Today's Meet The Author: Nina Lewis

Nina and I met on Facebook. I learned that Nina's book The Englishman is presently being published and will make it's debut on May 7, 2013. Read on to learn about an official new romance novelist on the market!

Glad to speak with you today Nina Lewis!

How long have you been writing romance novels?

I have been writing stories, on and off, since I was nine or ten. Mostly in imitation of the stories I was reading, so I started with versions of The Famous Five and Malory Towers, imagining myself and my school friends in exciting adventures. Then I started reading my Mum’s romance novels (secretly, obv.), and my own writing became a little more, um, adult.

What inspires you to write romance novels? Is that the only genre you write?

Romance (writing it and reading it) is like a holiday from reality, and I find I need a lot of holidays! We are taught to feel guilty for not functioning efficiently 24/7, in our families, in our jobs; but that is actually unnatural, and also unhealthy. People need down-time, and people need to tell stories about their lives that allow them to go back and face reality again.

Although The Englishman is contemporary fiction, I feel most at home in historical fiction and historical romance, and that is what I will be writing in future.

How many words per day do you like to write? Is that a daily goal or weekly goal?

I am extremely undisciplined, so I have no daily or weekly stints. But I am fairly obsessive, so when I am in a ‘flow’, I write a great deal in a short time. Other times, I merely polish or edit; and that can be both rewarding and frustrating.

What is the name of your first book? How long ago was it printed? Where did you market it and did you have a good sale number?

I have published non-fiction, but The Englishman is my first published fictional text. It will be published by Omnific Publishing in May 2013 as an ebook and a paperback – and here’s to hoping it will sell well!

I understand you have a book series. How many books are in the series (or will be in the series when completed)? How did you come to write a series?

I do not plan to write a series, although I’ve lately thought that I may want to. But because I am interested in a number of different historical periods, the novels that I hope to write next will variously be set in the French Revolution, late fourteenth-century Oxford, and twelfth-century France and England.

How do you feel about online book reading? Do you have a book that you’ve written for a digital shelf like ibooks or kindle?

I do not own a Kindle yet, and I am reluctant to get one, because I stare so much at a screen anyway. But I expect I will get one within the next twelve months, or so. It’s the future.

Do you think it’s worth to ask buyers to purchase a digital novel for the same amount of $ as a print novel?

Authors and readers are likely to have differing opinions on this. You’d think that an ebook costs less to produce, so it should be cheaper. But authors must live, too, and what price would you put on creativity? In the end, supply and demand regulate the market.

How do you think the change in the publishing industry affects authors today?

Self-publishing  and indie publishing put established publishers under pressure, and that is a good thing. At the same time, there is a glut of ebooks, and while some are outstandingly good, there is a lot of stuff that’s not so great. Dividing the wheat from the chaff can be time-consuming and frustrating. I dip into so many novels to decide which one I want to buy, that at the end of a couple of hours’ surfing and reading, I am frustrated and bored and end up buying nothing.

It obviously makes a huge difference that you can pick up a paperback and browse through it, while you can typically read the only first few pages of an ebook. The shape of stories changes if you know you must hit the readers between the eyes on page two, or they won’t buy it. 

If you could give a budding author advice what would it be?

Keep at it. Learn to stand back and look at your writing as if you were an editor.

Can you recommend our readers a publisher that you like to work with?

I have worked only with Omnific, and I have found them helpful and professional.

If you could be a famous author, who would it be and why?

The ideal situation, I think, would be one in which I could be proud of my novels because I feel that each of them is the best I was able to write at that time, and at the same time one in which I am able to make enough money to live by writing. I envy all writers for whom this is the case! If you want names – in the romance genre, I admire Georgette Heyer, because she is a restrained writer, both in language and in emotion. And she writes brilliantly witty dialogues.

Tell us where we can find your book(s) and provide a link!

The Englishman will be published by Omnific Publishing on May 7, 2013. The cover, blurb and an extract were revealed on subclubbooks.

Please find me on facebook!

Thank you!

Happy to speak with you Nina - Thank you for sharing your journey as an author, as well as  The Englishman, your first novel! 

Today's Meet The Author - Debra Jayne

Glad to speak with you today Debra Jayne!

Hello and I appreciate you asking me.

Please tell us about all about you…as the non- author first then about you as author.

Well, I am retired professionally from social work since 2004. I still volunteer three or four times a month though, and I enjoy working especially with people with disabilities.

As an author, I just got published a year and a half ago and it's a great learning process. I never knew at this age, that I could enjoy web design, graphics and making book trailers. You are never too old to pursue what you love!

How long have you been writing?

I have been writing since I was seven years old. I wrote a story called Ghost and Sabre and sold it for fifteen cents. I was hooked.

What inspires you to write Romance novels? Is that the only genre you write? 

One of my inspirations for my book came to me after a long depression from the break up of my marriage. I found a crooked heart-shaped stone in the grass one day. It reminded me that even though hearts get broken and scarred from loss, that you are still capable of love. Finding the stone renewed my will to go on, and I realized it had a message for anyone recovering from heartbreak.

 I also write science fiction and enjoy that, as well as my favorite, paranormal romance.

How many words per day do you like to write? Is that a daily goal or weekly goal?

I have writing “spurts” which are moments of inspiration where I write for hours or whole days then it slacks off and I do research. I never set word count goals.

What is the name of your first book? How long ago was

It printed?

My first book is called Radiance: Love after Death and it was published a year and a half ago.

Where did you market it and did you have a good sale number? 

My publishing company, XoXo marketed it on their own site, on Amazon, Book Strand, and All Romance E-books. I promote it online in every social venue I can find, like blogs, Facebook,Twitter etc. My book is in e-book form as of now , so it takes a lot of time with a strong online presence. My sales are decent and I think my next releases will do even better, since I know so much more about promotion.

I understand you have a book series. How many books are in the series (or will be in the series when completed)? How did you come to write a series?

There are three books in my series. The second follow up to Radiance: Love after Death is: A Kiss from the Past and will be this year and the third will follow shortly after. Readers hate to loose characters they come to know and enjoy. Also, authors who do series have greater book sales over all.

How do you feel about online book reading? Do you have a book that you’ve written for a digital shelf like i-books or kindle?

Online book reading is great! Yes, I have a kindle book and I think it's wonderful. How awesome to pick out a book and read it instantly. It saves time and money. I love that! Reading became so much easier to do because of electronic reading devices.

Do you think it’s fair to ask buyers to purchase a digital novel for the same amount of $ as a print novel?

I think digital copies should be just as competitive as print copies, because even though you don't have a copy in hand, it was still the same amount of work for the author to produce it.

How do you think the change in the publishing industry affects authors today?

The trends of switching to publishing electronic books has been amazing. There are pro's and con's. Due to the large amount of self publishing markets there are floods of e-books, so the markets are very diverse and more competitive. On the other hand, e-books are better environmentally, since there are no trees cut down to produce paper.

If you could give a budding author advice what would it be?

Be friendly to other authors and publishers. Some of the best promotion I have learned has been from friends I have made online.

Can you recommend our readers a publisher that you would like to work with?

I would love to work with Little and Brown who published Stephanie Meyers Twilight series.

If you could be a famous author, who would it be and why? 

Shakespeare. His work will live on through the ages. The beauty of his work in Romeo and Juliette is haunting and unforgettable. That, now, is a legacy!

Tell us where we can find your book(s) and provide a link!

Thank you! My links and social media are below:

XOXO:  http://t.co/skrRzpQD

Amazon: http://amzn.to/YD6G74

http://www.bookstrand.com/radiance-love-after-death  

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-radianceloveafterdeath-751110-140.html

Social Media:

http://facebook.com/debrajayne.east

http://twitter.com/juliet2cool4u

http://yearoftheangel.blogspot.com/

http://youtu.be/2s_bdXQHdhg

Today's Meet The Author: Tima Marie Lacoba

Tima and I crossed paths on Twitter recently. Here's what I learned about her and her upcoming novel.

Glad to speak with you today Tima!

Tell us about all about you…as the non- author first then about you as author.

I’m an archaeologist and ancient historian who turned high school teacher, and loved – almost – every minute of it. I used to take my students on excursions to Italy, France and Britain to visit archaeological sites there. Only recently I decided to quit and pursue my MPhil in Ancient History when I began to write Bloodgifted. The idea popped into my head during one summer holiday and took off from there.

That was three and a half years ago.

Since then, I’ve entered several writing competitions and came 4^th in one and 7^th in another, and only last week was offered a publishing contract.

How long have you been writing?

I only started writing fiction three and a half years ago. Before that, it was academic papers and a thesis. So, this is a huge shift for me – and I love it. I don’t know if I’ll ever go back and finish that MPhil!

What inspires you to write in the style that you do? (what genre do you write in? does it vary?)

I write paranormal romance – vampire stuff. Ever since I was a teen I loved anything to do with the mysterious, the paranormal, and vampires in particular.

Someone once said, write what you love, and what you would read. And, that’s exactly what I do.

My shelves are filled with books by Maggie Shayne, MaryJanice Davidson, Tanya Huff, Charlene Harris and Lindsay J Pryor.

How many words per day do you like to write? Is that a daily goal or weekly goal?

I don’t have a set routine, as that simply doesn’t work for me, but when I can, I try to write at least a thousand words a day. Otherwise I work on editing, plotting the next book, creating a genealogy of my characters, or planning my promo images.

What is the name of your first book? How long ago was

It printed? Where did you market it and did you have a good sale number?

My debut novel is called Bloodgifted. It’s due for release in May and I hope – like every other author on the planet –  that it ends up being a good seller. As it's not on the market yet, the rest of those questions will have to be saved for another time.

I understand you have a book series. How many books are in the series (or will be in the series when completed)? How did you come to write a series?

Yes, Bloodgifted is Book 1 in the Dantonville Legacy series. At the moment I’m planning on a trilogy, although there could be the possibility of a fourth book.

As soon as I began Bloodgifted, I knew one book would not be enough to tell the complete story. Although set in modern Sydney, the tale itself begins almost two thousand years earlier, in Roman Britain. There’s an epic quality to it.

When I’ve completed this series, I intend writing a spinoff featuring the secondary characters from Dantonville. After all, each of them has their own unique story to tell.

How do you feel about online book reading? Do you have a book that you’ve written for a digital shelf like ibooks or kindle?

I love my kindle, but I still enjoy the feel of a paperback. Bloodgifted will be released as both ebook and POD (Print-onDemand) on Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, Sony and Apple, so readers will have a choice.

Do you think it’s worth to ask buyers to purchase a digital novel for the same amount of $ as a print novel?

No, not really. The digital doesn’t include the cost of the paper, printing and cover, as well as distribution. As such my ebook will be at least $10 less than the POD.

How do you think the change in the publishing industry affects authors today?

I think it’s fantastic as it gives writers a far greater choice. Gone are the days when authors were slaves to the whims of the publishing industry. Now, we don’t have to rely on their approval.

It means a lot more work, though, but for the control freaks among us (* cough, cough*) the independence to be in charge of our own creation and earn decent royalties in return, is worth it.

If you could give a budding author advice what would it be?

Write what you love and don’t give up. Enter as many competitions as you can for the experience, but especially for the exposure. It’s good to compare your writing to the best, and always aim high. Also, join a writers group near your as they’ll be your best source of encouragement and support, as well as providing practical help with editing and critiquing your manuscript.

Can you recommend our readers a publisher that you like to work with?

There are a lot of good publishers out there and I think it’s a matter of finding the right one for you.

Recently I was offered a publishing contract, but later realized (thankfully before I signed the contract), they weren’t right for me. I’ve since decided to go indie.

If you could be a famous author, who would it be and why?

I couldn’t possibly choose just one; perhaps a combination of Maggie Shayne, Mary Janice Davidson and Lindsay J Pryor.  They write page turning stories, with great plots, interesting characters and memorable dialogue.

Tell us where we can find your book(s) and provide a link!

Okay, once my book’s released – in May – it’ll be available on Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo and other online retailers. 

The link will be on my website – http://bloodgifted.blogspot.com

On Goodreads –

http://www.goodreads.timamarialacoba.com

and on my facebook page – www.facebook.timamarialacoba.com

Thank you Tima! Keep me posted on how your new work is evolving!

You’re welcome Kristine. Thank you for asking me.

Today's Meet The Author: L.M. Sherwin

Glad to speak with you today L.M. Sherwin!  

Tell us about all about you…as the non- author first then about you as author.

First off, thank you so much for having me “over” to your blog, Kristine! It is an honor! As a non-author, I’m a pretty nerdy individual. I love reading (an addiction), drawing, playing video games, fantasy/sci-fi TV shows and movies, knitting, crochet, cooking, learning languages, creating languages....the list could go on and on, so I’ll cap it off there. ;-) In all seriousness, I have many interests and I try my best to give each one ample development time in my life. I am the wife of my high school (and college) sweetheart and we have an incredible life together. We have two fur-children in our fancy rats, Winterbell and Snowbell. :-)

I’m a fantasy/sc-fi author and I love to write books that involve magic, mystery, and family connections. My novels (at the moment) are appropriate for young adults and adults alike. I really want my books to be approachable for everyone. I published my first book, Night Bells, in August of 2012 and its sequel, Silent Shades, in November. My most recent published work is a science-fiction novella called The Dark Ship. All my recently published novels and current projects take place in a fictional universe I’ve created called The Primoris System. The idea is that humans colonized another solar system in the distant future and find that they have to start their lives over on these worlds without the technological advancements they enjoyed on Ancient Earth. Most of the colonists discover that things they only dreamed about back in their old world (things like magic) exist in their new homes!

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been writing since I was too young to hold a pen by myself! I had all these stories in my head and I rattled them off to my mother, who graciously wrote them down until I was old enough to write myself. Once that time came, there was no stopping me. I wrote short stories all growing up and we have tubs full of my old writings. In third grade, I decided I wanted to be an author when I grew up. In middle school, I started creating my own language and trying to create an epic novel. I could never quite get all the story pieces together (I honestly think it was a bit too grand for my adolescent mind), but I kept writing over the years. In college, I began my work on Night Bells and I vowed to myself that I would finish it.

After my husband and I got married, he challenged me to write an hour every day to build up my discipline as a writer. That practice changed my life. Within a year, I had written four manuscripts (one of which became Night Bells in its final version)! That was a very broad explanation for a very short answer: I’ve been writing all my life. :-)

What inspires you to write in the style that you do? (what genre do you write in? does it vary?)

As a fantasy author, I’m most naturally inspired by other novels. I love reading grand, epic stories of magic, romance, adventure, and wicked villains. An avid reader, I’ve always favored fantasy stories. As well, I’m very much influenced by my love of nature and the world around us. For me, a hike in the woods is akin to a trek through Narnia. I’m always finding new characters in my head while out on walks and spending time outside helps me to conjure up new plot ideas. My style sometimes forays into science-fiction territory and many of my fantasy works (like Night Bells and Silent Shades) have science-fiction aspects within the story.

How many words per day do you like to write? Is that a daily goal or weekly goal?

On an “average” day, I try to write 2,000 words. Because I also have a job as an administrator for a graphic design company, I have to split my time between my author-stuff and my other-job-stuff. On a day when I have little other-job-stuff to do, I can sometimes crank out 4,000 words. I was sick one day about a month ago and I was able to work in bed and write over 6,000 words! So, I suppose it varies depending on the day, but my minimum daily word-count goal is 2,000. :-)

What is the name of your first book? How long ago was

It printed? Where did you market it and did you have a good sale number?

My first book is called Night Bells and I published it last August (2012). For marketing, I mainly focus on maintaining an active Twitter account, Facebook page, and other social media outlets. I also ran an advertisement on Goodreads after I published it. While focusing primarily on these things, I also reached out to book bloggers for reviews, but most didn’t have the time. Most book bloggers these days are extremely busy and slammed with review submissions. I also tried giveaways via Goodreads with some good exposure. In “real life”, I had a book signing at a local Barnes and Noble store (which went extremely well). My sales have been steadily climbing. I’m happy with my consistent sales growth. More and more people are finding out about my books and that is the goal.

How do you feel about online book reading? Do you have a book that you’ve written for a digital shelf like ibooks or kindle?

All of my books are available for Kindle, Nook, Novel Nook, and Smashwords readers. In fact, my first book Night Bells is free in eBook form at Smashwords and Novel Nook. It is my hope that it will one day be free digitally on Amazon as well. I think eReading is a terrific model. I adore my own Kindle and have thoroughly enjoyed reading books on it. I still love print books (which is why I still publish my books in print as well), but I think eReading will continue to grow in popularity.

Do you think it’s worth to ask buyers to purchase a digital novel for the same amount of $ as a print novel?

Absolutely not. Part of the reason that print novels are (and should be) more expensive to readers is due to reproduction costs. An eBook, however, does not have to be printed and is therefore much “cheaper” to distribute. I try to price all my eBooks under $5.00 and all my print books under $15.00. I want readers to have access to my work and price should never be outrageous, in my opinion.

How do you think the change in the publishing industry affects authors today?

I think the biggest challenge with the publishing industry today is its volatile nature. What worked for authors (marketing-wise) even as recent as last fall may not work anymore. As an author today, you have to constantly “study up” on the industry to find out what is trending in marketing, what methods of publishing are working best, and how to reach readers in the most genuine, efficient way. Honestly, this aspect of publishing can be somewhat tiring, but with consistent effort, research, and social networking, it is possible to “stay ahead of the game” or at least stay “with the game”. :-)

If you could give a budding author advice what would it be?

I would tell budding authors this: It is of the utmost importance that you manage your time well. Becoming an author takes immense amounts of time, dedication, and hard work. It can be overwhelming and it can even be hard to squeeze in writing time every day when you’re busy with marketing, formatting, developing, and maintaining an online presence. If you want to succeed as an author, however, you must continue to write prolifically and get your work out to your dedicated readers. Learning to split your time between writing, marketing, publishing, and social networking is essential. You really do have to “do it all”, but the good news is that, though it is challenging, it is totally possible. :-) You can do it!

Can you recommend our readers a publisher that you like to work with?

Well, as an indie author myself, I’d tell them to go the indie route and work for yourself! In all seriousness, being an independent author is an amazing journey. Though you are solely responsible for every bit of the writing, editing, formatting, publishing, and marketing, there is something extremely satisfying about working for yourself. I don’t have to answer to a publisher about my deadlines or about my choices regarding distribution. I can choose and hire my own editors. I can develop my own cover art or hand-pick an artist. I can publish how and when I want. So, my advice would be to seriously consider your options. There is nothing wrong with going the traditional publishing route, but that was not personally the best choice for me. I have loved my time as an indie author and have no future plans to approach traditional publishers.

If you could be a famous author, who would it be and why?

I would be Juliet Marillier. She is my absolute favorite author of all-time. Her novels are so rich, beautiful, and enchanting! Daughter of the Forest, her first novel, is my favorite story ever and I have read it more times than I can reasonably count. I would be her, because her writing style speaks directly to the heart. Her words are carefully woven into a tapestry of vivid imagery and immense meaning. Her talent is astounding and I can only hope to aspire to one day be as successful as she.

Tell us where we can find your book(s) and provide a link!

Here are the places you can find each of my books! I truly hope you’ll consider checking them out and if you do, enjoy!

Night Bells : Amazon (eBook and print) // Smashwords (FREE in eBook) // Nook (eBook) // Wattpad (FREE in serialized form) // Novel Nook (FREE in eBook)

Silent Shades: Amazon (eBook and print) // Smashwords (eBook) // Nook (eBook) // Novel Nook (eBook)

The Dark Ship: Amazon (eBook and print) // Smashwords (eBook) // Nook (eBook) // Novel Nook (eBook)

Thank you for sharing! I look forward to reading your work!- Kristine Sheehan, TheMerryBird Designs