part clever social commentary, part spiritual meditation, Kiss Me, I’m Single encourages readers to view being single as a valuable, exciting, beautiful and fortunate life, rather than a holding pattern before a relationship. Kiss Me, I’m Single helps readers make sense of the constant, contradictory internal pulls that accompany human existence, and offers a voice of encouragement and support for those longing to build a life that defies catgeory.

Amanda lives in Seattle and when she isn’t writing, you can catch her Lindy Hoping, bicycle riding, tea sipping, joke telling and status quo questioning.  You can read an excerpt here

Her website is www.oholive.com

Choices, My Secrets – author interview

Paperback Writer is pleased to introduce our author interview with Thomas Wade Bounds, author of Choices, My Secrets.

Choices, My Secrets Synopsis:

Choices, My Secrets, tells the compelling story of Rachel, a teenager faced with confusing choices leading up to and during a summer romance that left her pregnant. Searching for hope things spin out of control. Does a chance encounter help her think clearly? Learn whether she finds more issues while leaving out the possibilities to talk with friends, family and God. Does she find her true self and gains the faith hope and courage to consider the best choices to guide her through her incredible journey.

Learn Rachel’s experience without having to live it yourself. A great book for teens, parents and churches, brings back the art of conversation, an easy way to talk about teen choices together and helps set expectations and family values and godly goals.

Read an excerpt!
My life changed so much in the moments that followed. The doctor and nurses have everything ready now. I am all alone and scared, not knowing what I will do or feel when this ordeal is through. It became very dark in the room; then suddenly, a bright light came over my body like I had never seen before. It was such a great feeling – so warm, yet so inviting. I wanted to jump up and ask for more and soon the pain and fear was no more. It was so powerful and beautiful at the same time. Angels seemed to come out from everywhere.

Hi Tom,

Welcome to Paperback Writer

Thank you for having me, I am happy to be here with you and your readers.

PBW: Will you share with us how you came up with the idea for this book?

TWB: Well sure, my oldest was approaching his first year in high school and I wanted to share with him some things he might come across. Relationships, parties and so on, so he could somehow know what to do or how to handle it with out being intimidated or reluctant to speak about it with us. This came to me one night while I was thinking of a way to speak to him about making those choices that he or his friends may face as teens and how I could get a message across without coming over too strong or even boring him to no response. This story it worked.

PBW: Do you plan your stories first with an outline or does it come to you as write it?

TWB: This story all came to me at once. I wrote my first draft in about four hours. Then it took a while to get it ready for publishing.

PBW: Do you know the end of the story at the beginning?

TWB: Yes, I knew the ending before I knew beginning. The difficult part was coming up with the twist. Once I had that, the ingredients just fell into place.

PBW: Do you have a process for developing your characters?

TWB: Kind of, I write all that I can down as quickly as I can, then I go back and develop each character as I want them. Then I add in details as I need them. This takes time to grow and develop.

PBW: It is said that authors write themselves into their characters. Is there any part of you in your characters and what they would be?

TWB: Yes, I believe I did do. I am a little bit like Rachel and how she is in certain parts of the story, mostly when it comes to raising a child. Billy’s childhood is a lot of mine. I worked fast and played hard and learned as much as I could from my elders. Rachel’s parents are very understanding and helpful. I learned that from my parents. Katherine and Gary are on their own.

PBW: What is your most favorite part about this book?

TWB: There are many throughout the book. I like how each character makes choices and the way the story works shows how each one lives with or comes to terms with their struggles and the consequences of their choices. The life experience without having to live the journey out yourself and the understanding of that wisdom. Life, no matter how it came about, has a purpose from above.

In Chapter 23 when Rachel and Katherine speak again, she explains her choices and understands them. Katherine says, “I guess lots of choices that we make during the course of life have no process. We just make them and most do not affect us or someone’s life. It’s the choices that we make so carelessly and selfishly that do have major impact on life that we must really start to consider with more thought of the outcome.”

PBW: When in the process of writing your book did you begin to look for a publisher?

TWB: After I was done with my first complete draft I sent it to my sister and she wrote back saying you did it, publish that sucker! I went with Xulon Press.

PBW: What struggles have you had on the road to being published?

TWB: Just to figure out what one had the best services that worked for me.

PBW: What has been the best part about being published?

TWB: A big smile and knowing that what I did came from God.

PBW: What do you want readers to remember and carry with them after reading your novel?

TWB: I hope that they will take all the experiences that accrued and make them their own wisdom so they will not have to live out this particular path in their life. And that they realize the importance of choices; how they can impact your life and your families. Take it from Rachel, talk it out with your parents first. It is easier to do that then to try and fix it afterwards. Your choices as a teen can be life changing. Think them through clearly. You’re only young once.

PBW: Do you have plans to write another book?

TWB: Oh yes, I have already written several. “Choices” is a series for teens and parents. My next book has been completed as a draft and in now ready for the next step. I have also written a series for younger kids.

PBW: Would you care to share with us how the virtual book tour experience with Pump Up Your Book Promotion has been for you?

TWB: It has been a fantastic experience and I look forward to doing it again with the rest of the books that come from this series.

PBW: Where can readers find a copy of your book?

TWB: They can check it out at www.heritagevalues.com , or www.Amazon.com, xulonpress.com and at Authorsden.com Please do not hesitate to send me an e-mail to let me know what you think.

PBW: Do you have a website for readers to go to?

TWB: Yes I do; it is www.heritagevalues.com

Thank you, Tom for sharing your book and characters with us today. It has been a pleasure and I hope you have had a successful virtual book tour.

It has been fun and rewarding. I would like to thank you and your readers for your time. I hope that parents will gain the experience of this story and pass it along. Teens can achieve anything when they have the understanding and knowledge at hand.

CHOICES, MY SECRETS VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘08 will officially begin on March 1, 2008 and continue all month. If you would like to follow Thomas’ tour, visit http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in March. Leave a comment on his blog stops and become eligible to win a free copy at the end of his tour! One lucky winner will be announced on this blog on March 31!

Money and Manifesting – Author Interview – Dyan Garris

Paperback Writer is pleased to announce our author for today, Dyan Garris. Dyan interviewed with us last November during her virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion. In that interview she gave us what it was like to live a Day In The Life of Dyan Garris. as she promoted her book Voice of the Angels Cookbook – Talk To Your Food! Intuitive Cooking is an adventure in opening one’s creative centers and communicating with your food so it can transform from raw ingredients into what truly nourishes you on every level.

For many years Dyan Garris has been counseling clients in order to help them move forward in their lives. She is clairvoyant, clairaudient, and clairsentient. In addition, Dyan is also what is known as a voice recognition psychic and trance channel. This means that she can help her clients via telephone, which is how she conducted her readings throughout her career.

She has returned with her latest book, Money and Manifesting: The Real Secret.

Money and Manifesting Summary:

You think positive thoughts. You apply the laws of attraction. You visualize. You even clear pathways to abundance. And you manifest nothing. Now you want to find out exactly what to do about it. You want wealth. You want prosperity. You want transformation. You want the truth. Here you will discover the real secrets to money and manifesting. What you learn will change your life forever. See the trailer here: http://virtualbooktoursforauthors.blogspot.com/2008/02/money-and-manifesting-virtual-book-tour.html

 

Hi Dyan Garris. 

Welcome to Paperback Writer.

Thank you for having me here, Rebecca. It’s a pleasure to be here and I’m excited to connect with your readers. 

PBW: Would you share with us how you came up with the idea for your book? 

DG: I’ve had this book in my head since I heard about The Secret. I said to myself, “This is not a secret.” So, I waited to see what was going to happen with that, because I already knew that the laws of attraction and the power of positive thinking are not enough to manifest. And it is not just enough to take those and do something with them either. There is more to the story. I knew eventually that people would want and need to know more. Now this awareness is starting to sink into mass consciousness and people are beginning to get disgruntled with The Secret and its slick repackaging of basic principles of truth that weren’t new and weren’t secrets to begin with. They want to know what exactly to do about it. They want what’s missing. And that’s what I’ve written: the real secret. 

PBW: Was it a light bulb moment or something that you thought about for a very long time?

 DG: The book was a natural consequence and a logical next step in the body of work and tools that I am building for people to use for self-empowerment. When they get done reading the book, all of those tools are already in the toolbox waiting to be utilized.  

PBW: How did you come up with the title?  

DG: I also had the title in my head for a long time. My book is about money and how to free up the energy flow of money, but it is also about manifesting and exactly what steps to take to manifest whatever you desire. So, it’s not just about manifesting money. Hence, Money and Manifesting.   

PBW: How did you find an agent and publisher?

DG: I work with WL Writers Agency as agents for my spiritual cards. Since I had such a large body of work to get out in a short amount of time, I decided that self-publishing was the way to go for now. It works. As a musician and an author, I understand very well what the public expects in terms of quality in our books and music. So as a self-published author you have to hold yourself to the highest standards. Whatever you’re putting out there needs to be the best you can do and top quality. 

PBW: Who reads you work in progress?

DG: No one reads my work in progress because I like to have the complete draft before I let anyone read it. It’s an energy flow thing. The energy flows better when one reads something all the way through for the first time. Then questions and suggestions can come up totally naturally. However I do have my work edited very thoroughly. It is gone over repeatedly by many people. The more sets of eyes, the better.

 PBW: Who made a difference in the books quality?

DG: I am in charge of book quality. For Money and Manifesting I wanted a different feel than a typical book. I wanted it to feel rich in a person’s hands. I have a few color pages in the book so I was able to use a higher quality paper throughout. It makes a difference. Part of learning how to manifest is the process of integration. Consequently, the look and feel of this book as well as the information in the book is part of the beginning of that process. I wanted everything to work together as a step toward manifesting, so quality was important. 

PBW: How long did it take you to complete the first draft?

DG: This book did not take long because I’ve had it in my head for over a year. So it was just a matter of getting it down on paper. As a psychic and clairvoyant counselor, I focus for a living. When you’re focused like that, time doesn’t even exist. 

PBW: How long did it take from start to publication?  

DG: I’ve published several books. It doesn’t take long when you use the right printer, graphic artist, and editors. It’s like anything. The more driven and motivated you are to get something done, you just get it done. 

PBW: Do you have any advice for new authors?

DG: Yes, work on releasing everything and anything that is in the way of writing and producing what is in your spirit. The world is waiting to hear from you!  

Thank you, Dyan for stopping by Paperback Writer on your virtual book tour. I wish you continued success through the rest of you tour.       

Dyan Garris virtual book tour is presented by PUMP UP YOUR BOOK PROMOTION VIRTUAL BOOK TOURS “We take books to the virtual level!” www.pumpupyourbookpromotion.com  

MONEY AND MANIFESTING VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘08 will officially begin on March 1, 2008 and continue all month. If you would like to follow Dyan’s tour, visit http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in March. Leave a comment on her blog stops and become eligible to win a free copy at the end of her tour! One lucky winner will be announced on this blog on March 31!

Across Time – Author Interview – Linda Kay Silva

Paperback Writer is pleased to announce today’s author interview with Linda Kay Silva, author of Across Time as she continues on her virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion.

Hi Linda Kay Silva,
   
Welcome to Paperback Writer
   
   
PBW: Will you share with us how you came up with the idea for this book?

LS: I used to write a cop series, but now I am in the newly defined category of urban fantasy. I’m not quite sure what that means, but it?s allied somewhere with the fantasy genre. I write them because I have to, because I have fallen in love with the idea of soul mates, of time travel. I have always been fascinated by past lives. Past lives fascinate me. Love at first sight, five year olds who can play Beethoven, people who come out of comas fluent in a foreign language, past lives at work. What other explanation is there when we meet someone for the first time, yet they feel so familiar, so comfortable to us? Where do our phobias come from? How is it we know some of the things we know, yet have never learned? Those questions drove me to the first of the series, which is Across Time.
 
    
PBW: Do you plan your stories first with an outline or does it come to you as write it?

LS: Good question…whenever you’re writing a series, you HAVE to plan. You HAVE to drop seeds in book one and two that will blossom in books 3-whenever. That’s part of the process I LOVE. It’s so much fun when you get back to that seed and you know your readers are going to say, “I remember that wolf in book two! Now I get it!” I have to do a scene by scene outline and I have to keep notes of character issues such as description, speech patterns, mannerisms, etc. Continuity is really important to me. I’m one of those people who, while watching scenes from Braveheart, look to see if any of the extras are wearing watches. Nerd.
   
PBW:Do you know the end of the story at the beginning?

LS: Sometimes,I just finished the fifth in the series, and the story got away from me. The characters took it in a direction I hadn’t planned…so the ending needed a rewrite. I know this will sound weird, but whenever I need an ending, I go get a massage. For whatever reason, as I lay there, the story unfolds like magic, and I came home and finished it.
   
PBW: Do you have a process for developing your characters?

LS: I don’t. Characters are an amalgam of me, of people I know, of my imagination. I have had several novels where I thought a character was just going to be a minor character, but she refused. Connie, who is Delta Steven’s sidekick in my first series, was one such character.  Ceara, in Across Time is the other. I love it when that happens. I am usually such a control freak, it’s nice when I don’t have ANY!
   
PBW: It is said that authors write themselves into their characters. Is there any part of you in your characters and what they would be?

LS: In this book, I relate more to Cate, the Priestess who was brave enough to send her soul in search of Jessie. Cate does this to not only save the Druids, but to save her soul mate. That is definitely something I would do. I had a therapist tell me once that I suffered from a hero complex, and since I wrote about a badass cop, a powerful druid, and my latest, as-of-yet unpublished series, an empath, I think she might be on to something! It must be from all of the comic books I read as a kid. Or maybe, I?m just immature. Yeah…that’s probably it. But, seriously, I used to be a cop and I have a warrior tattoo on my back, so there’s probably something to that.
   
PBW: What is your most favorite part about this book?

LS: I love history and wished I would have majored in that instead of English. Most history teachers are insufferable bores because they fail to focus on what we all want to talk about and that’s THE PEOPLE! So, my favorite part of all the Across Time novels (I just finished the 5th) is when we’re back in Jessie’s old beings I love the craft of druidry, the fight against the Romans. I love the way the rules of life were so different. The second novel takes us to Elizabethan England,
where Jessie is actually a man…a pirate…who bests the greatest Queen who ever lived. It was big fun!
   
PBW: When in the process of writing your book did you begin to look for a publisher?

LS: Not until after I finished. I looked for an agent at first, and have found that to be more difficult than getting published. When Spinsterspicked me up, I was thrilled. They are a great group of authors and publishers who have a vision. I like being part of that vision!
   

PBW:  What struggles have you had on the road to being published?

LS: I published my first 4 books with a publishing company that closed down when Borders and Barnes and Nobles started running out the independent booksellers. Publishing really changed then. So I had two more publishers, and they folded because publishing was more of a “hobby” for them. (Their words, not mine). Then I had a drought, and went looking for an agent. Got one, and he couldn’t answer my emails, so I fired him. The drought continued until Spinsters picked me up. I have a stack of agent rejections that would make your eyes water….but I have never given up.
   
PBW:  What has been the best part about being published?

LS: Meeting so many different people. I love the book shows, the readings, the signings. I have enjoyed meeting other authors.
   
PBW:  What do you want readers to remember and carry with them after reading your novel?

LS: What a great question! I want them to look around themselves and wonder who they might have once been…because when you know where you were, it is easier to see where you’re going. And I want my readers to enjoy that journey.
   
PBW: Do you have plans to write another book?

LS: Across Time is the first is what is already a 5 novel series. Echo, who is the empath series is already 4 manuscripts long. So yeah…I’d day so!
   
PBW: Would you care to share with us how the virtual book tour experience with Pump Up Your Book Promotion has been for you? I have loved every second of it. Dorothy made me a great trailer for the novel, I have had nothing but wonderful experiences with her. I wish everyone else in the world answered emails as quickly as she does! I have recommended this process to ALL of the authors at Bella/Spinster.
   
PBW: Where can readers find a copy of your book?

LS: They can go to Amazon.com or to Spinsters Ink website.
 
PBW: Do you have a website for readers to go to?

LS: I do! www.lindakaysilva.com You can purchase my other books there.    
http://lindakaysilva.livejournal.com
You can see about my writing process.
   
Thank you, Linda Kay for sharing your book and characters with us today. It has been a pleasure and I hope you have had a successful virtual book tour.
 

Outing the Goddess Within-Author Interview-Anita Revel

Paperback Writer is pleased to announce our author interview with Anita Revel, author of Outing the Goddess Within: One Girl’s Journey with 52 Guides.  

Outing the Goddess Within Synopsis:

No matter whether you’re a pouting priestess, boardroom babe, feathery fairy, earth mother or warrior woman, there comes a time when every goddess gal needs to hold up her sword and claim her right to be true to her authentic self.

This is exactly what Anita Revel has been doing over the last 10 years. Tired of being a fizzled out corporate stress-chick, she made a sea change from Sydney to Margaret River in search of a happy beginning. What she found instead was a brown-eyed calf named Missy Moo and 52 archetypal goddesses with life lessons to share.

Anita wrote about her lessons for her column with United Press International. Sometimes poignant, infinitely insightful, but mostly snort-your-milk hilarious, Anita’s journey has led her to successfully ‘out’ her goddess within

 Welcome Anita,

Q    Would you share with us how you came up with the idea for your book? 
 
A    When I first started submitting my columns to United Press International (www.religionandspirituality.com) the vice president, Larry Moffitt, said, “Regarding your column this week – Sex in the country – the one about your frustration trying to fulfill your biological marching orders when you emigrated to Margaret River… It’s compelling, but reading it makes me breathe funny. That’s probably a good sign that you should make your columns into a book.”
 
And so, I set myself a target of 52 columns (one per week, which is harder said than done) that I could incorporate into a collection of stories. I wanted at least 52 personal stories that ran to a theme and eventually came up with the “single girl moves to the country to find love”.
 
The book has ended up being a string of stories about my ups and downs over the last 10 years  – typically humorous, partly sobering, very irreverent but 100 percent guaranteed to get you thinking about your own guides and other forces in life.
 
Q    Was it a light bulb moment or something that you thought about for a very long time?
 
A    The first column was simply a letter home one Christmas break. I was sitting in a hammock in a friend’s garden with the laptop trying to finish a marketing proposal, when something cracked – I realized how bored I was with the same old same old business proposals.
 
So I shut down the work files and began writing for fun. And what came flowing out was really FUN. I sent the letter to all my friends and was overwhelmed at their lengthy replies detailing how my story affected them.
 
So I guess you could say that it was a light bulb moment in that I saw immediately I was onto something – a writing genre that made me sing and connected with the audience in a heartfelt way. Hence, Outing the Goddess Within was born.
 
Q    How did you come up with the title?
 
A    I bounced a lot of ideas around with Larry, including Ancient Goddess, Modern Woman; How To Be A Modern Goddess; Divine Matters; Get Your Inner Goddess Out; World Wild Woman and The Single Girl’s Guide to the Galaxy.
 
We had to be careful that we didn’t limit the column content and potential by giving it a specific genre (in my case ‘goddess’) in the title. On one hand, my intention was to bring an ancient goddess story into a modern context each week in a discussion about how her energy resonated with my “inner goddess” – the sacred and sassy being I was born to be. On the other hand, I’m not actually Wiccan (!) so having ‘goddess’ in the title was a little risky in that it might attract too narrow an audience with false expectations.
 
So in the end we went with the title that reflected the subject matter but I ensured the title and intro’s were cheeky enough that they would attract the attention of a wider audience.
 
Q    How did you find an agent and publisher?  Or did you choose to go a different route and if so, why?
 
A    Even though I have an agent (www.indigoconnections.com) I decided to self-publish this particular project – mainly because the columns are time-sensitive and I didn’t want to wait months (or possibly years) for a publisher to pick it up. Secondly, there are distinct advantages to self-publishing: the margins are better, the author has greater creative input into the end product, and the author remains that one degree closer to her audience by selling direct. 
 
Q    Who reads you work in progress?
 
A    The columns were published every Friday at www.religionandspirituality.com where they were read by around one million visitors per month (or so I’m told).
 
Q    Who made a difference in the book’s quality?
 
A    Larry Moffitt, the Vice President of United Press International (the world’s oldest privately-owned news agency), personally edited every single column for the first year. To have a mentor at this level was very exciting and a great motivator.
 
It was also very healthy for my self-esteem as a writer… Larry boosted my confidence no end with comments like, “Like your other columns, this one also didn’t require much editing at all. Your writing is crisp and slick as snot on a doorknob.”
 
Q    How long did it take you to complete the first draft?
 
A    The first letter home took me around half an hour (although it felt like a nano-second). It took a further hour wrestle the rebellious parts of prose into submission, and yet another hour for me to re-read the letter and convince myself that I hadn’t temporarily been possessed by some very creative aliens.
 
As for the book, I selected my favorite 52 columns that had been published at Religion and Spirituality (http://snipurl.com/anita_upi). At the time, I was up to around 70 columns which took me approximately 30 missed dinners, 80 weeks and a thousand belly-laughs to write.
 
Q    How long did it take from start to publication?
 
A    Ohhhh, around two months I guess. Once I decide to birth a project I’m very Demeter-like in my approach – nothing gets in my way of finishing what I started. Not even rogue time zones can stop me from sourcing international suppliers or service providers to help me achieve my mission.
 
Q    Do you have any advice for new authors?
 
A    If you’ve ever said, “I’d like to write a book one day,” stop musing and just start writing. As I wrote in my InnerGoddess newsletter* (http://www.aweber.com/z/article/?innergoddess&ID=AEwMDBy0DEy0DOwEDOxcTCxcTBx0jIxsTBwctAysAA==) last week:
 
Begin writing your life story… There is no doubt that you would have life lessons to share that perhaps you aren’t consciously aware of. (visit StoryCrafters http://storycrafters.blogspot.com  for 10 Tips for Tapping Into Your Inner Muse). There are several approaches you can take, even if you don’t consider yourself a “writer”…
 
§         Write a short story about yourself in the third person, making yourself the heroine of the amazing adventure that has been your life so far;
§         Write short journal entries before you go to sleep every night, focusing on the “best thing that happened to me today”;
§         Release any residual pain surrounding old injuries by rewriting the story with a new outcome;
§         Start a gratitude journal and record every little thing that makes you go mmmmmm.
 
The words you write down today become an invaluable insight into “YOU” for future generations – what you stood for, the climate in which you lived your life, and the magical way in which you loved living each day
 
* Subscribe to Anita’s weekly broadcast to get your inspirational ‘goddess fix’ delivered free, every week. Visit www.goddess.com.au/Subscribe.htm (case sensitive) to join.

 OUTING THE GODDESS WITHIN VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘08 will officially begin on March 1, 2008 and continue all month. If you would like to follow Anita’s tour, visit http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in March. Leave a comment on her blog stops and become eligible to win a free copy at the end of her tour! One lucky winner will be announced on this blog on March 31!

Author Interview –

 Paperback Writer is pleased to announce historical fiction author, Catherine Delors, author of Mistress of the Revolution. She has graceously agreed to an interview on her virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion.

Hi Catherine Delors,  

Welcome to Paperback Writer   

Will you share with us how you came up with the idea for this book?  

 Serendipity. Or fate, whatever you want to call it. It all started with a conversation with my father, a few months before his death. We were talking about a street in the little mountain of Vic, where I spent my summers as a child. The street in question was named after Pierre-André Coffinhal, a historical character of whom I knew nothing. My father told me that he had been Vice President of the Revolutionary Tribunal, a position of some prominence. That piqued my curiosity, and I began to dig around for information about the man. I wasn’t disappointed. What a character! The idea of making him a protagonist in a book took shape, and I remembered two other historical characters from the region of Vic at the time of the French Revolution, Carrier and the Chevalier des Huttes. That was too much of a coincidence to be ignored. I researched that era, which had never interested me before, and found it fascinating. I could not let go of it!   

Do you plan your stories first with an outline or does it come to you as write it? 

Planning an outline never entered my mind. It all started with writing random chapters about a young woman caught in various events of the French Revolution. I left things to their natural messiness. Then, after a while, I stitched all the pieces together into a story. A plot emerged. I had to go back and rewrite many passages, of course, but that was fun too.  

Do you know the end of the story at the beginning? 

No. Some of my characters, like Marie-Antoinette, Coffinhal or the Duke de Lauzun, actually existed, so I was bound by what had happened to them, but for fictional characters like Gabrielle, my heroine, I was free to follow my imagination and the dynamics of the plot. That’s what makes writing so much fun. The arc of the story developed as I went.  

Do you have a process for developing your characters?  

No. This is another great thing about writing: characters take care of themselves. I simply get a general idea of what a character should be like, maybe three or four words, and then I let him loose in the story. He interacts with the other people in the book, and he begins to talk, sparks fly, and suddenly he is alive! Take the Count de Villers, for instance. He started as a label pampered, charming, womanizing nobleman, nothing more. I never imagined in the beginning that he would become so controlling, so bitter, almost crazy with jealousy. But that was dictated by his relationship with Gabrielle.  

It is said that authors write themselves into their characters. Is there any part of you in your characters and what they would be? 

Oh, of course. My heroine, Gabrielle, resembles me a lot. She is at times feisty, at times weak, always stubborn. She makes bad decisions that affect the course of her entire life. Also, her quest for freedom is mine. The main difference between Gabrielle and me is that I had the good fortune of being born in the 20^th century. I received an education, I had many opportunities to find my own path, things that were often denied to women in 18^th century France, and that are still denied women nowadays in many countries. What is your most favorite part about this book? This is a very difficult question. You must forgive me for saying so, but I love my own book, all of it! I would say my favorite part where Gabrielle’s granddaughter wants her to stitch a dress for a doll, and Gabrielle is reminded of her first husband. What I like in that passage is the interweaving of the present and the past, of happiness and sorrow, of love and hate.  

When in the process of writing your book did you begin to look for a publisher? 

Only after the book had been written, edited and rewritten many times. And critiqued by as many people as I could enroll. I wanted to put my best foot forward.  

What struggles have you had on the road to being published? 

The most difficult, painful part was finding an agent. Like many unpublished authors with absolutely no connections, I queried and faced a barrage of rejections. At times, it was very disheartening. Yet I persevered, and ended up with two offers of representation from excellent agents.  

What has been the best part about being published? 

The sheer joy of knowing that other people, people I don’t know, will get to share my characters, my stories, my love of history, my affection for Paris. They will go from being complete strangers to being MY READERS. I, for one, feel very close to writers whose books I love. It is amazing to feel that the same is going to happen to me as an author.  

What do you want readers to remember and carry with them after reading your novel? 

Readers have my wholehearted blessing to carry with them whatever they liked in Mistress of the Revolution. Some of my early readers were drawn to Gabrielle herself as a heroine, some were fascinated by the details about everyday life in the 18^th century, about Marie-Antoinette, about Versailles. People have also told me that for the first time they got to understand what led to the French Revolution and how events unfolded. Mistress of the Revolution is a romantic love story, and a historical epic. A reviewer compared it to Doctor Zhivago. I am delighted, flattered, humbled. What matters to me is that readers find in my novel something to enjoy, something that makes them think, or laugh, or cry.

 Do you have plans to write another book? 

More than plans. I have completed my second novel, still untitled. It will be published in March 2009, also by Dutton. Now I am getting started on Book 3, which will be a sort of prequel to Mistress of the Revolution. 

Would you care to share with us how the virtual book tour experience with Pump Up Your Book Promotion has been for you?  

Exhilarating. Dorothy is dynamic, she knows her way around the blogs, she cares about the books she helps publicize and the authors behind them. All for a fraction of what her competitors charge. I heartily recommend Pump Up Your Book Promotion. 

Where can readers find a copy of your book? 

At all fine online or brick-and-mortar bookstores. Readers can find Mistress of the Revolution at Amazon.com , Barnes & Noble, BookSense.com, Powell’s Books and Tower.com. 

Do you have a website for readers to go to?  

Certainly. I look forward to visits from my readers, and anyone else interested in the book, the French Revolution, or the process of getting published, at catherinedelors.com.

I also have a blog: http://blog.catherinedelors.com 

Thank you, Catherine Delors, for sharing your book and characters with us today. It has been a pleasure and I hope you have had a successful virtual book tour.  

Thank you for having me here. Wish me luck!

The Originals – Author Interview – William Hay

 

Paperback Writer is please to announce today’s author William Hay, author of The Originals, a military historical fiction novels. This is his first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion.  

THE ORIGINALS SYNOPSIS:

The Originals is the story of the Princess Patricias Canadian Light Infantry through the eyes of William Dawson, a Canadian-born, Boer War veteran, at the outset of the First World War. He enlists with the newly formed Princess Pats’ recruiting only veterans and ex-regular soldiers. For Canadians, the Patricias epitomize the strong imperialist feelings still prevalent in some corners of the young nation, but for the British Army, they are experienced, battle hardened soldiers; rare jewels among the sea of untrained civilians flooding the recruiting offices.

When the Patricias arrive on the frontline in the winter of 1915, the Great War is in its infancy; trench warfare still at its most primitive stage. It is during this period that the regiment develops a reputation second to none. In May 1915, this reputation is put to the test in the Ypres Salient. There, the Patricias set a standard for all Colonial and Canadian troops to follow. A standard set by The Originals.

Hi William, 

Welcome to Paperback Writer.  

Will you share with us how you came up with the idea for this book? 

  One of my fist loves is history, in particular military history. I am a huge fan of the Shaara novels, both Jeff and Michael (God’s and Generals; The Killer Angels and The Last Full Measure from Ballantine Books) historical fictions about real people during the American Civil War. I’m also a fan of Nigel Tranter’s novels about Scottish history.  It was such novels which inspired me to write historical fiction about Canadians.  Do you plan your stories first with an outline or does it come to you as write it? 

I suspect, if I was able to take the time and create a thorough outline, writing my stories might be easier, but my outlines are very general. As ridiculous as it might sound, I like to see if I can actually write a story before I spend too much time researching and outlining it.  I have a story planned out in my mind, the main plot and direction formulated, but the details tend to come out and grow while I’m writing and in particular, revising.   

Do you know the end of the story at the beginning? 

In the case of writing historical fiction about real events, such as those about the First World War, the story’s end can’t be changed; it’s a fact of history. In other cases, as in a crime novel I’ve completed, which waits to be revised, I’ve decided on several endings. It’s so hard to end a story sometimes!  Revision is the point in the process of completing a novel that I get intimate with the story I’ve put together. I equate my first draft as an empty shell of a building; giving me the basic framing I need to follow. At the revision stage I decorate and add the interior finishing. It is at this point the most appropriate ending tends to appear.   

Do you have a process for developing your characters?  

While writing ‘The Originals’, I researched the people and had a list of characters who I felt played a significant role or had an interesting story on their own. Because this is a story of war and battle, it was important to find characters who survived as far along in the story as possible. For the most part, the events and the characters I chose for ‘The Originals’ were real.  I find from the outset of any story I create, there will be a core of characters which drives the story forward. Should I no longer require a ‘supporting-character’ to my main, I kill them off; it’s as simply as that, (not an uneasy task when writing a novel during military conflict!). Often I will go through multiple ‘supporting-characters’; changing them occasionally to fit the needs of the story.  My process in developing characters is not systematic; unfortunately I’m not that linear. Instead it tends to occur naturally, during the course of the story.  Characters appear as I’m writing, out of need, when the story stagnates or loses direction. They will either drop off the face of the story as quickly as they had appeared, having done their job or continues to grow alongside my main character for a period of time, even perhaps, until the end. 

 It is said that authors write themselves into their characters. Is there any part of you in your characters and what they would be? 

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to travel through time and be a fly on the wall and watch momentous events as they actually happen? Bill Dawson, the main character in ‘The Originals’ represents that ‘fly-on-the-wall’. He is fictional, while all those around him, (with few exceptions) are real people. In creating Bill Dawson, it was impossible not to write some of myself into his character. In a small way, from my previous career as a Police Officer, specializing in crime scene investigation, I was able to sympathize with the dehumanization which must occur for a soldier, in order for them to do their job. It was from this experience I was able to tap into. I’m able to sympathize with the smells and the images of death a soldier in battle is constantly surrounded by.  I find my moralities and biases come into play constantly while I write my characters. I have a difficult time making my main characters callous or mean, even though it calls for it, (what can I say? I’m a nice guy!). When writing ‘The Originals’, I had to conscientiously put myself into Dawson’s shoes and fill my mind with imagery and smells I recalled having dealt with as a CSI and put it into words; not an easy task. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for someone to write of such things without having actually experienced them.   

What is your most favorite part about this book? 

Bill Dawson and what’s left of his platoon, arrive in billets, out of the front line. They are placed in a barn belonging to a Belgian family for a week long rest period. There, Dawson finds he is struggling with his own humanity; starving for some vision of beauty or caring. He finds it by watching a mother and her two daughters, husbandless and fatherless, during his stay at the farm. It was not meant to be a romantic piece and is quite short, but I’ve since heard from numerous readers wishing I’d developed this section more. It was meant as a form of character development of Bill Dawson as well as providing a break from the war for the reader.  

When in the process of writing your book did you begin to look for a publisher? 

I spent most of my ‘off’ time researching publishers, agents and all angles of marketing a novel. Although I had completed other novels, I’d never been in the process or writing one with the singular goal of having it published.  Consistent among all the companies and agents I researched was the lack of desire for entire manuscripts at the submission stage. It appears universal that agents and publishers desire only a ‘snippet’ of your work, usually the first three to five chapters. I’d given considerable thought to sending off what I had completed, but since my stories seem to be in a constant state of revision, even while I’m writing, I thought better and kept driving forward, with the goal of finishing and revising my product first. The end result was I was well versed in the system by the time my novel was complete and I had a good idea where my first submission was headed.   

What struggles have you had on the road to being published? 

This in not the traditional story we generally hear from authors, but I had few struggles in being published. In fact I can say it has been a pleasant experience. For ‘The Originals’, I sent out only one submission before my manuscript was accepted.  As I earlier mentioned, during my research stage, I also read many blogs and websites by authors as well as agents providing excellent advice on being published. As many of you are aware, there is a plethora of such material available on the internet. One author I found both depressing and outrageous. His plan of attack was to send out at least fifty submissions, because he had some magical plateau of fifty rejection slips before he’d receive an acceptance.  On another website I found an approach which had much more appeal. Instead of anticipating twenty, thirty or even fifty rejection slips, do your homework and research the publishing company or agent themselves; find out what they have published and if there is some expertise in a particular genre.  I did just that and literally Googled: Publishers of Canadian Historical Fiction. A narrow field, I’ll grant you that, but it brought up ‘Chronicler Publishing’, a company started and run by an author of historical fiction. My novel was quickly accepted. Research into the company itself paid off and I saved a lot of postage!  

What has been the best part about being published? 

Mainly the thought that: ‘I can do it’.  We all know that there are a lot of manuscripts out there; finished and unfinished. Getting over that monumental hurdle of being published is a difficult one. Having been published and seeing my novel in print has been a huge motivating factor in keeping me writing creatively. A copy of my novel is never far from my workstation. Now, as I hit those moments when my mind is devoid of ideas and thought, panic briefly rising from the pit of my stomach as I wallow about, directionless, I glance up at my novel, and know I can get through it and finish what I’ve started.  

 What do you want readers to remember and carry with them after reading your novel? 

 ‘The Originals’ is a graphic depiction of the First World War. When I’ve done public readings I’ve noticed the faces of some of my listeners wince during some passages; a moment I revel in, knowing I’ve painted an image in their minds of the horrors of war.  My goal in writing ‘The Originals’ is to have the readers feel both pride and despair over what these men suffered through. It wasn’t pleasant in the trenches. To this day few of us can truly comprehend the beastly conditions the soldiers of the First World War endured.  It’s my strong conviction that we can do these men no better honour then learn about their struggles and learn how horrible it was. Because the topic and the events aren’t pleasing for us to remember isn’t a valid reason for not learning or getting a true understanding of what these men went through. I hope readers of ‘The Originals’ get a sense of the trials these men survived and to ‘wince’ occasionally during the graphic depictions.    

 Do you have plans to write another book? 

At present I have submitted another novel for consideration to a publisher. The story is a much larger and long term project about the Canadian Expeditionary Force in the First World War. It is also an historical fiction about real men and women who had an important part to play in the CEF’s development through the war. It will be part one of a trilogy.  I am also completing a novel about two Canadian brothers who participate in the Spanish Civil War. All my projects can be viewed at my website.    

Would you care to share with us how the virtual book tour experience with Pump up Your Book Promotion has been for you?  

Pump up Your Book Promotion is an excellent venue for all writers to get news of their novels out. I’ve been working with Dorothy Thompson and Jean Lauzier; ladies who are well experienced in this field. I love to write but I’m wanting in the area of marketing my ‘product’. Using a virtual tour, especially when facilitated by such knowledgeable people as Dorothy and Jean, has been an excellent journey. I plan on using their company in my future endeavors.   

Where can readers find a copy of your book? 

‘The Originals’ is available at Amazon (.com and .ca); Barnes and Noble; Borders. Type ‘William Hay The Originals’ and you’ll be taken directly to the correct page.  The bookstore of Chronicler Publishing (.com) has my novel for sale as well as an assortment of others.  Anyone interested can also visit my website and find a direct link to the web’s location for a purchase.  

Do you have a website for readers to go to?  www.williamhay.net 

Please visit and leave a message if anyone has any further questions. Bill

THE ORIGINALS VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘08 will officially begin on March 1, 2008 and continue all month. If you would like to follow William’s tour, visit http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in March. Leave a comment on his blog stops and become eligible to win a free copy at the end of his tour! One lucky winner will be announced on this blog on March 31!
  

The Wildcat’s Victory – Author Interview

                                            

Join Christopher Hoare, author of the soft science fiction/alternative world novel, The Wildcat’s Victory. 

The Wildcat’s Victory Synopsis:

Follow Gisel Matah and the thunder of hooves as she strikes back at the Imperial armies that threaten all she has worked for. She must defy every established world power to bring justice to common peasants and workers in societies now ruled by greedy aristocrats. Her covert activities require her to protect her fledgling Radical movement from both friends and enemies.

Risking her life and her love, Gisel negotiates even greater hazards in a wide ranging adventure. Her partner, Yohan Felger, becomes a problem when the Baron has him smuggle a steam engine to the Empire. Gisel knows of the subterfuge but cannot admit it, while Yohan is almost torn apart by the need to deceive her. Faced with removing the pressure on Yohan as he moves his contraband engine, she accepts the offer of General Lord Ricart, an ex_lover, to command a cavalry unit in battle. Her reckless courage is needed to carry out missions against two Imperial armies.The fight finds her opposed by ever increasing odds until in the final confrontation she must outwit two enemies who vie to dominate Iskander. New friends, allies, and enemies as well as all the old ones fill the pages when Gisel Matah sets out to gain “The Wildcat’s Victory”.

    Hi Chris,  Welcome to Paperback Writer   

Will you share with us how you came up with the idea for this book?    

 The scenario rose out of some alternate history speculation I found interesting; from there the situation of a group of modern people in an earlier world arose. When I developed the characters, the story unfolded itself in scenes. 

Do you plan your stories first with an outline or does it come to you as write it? 

I usually work from an initial premise and the writing progresses as a journey of discovery. 

Do you know the end of the story at the beginning?

No, I generally develop the situation and character interactions until the internal logic of the story indicates what the ending must be by about 40 – 50% of the way through. 

Do you have a process for developing your characters?  

Not a conscious process. I place them in scenes and they seem to develop themselves. The protagonist of my Iskander series, Gisel Matah in The Wildcat’s Victory, did conform to some parameters at the start. I wanted her to be clever, tough, and courageous and so developed her in situations where she would not back down to any antagonist. 

It is said that authors write themselves into their characters. Is there any part of you in your characters and what they would be? 

Well, Gisel is a gutsy female and I’m a rather peacable male, but I think she’s what the female side of my character would like to be. I see more of myself in Yohan, her significant other, who is steady, focused on projects, not particularly romantic — and still pinching himself to find out if he’s awake and not dreaming about this wonderful dynamic being in his life. 

What is your most favorite part about this book? 

 I like it all. The scenes where she commands a cavalry force in action allowed me to indulge in my own military fantasies, but perhaps the climactic scenes where she is in a three-way dispute and has to match wits with both her oldest enemy and a psychotic new one to save not only her own life but the future of her people. 

When in the process of writing your book did you begin to look for a publisher? 

The Wildcat’s Victory is the second novel in the Iskander series published by Double Dragon Publishing, so I already had a publisher for it before I finished. 

What struggles have you had on the road to being published? 

More than my share. I started writing my first novel in 1968, a huge historical epic; finished it in the early 70s and finally gave up on finding a publisher around 1980. I wrote another novel and a non-fiction book about life in oil exploration after that, both of which ‘almost’ found publishers.I quit writing and restarted several times, and have scrapped two earlier novels in the Iskander series before Deadly Enterprise, which preceeds The Wildcat’s Victory in the sequence, was accepted. 

What has been the best part about being published? 

I am able to have readers discover my stories. The responses from people who enjoyed the stories and fell for Gisel Matah are worth more than money. 

What do you want readers to remember and carry with them after reading your novel? 

I hope they are inspired by the ideas of a woman forging her own way in a male society and of the way my characters succeed through their own courage and perseverance. Even my antagonists have their admirers, which points up the fact that we can be friends or foes to others in our lives, depending on the quality of our motives. 

Do you have plans to write another book?

The next novel in the series is already under contract for July this year. I have a fantasy novel due out in January 2009 and I’m working on two more novels, one of which is another story in the Iskander series. 

Would you care to share with us how the virtual book tour experience with Pump Up Your Book Promotion has been for you?

As I write this, the tour hasn’t started, but the preparation under their guidance and the handout information they provide has already been worth it. I expect to come to the notice of readers all over the Internet, even the world, and I haven’t had to buy a single plane ticket. 

Where can readers find a copy of your book? 

The Wildcat’s Victory is on the publisher’s website at — http://www.double-dragon-ebooks.com/single.php?ISBN=1-55404-538-Xand on Amazon at — http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1554045398

The previous novel in the series, Deadly Enterprise, is available as a POD paperback and Kindle edition at Amazon –http://tinyurl.com/yryhs7 and http://tinyurl.com/35rlrz   

Do you have a website for readers to go to?

I have a website where readers can read sample chapters and download maps of the lands covered in the Iskander stories, as well as a map of Rast, the location of my Fantasy novel. http://www.christopherhoare.ca 

I’m keeping several blogs going with up to date information about the novels as well as tales from the writing life. Some are mine, and one I share with another writer.http://www.serial-adventure-fiction.blogspot.com and http://mdbenoit.blogspot.com/ 

Thank you, Chris for sharing your book and characters with us today. It has been a pleasure and I hope you have had a successful virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book Promotion.

THE WILDCAT’S VICTORY VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘08 will officially begin on March 1, 2008 and continue all month. If you would like to follow Christopher’s tour, visit http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in March. Leave a comment on his blog stops and become eligible to win a free copy at the end of his tour! One lucky winner will be announced on this blog on March 31!

Searchable Whereabouts Mystery Novel – Author Interview

Paperback Writer is pleased to welcome the debut author Tinisha Johnson. Tinish is the author of Searchable Whereabouts a mystery novel,

Tinisha N. Johnson is an author, writer and poet. Her newest book, Searchable Whereabouts, a mystery novel is due to be released Feb 1, 2008. Tinisha resides in Denver, Colorado with her husband and two children. She writes for a local urban magazine called Denver’s Finest Underground. Tinisha’s passion for writing began at the early age of eleven. It has always been her hobby and pass-time and at the age of twenty-one, after her son was born, eight-years ago, she took her writing seriously and began pursuing it as a career

 Searchable Whereabouts is the story of woman – Rahkel Williams, who’s trying to unravel the mysterious death of her beloved uncle. However, after finding clues into his life, she wonders if he was really the man she knew. She requests the services of private investigator, Darrin Miller and it’s not long before things get personal between the two. Soon, strange things begin to happen, including people of interest in the case who turn up murdered. Rahkel doesn’t know who to trust, and the truth of who murdered her uncle could either save her or kill her. But at all costs, she must find the truth.

           

Hi Tinisha,  Welcome to Paperback Writer  

 Will you share with us how you came up with the idea for this book?  

Well, I knew I wanted to write a mystery, cause I love reading and watching them, I knew I wanted murder involved and I knew I wanted the main character to be a woman. Other than that, as I was writing ideas down, Searchable Whereabouts evolved.  

 Do you plan your stories first with an outline or does it come to you as write it?

It actually comes to me as I write, but for my next book I’m working on, I am going off of an outline.  

Do you know the end of the story at the beginning?

For Searchable Whereabouts, no I did not. I struggled with the ending, that’s why it took me nearly 3 years to write it, but with my next book I do know the ending.  

Do you have a process for developing your characters?

I do a lot of sketches and I find old newspaper articles/stories, that help me with ideas.  

It is said that authors write themselves into their characters. Is there any part of you in your characters and what they would be?

Well maybe a feeling here or a feeling there, an action here or an action there, but I really try to distinguish the characters I write, and not tie too much of me into them. I fantasize a lot when I create my characters.   

What is your most favorite part about this book?

Well honestly, the favorite part about my book is that I finished it and it’s published. But also the ending of the story, I worked so hard on it, I feel as though I did a pretty good job.  

 When in the process of writing your book did you begin to look for a publisher?

Yes I did, I sent out queries when I was about 70% finished with my book.   

What struggles have you had on the road to being published?

It took a year from the date I finished my book until I found a publisher. I was met with a lot of rejection letters. But, I never gave up. 

What has been the best part about being published?

The recognition – somebody believes in you, readers finding your book interesting. And also the book signings are probably the best part. I love doing book signings, because you get to meet a lot of people and sale books at the same time. 

 What do you want readers to remember and carry with them after reading your novel?

I want people to think that Searchable Whereabouts was well written, they were entertained, and that they did not see the ending coming at all.  

Do you have plans to write another book?

Oh yes definitely, I’m working on my next book right now.  

Would you care to share with us how the virtual book tour experience with Pump Up Your Book Promotion has been for you?

So far it’s been really great. I had no idea how informed and involved I would be. I have been recommending Pump Up Your Book Promotion to all my author friends, and my actual tour hasn’t even begun yet. I feel like they really do care about your book and that’s important. (Rebecca thank you for the work you’ve put into this. It is appreciated.) 

Where can readers find a copy of your book?

Readers can order Searchable Whereabouts online at Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com at any bookstore and my website: www.tinishanicolejohnson.com They can also read an excerpt and watch the book trailer on my site as well. 

Do you have a website for readers to go to? www.tinishanicolejohnson.com  

Thank you, Tinisha Nicole Johnson for sharing your book and characters with us today. It has been a pleasure and I hope you have a very successful virtual book tour.    

SEARCHABLE WHEREABOUTS VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR ‘08  officially begins on March 1, 2008 and will continue all month. If you would like to follow Tinisha’s tour, visit http://www.virtualbooktours.wordpress.com/ in March. Leave a comment on her blog stops and become eligible to win a free copy at the end of her tour! One lucky winner will be announced on this blog on March 31!