Hello, Mona. Welcome to my blog.
Hi Patti. Thanks for inviting me.
Book Description from Amazon: SEMI-FINALIST
IN THE 2014 BEST KINDLE BOOK AWARDS!!
What would you do if your perfect life was
shattered by a series of uncontrollable events?
Allison Ransome loses everything; everything except her love for Cole Slater,
the young man she planned to marry after graduation. Gutted by Allison's perceived treachery, Cole moves on with his life. Ten years
later, he returns home, telling himself he will avoid the woman who broke his
heart.
But nothing goes as planned. Can Allison and Cole forget the past and come to terms with the events that tore them apart?
Loving From Afar is Book One in The Women of Independence series, and is Allison's story. Book Two is titled The Last Goodbye, and is Danielle's story. Book Three is titled Never Look Back, and is mainly Maya's story, with a wrap-up of all the characters of the series you've come to love.
But nothing goes as planned. Can Allison and Cole forget the past and come to terms with the events that tore them apart?
Loving From Afar is Book One in The Women of Independence series, and is Allison's story. Book Two is titled The Last Goodbye, and is Danielle's story. Book Three is titled Never Look Back, and is mainly Maya's story, with a wrap-up of all the characters of the series you've come to love.
What
inspired you to start writing, and when?
I’ve
always been a reader, even from a young age. I recall reading some gruesome
stuff by an author called Sax Rhomer. They were Fu Manchu-type mysteries. My
mother gently tried to divert me toward Ayn Rand or Daphne duMaurier, but to
her credit she didn’t forbid me from reading the Rhomer stuff.
What is
your preferred genre?
I’m evenly
split between romance and action/adventure.
How
many books have you written? If more than one, are any a series…or
trilogy?
I’ve
written twenty, and yes there is one bona-fide series of three. There’s another
‘series’ of two which I’ve grouped as International Romances, but somehow I
haven’t found the time to write Book Three in that series. Ask me this same
question in a couple of days and I’ll say twenty-one.
Tell us
a little about your book.
Loving From Afar is Book One in The Women of
Independence series. Independence is a
fictional small town in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, where I live. Book
One is the story of Allison, and is a stand-alone book. In each subsequent
book, I feature a character from the previous book, as they all know each
other. And by the way, Loving From Afar is free everywhere.
Do you
have plans for a new book?
Funny you
should ask, as they say. I am within a day of finishing the first book for a
new series. Book One is titled Restless Hearts, and the name of the series is
Gold Rush Romances. Here again, the three books in the series will be
stand-alones (I don’t care for cliffhangers), and each one will feature a
different woman and chronicle her experiences in Gold Rush San Francisco.
Is
there an Author that you would really like to meet?
I’m a bit
late, but I wish I could have met Maeve Binchy. I think I’ve read all of her
books and loved every one. Especially the ones set in small towns in Ireland.
When you read those books, you feel you know the families, the shop owners…
even the priest.
Do you
plot or write by the seat of your pants?
I don’t
plot extensively, no. But I do let my books rattle around in my head for a long
time before I write them. For example, for the one I’m working on now, I
started collecting research material about eight years ago. Basically, however,
I’m a pantser, and I type as fast as I can to keep up with what the characters
are thinking, doing, and saying.
Patti: I know exactly what you mean!
Did you
have an editor edit your books?
Yes.
Do you
prefer e-books, paperbacks or hardcover?
Eighty
percent e-books and 20% hardcover. I’m on the go all the time and am never
without my Kindle, but when I have time to sit still and read, I still like a
nice fat hardcover.
Where
do you prefer to buy your books?
Amazon –
for both e-books and hard cover.
Are you
a self- published (Indie) Author?
Yes. I
also have five books owned by Montlake Press, who bought a small New York
publisher I used to write for.
What
books would you like to read again?
Whitethorn
by Bryce Courtenay. I have all his books.
Is
there a particular movie that you preferred over the book version?
I didn’t
read Out of Africa, but I can’t imagine the book being better.
What
book are you currently reading and in what format (ebook/paperback/hardcover)?
I’m just
finishing up The Triumph of the Sun, by Wilbur Smith. It’s paperback, and it’s
about the third time I’ve enjoyed it.
Who
designed the cover of your book?
Suzie
O’Connell, of Wellman Creek Books.
Do you
find yourself intrigued by the cover of a book enough to buy it?
I love
this question because I subscribe to about 25-30 free and discounted web sites,
because I advertise a fair amount and I like to see who’s doing what. I find
that as I scroll through the e-mails every day fewer and fewer covers interest
me. So yes, it’s the cover that attracts me first.
Do you
have any advice for other writers starting out?
Work
hard. Make sure you know your basic grammar. Buy two books: Strunk &
White’s The Elements of Style, and
Stephen King’s On Writing. Grow a
thick skin. Keep on writing, and don’t forget this is a business.
Do you
write under a pen name?
No
Do you
ever write in your PJ’s?
I’ve
tried, but I don’t feel ‘right’ until I’ve showered and pulled on some clothes.
You are
trapped on a tropical island - who would you like to
be stranded with?
Someone
who can build a shelter. Or Johnny Depp.
Patti: Watching a Johnny Depp movie right now - Transcendence. Pretty interesting so far.
Tell us
about someone or something that just made your day.
Having my
book chosen as a Semi-Finalist in the 2014 Best Kindle Book Awards
What is
your favorite food and beverage?
Rib Eye
Steak, and super cold water.
How
many hours per day do you try to devote to research and writing?
A minimum
of five. Then an hour or two on promotion and all that other stuff.
What
are 3 things you never leave home without (apart from keys, money and phone)?
My
kindle, my binoculars, and my sense of humour.
Sleep
in or get up early?
Get up
early – especially in the summertime.
Laptop
or desktop for writing?
Desktop
Where
and when do you prefer to do your writing?
I’m
learning to be flexible, but I prefer the morning. I have a small office that I
keep almost dark. It’s like sitting in a movie theatre, watching the plot
unfold.
Your
thoughts on receiving book reviews - the good and the bad.
Book
reviews are a part of the business. When I get a nasty one, which thankfully
isn’t very often, I usually just skim over it the first time. Then, when it
doesn’t hurt so much, I go back and see if I can learn anything from it.
Patti: Great thinking.
One of
your favorite quotes:
“No one
can make you feel inferior without your consent.”
- Eleanor
Roosevelt
List 3
of your favorite movies.
The
Shawshank Redemption, Out of Africa, The Notebook
Where
can your readers stalk you?
My blog is http://www.monaingram.blogspot.com I don’t blog as often as I should, but when
I have news of a new release or a special, I post it there. Readers can sign up
to be on my mailing list on my author facebook page: http://tiny.cc/h6gfnw
Is your
book in Print, ebook or both?
e-book.
Do you
give free e-books away in exchange for honest reviews?
For new
books with less than 20 reviews, I welcome inquiries from people who’d like to
read them. I’m open to requests for my new historical romance right now. I
usually wait until it’s published on Amazon and send a gift certificate for the
book.
Book
links:
Thank you
so much for taking the time to do this interview and allowing us a glimpse into
your writing world. I hope you share this interview with your friends so
we can all get to know you a little better.
Patti
Roberts
Author/Book
cover designer and book formatter - ebook and print.
