Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Interview and ebook giveaway with Author Suzy Turner Author Of "Raven"
Win Raven - the ebook:
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The contest ends on 28th August. And winners will be notified on this blog and by email.
And keep watching here for the release of her new book December Moon - coming soon!Hi Suzy, where were you born and where do you call home?
I was born in a town called Rotherham in South Yorkshire, England, but home is the Algarve, Portugal. I moved here with my family when I was ten. My husband and I occasionally think about moving. We do love Canada!
How long have you been writing? And is writing your full time occupation?
My first job was a trainee journalist so I've been writing since then. I moved on to become assistant editor, features editor and then magazine editor but I was made redundant last year so my full time 'job' is now working on my books (I'm very lucky to have a very supportive husband!)
What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 30 or less words, what would you say?
Raven: Part I of The Raven Saga. Girl's parents disappear. Girl moves to Canada. Girl discovers some scary truths about her and the supernatural world.
Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
Yes, I'm writing the sequel now. It's called December Moon and will be out in September. There will one final book in the series.
What or who inspired you to write?
I guess it would be other authors that have inspired me. I've always been a serious bookaholic, ever since I was a kid. I adored books by Jilly Cooper, Danielle Steel and Jackie Collins when I was a young teen. It was only when I was quite a bit older than I discovered a love for YA fantasy books like Harry Potter and Twilight - both of which were a huge inspiration to me.
Would you like to giveaway a copy of your book on this blog? thank you - details above.
Absolutely!!
How did you come up with the title and cover design?
It was during a visit to Canada in 2009 that inspired me to write the Raven Saga. I guess it was all the ravens everywhere, squawking. It was so eerie and mysterious that it just seemed like a natural title for the book. I actually had a different cover design to start off with. It was a picture of a girl walking into the forest. Unfortunately I decided it was too amateurish (the photo was of me!) so I decided to find an image that seemed to fit from an image stock site.
Is there an Author that you would really like to meet?
I'd love to meet JK Rowling... I just adored all the Harry Potter books, they were amazing. But otherwise, there are a number of self-published authors I've become friendly with (online) that I'd love to meet. You, Shalini Boland, Johanna Frappier, Pauline Barclay.... I could easily go on!
Do you prefer ebooks, paperbacks or hardcover?
I was always a paperback girl but now I'm a total Kindleholic!
Patti Says: Me too!
Where do you prefer to buy your books?
Anywhere that sells ebooks, but I do like amazon and smashwords.
Are you a self published (Indie) Author?
Yes... after 18 rejections, I decided to go it alone and I'm so glad I did. I've had wonderful feedback from people that wouldn't otherwise have had the chance to read my book.
Have you ever read a book more than once?
Yes! Memoirs of a Geisha and the Handmaid's Tale. I also plan on re-reading Hidden by Shalini Boland and Fairy Circle by Johanna Frappier. I also have the distinct feeling that Paradox will be among my to read again list (I just started it and it's scrumptious!)!
Patti says: Why thank you!
Is there a particular movie that you preferred over the book version?
The Devil Wears Prada was a pretty amazing film. I enjoyed the book but the movie was just a tiny bit better!
Patti Says: I notice you are a Practical Magic fan, me too.
What book are you currently reading and in what format (ebook/paperback/hardcover)?
lol... that would be yours! Paradox in ebook format.
Patti says: COOL!
What book do you know that you will never read?
War and Peace... I can't be doing with overly long books (and I'm not keen on reading about war either)
Do you have a book trailer?
Yes. http://youtu.be/
What are your thoughts on book trailers?
I ADORE them! So much so that I created two blogs purely for book trailers. One is for YA books (http://yatrailerpark.com) and the other is for chick lit (http://chicklittrailerpark.
Patti Says: I totally agree and I have recently made 2 for a couple of great friends on Goodreads.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
Don't give up! If you keep getting rejections, then go it alone. Self publish. It's so easy these days.
What is the best advice that you have ever been given when it comes to writing?
To self publish!
Do you ever write in your PJ’s?
No, I have to be up, dressed, breakfasted, etc before I can start.
Cats or dogs?
I have four cats and two dogs... I love them all (although cats feature strongly in Raven)
White wine or red?
White (my husband says I'm not very nice after drinking red!)
Coffee or tea?
Decaf rooibos tea first thing in the morning, decaf coffee mid morning.
Favorite food?
Oriental (Japanese / Chinese / Thai)
Vanilla or chocolate icecream?
Lactose free vanilla ice cream with lashings of dark chocolate sauce.
What is a movie or TV show that you watched recently and really enjoyed?Pretty Little Liars. There's an enormously cute guy in it who looks like a young Matthew McConaughey! His character name is Alex.
Where can your readers follow you?
My blog: http://suzyturner.blogspot.comMy facebook page: http://facebook.com/
My Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.
Twitter: suzy_turner
Other: http://suzyturner.com
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/
Smashwords: http://www.
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/
Is your book in Print, ebook or both? Just ebook at the moment.
Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview with me and allowing us a glimpse into your writing word.Thank you so much Patti... it's been an absolute pleasure!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
I just can't choose so I need you to help me :) Natalie.
Number 1 - Fantasy bloomHello my name is Natalie Valdes. I am and up and coming author. (My Blog= http://natalievaldes.blogspot.
But right now I would like you to help me choose a cover for my new book.
If you could choose a cover from the ones listed here and leave a comment as to which one is your favorite that would be GREAT....
Number 2 - Purple kiss
Number 3 - Beach love
Number 4 - Pink heart
Number 5 - Rose kisses
Number 6 - Dark moon serenade
Author Spotlight - Cynthia Meyers-Hanson by Haresh
Interview by Haresh.
1. Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book?
In 1991, my mother lost to terminal cancer taking my dad with her because he gave up living too; he committed suicide just after her death. That seems like a sad story but it is chocked full of miracles and prophecy, which made my life tolerable. People heard my saga, which included my mother’s Christian Near Death Experience, asking me to retell my tale. Crowds gathered; people in town retold what they learned from me. People spoke at their churches as if they knew me; local Hospice nurses on the case spread the news until some staff that never met me pretended they had.
When I went to Hospice for free, grief counseling- my reputation preceded me but there was misinformation out there due to embellishing and other things humans do while recounting incidents. My counselor asked me to journal my version of what happened after reading it he demanded I find a publisher. I found a small, book company that bungled the job but Mom’s on the Roof and I Can’t Get Her Down was in print with a thousand copies. For years, people told me they reread that book anytime they faced death or major illness in their family; it gave them peace. There were prophecies unanswered at the time of publication or 1994.
By the new millennium, that book began to prove itself as being true testimony from God. In the meantime, in twenty years, other things had molded my writing and thoughts. Soon, I faced possible amputation of my left arm as God restored my faith; the arm healed showing no signs of infection. As I went home from the ER with two arms, God told my soul it was time to write the sequel to my very first book; I wrote My ArmOr (My life). It covers the revelations as well as my personal saga that builds my faith.
I write Christian based inspirational books as well as children’s books under my name; I use a pen name (Sydney S. Song) for my fictions based on true stories (you know gossip).
2. Did you try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers, or did you jump right into self-publication?
I did it all. I queried publishers and agents. I used a small publisher willing to risk a thousand copies on my first printing. I had a marketing agent but got my own interviews and book signings for my first book. After that story died, I lived my life about fifteen more years writing an occasional essay or freelance news article but settled into other jobs such as real estate and computer programming.
Around 2000, people from all over the country tracked me down wanting more copies of my book Mom’s on the Roof... to give to friends. I had no extra books, I only had my personal copy; most of the thousands produced were long gone. I helped some find resellers with my title but the demand still grew out of control. Thus, I reentered the text into the latest technology (fifteen years later) - in other words a new word processor one chapter at a time; I’d e-mail copies to friends and their friends. I had no desire to pay a POD so I found lulu.com and used them to produce my hard copies, again. Eventually, I found CreateSpace POD, Kindle, Smashwords, and other avenues as well; some do my e-books others do my traditional publishing. If you go to any of those dot coms and put in their search engine book and then mchanson714, you’ll find all my books available for sale through the web site.
What factors influenced your decision to self-publish to Amazon?
I wanted e-books available merging over to Kindle for that processing. Then, I went to createSpace to keep my books closer linked using mchanson714 as the linking search keywords.
4. Did you hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing? And if not, what method did you use for proofing?
When people feel e-books are poorly edited, I believe that depends; all humans make mistakes. Even with professional editing of Mom’s on the Roof..., my original book had my name spelled one way on the cover and a different way on the title page, which the small publisher sold messed up that way! Plus, in their professionally edited version, I can find errors in my copy things such as “he not her” or” I we went” instead of “we went!”
That having been said, I allowed several people (about fifty) to read my next books with highlighter and red pens in hand. Some were professional writers and English teacher; others were not. I took all their comments under advisement. Later, I used other avid readers to comment on the content. Finally, I secured a full time editor that takes my books and proof reads them. Even so, using Word tools and those people, I can still find nit-picky errors and some obvious ones years later in the text but they are ones easy to overlook such as missing commas.
People who contend traditional publishers do NOT allow errors are so wrong. However, they serve a purpose; I look at those publishers as the easier route since they try to help more with marketing, branding, and PR- which any indie can tell you can be more time consuming than writing their book.
5. What have you've learned during your self-publishing journey? Any advice you can give to burgeoning writers?
Let strangers read your manuscript- by that I mean not relatives or best friends- you want the truth. Let them read it with red pens and highlighters! You don’t have to accept all their comments but it helps you grow and understand your audience.
Pay as you feel you have to but make sure you go cautiously especially with the thousands of PR groups doing nothing more than listing your books along with their millions of other artists. I wasted thousands on marketing that way.
Make sure you brand yourself so people know what they are getting. I write fiction under a pen name so that my reader knows the difference between my inspirational, true books- and my fictions full of embellishments and poetic license but based on true stories.
6. Where have you put your work on sale? Is it available in only digital formats, or is there a physical edition available?
I am on Amazon with paperbacks and Kindle formats. I have books at Smashwords with most of the e-book formats. My hard covered books as well as a handful of others are at Lulu.
7. What kinds of marketing are you involved with for promoting your book? Any promotional recommendations to new writers?
I do interviews whenever possible. I write a book based blog at blogspot. I am in LinkedIn, Facebook with an author page, and twitter. I try to do interviews for other blogs and book sites. I try for reviews and ratings from those reading my books. I giveaway free books hoping for a following as well as ratings, rankings, and likings! I speak at churches when possible. I go to local book fairs and signings.
I am trying Goodreads and similar sites on my own, now! Better late than never? After being naive about spending on true PR- I refuse to pay for PR or anything in that arena- for now! Honestly- that last ting may be hindering my sales but I am not rich!
I don’t need to find another author or writer to brainstorm with or trade “likes” or “tags” and other social media perks; I thank you for your advice! At this point in time, I need to find avid readers willing to promote my books because they HONESTLY enjoy my writing!
8. Do you find it difficult to manage your time, shifting focus between marketing your current book and writing your next book, as well as any day-to-day responsibilities?
If there was a better way to market that was truly affordable- I’d do it! Marketing and branding are VERY time consuming- if done right- or even my way. Yes, I still have a sense of humor, which may be why I survived as an indie so long! Let’s face it; there is an explosion of writers especially in the e-book arena. Let’s be honest, the place is so flooded that even free books can lag in sales. I have more book ideas (both non-fiction and novels) but until I see any of my work goes viral; My ArmOr may be the last book I offer for public consumption.
9. What's next for you? Any new books in the works?
Honestly- I have a completed book awaiting my editor’s comments. It’s a Celebration, which is a collection of holiday and holy day stories, is awaiting her final approval. That fun, funny, and inspirational anthology will ONLY be released to my family, friends, and longtime book fans! For their Christmas gift this year, those individuals will get a secret location and code to ship their free copies of that book! In other words, It’s a Celebration will be a limited edition!
My spirit is contemplating a book about John; those familiar with Mom’s on the Roof... or My ArmOr know who why that soul is important to me. Since that story has not completely unfolded, that is my current work in progress.
I have some novel ideas but will not release them to the general public until my branding and PR is complete or working well. In other words, my goal this year has been to create the buzz rather than continue to release my assortment of other books. HONESTLY, without good branding or PR- short of a miracle, which I believe is possible- competing for readers with the onslaught of new authors and books can be overwhelming while stealing precious book writing time!
Editorial Reviews
Mom's on the Roof and I Can't Get Her Down:Cynthia Hanson rebounds form the tragic loss of her mother to cancer and her father to suicide all which took place within four weeks. Through the process, she gained her parent's 10 year old child, fortified her faith, and brought her life back into control. In this inspirational book, the author takes you on her journey from grief through acceptance of God's will proving that faith and healing continue beyond the grave.
