Interview With Hal Eisenberg

I had the lovely opportunity to interview Hal Eisenberg, author of the 2012 debut novel Overnight Sensation! Here are some questions and answers, and hopefully it will inspire you to pick up his funny book!

What made you decide to write about the music industry? Do you have any experience in that field?

Why yes! I do have experience, on both sides of the industry. From the musician’s side, I’ve played in rock bands all my life and even had a regional hit in the 80’s with my band, The Invaders for a song I wrote called, It’s A Mystery. (See if you can find the hidden clue about that in the book :) My current band has opened for a number of oldies acts including Davey Jones of the Monkees (who recently passed away), David Cassidy, and Gary Lewis and the Playboys to name a few.
 

On the business side, I have an advertising agency and have won numerous awards for my creative, working closely with celebrities on TV and radio campaigns for years, so I’ve had a lot of experience with the fame side as well. Given all these experiences, it seemed natural to base the premise of Overnight Sensation around the music industry and the highs and lows of being famous.

How did you create the characters of Jonah and his friends? Were any characters based on people you know in real life?

Oh geez, should I answer this one? Okay, yes – many of the characters were based on people I know in real life. And no, I won’t tell you who they are! This includes Jonah, his friends, Jonah’s dad and mom, Lanny Lambs, the evil president of Meglomania Media (who has a special place in my heart), and even characters with smaller roles like teachers, reporters, etc., were based on real people. Plus, there’s little tributes of places, and musical events sprinkled throughout the book - see if you can find them. And that’s all you’re going to get out of me on this question!

The way in which Jonah's band becomes an "overnight sensation" is very creative. How did you come up with that concept?

Thanks! And I’m glad you asked me this because some readers unfamiliar with the radio industry have said that the concept seemed unrealistic, when in fact it could have very well happened! Here’s how: In the old days of radio, especially FM, what kind of music the station played was typically in the hands of each station. Even the disc jockeys had a say into what songs got played. For example, it was not uncommon for a DJ to bring his own record collection to the station and play whatever he felt like! Each station was free to play whatever they felt like and the only way other stations found out about songs or bands was through other stations or through the record companies bringing them a copy of the records. In today’s world, radio station programming is not only a business, it’s a science, including focus groups, programmers, music testing, and more. Most stations today are owned by a few huge media companies, which produce or purchase syndicated blocks of music they send digitally throughout the country. For example, did you know that your favorite radio show might actually be playing on the other side of the country a few hours from now? Some even plug in local events or things happening around your city to make it seem like they’re in the local studio when in fact, are thousands of miles away. 

 

So, when Bart sent the song to the radio station and the program director for the media company, Tim, received it, he could have easily slipped the song into the station’s play list as well as placed it into the rotation of the other 900 plus radio station’s digital formats with a click of a button and presto – the song is playing all over the country at once. Are there safeguards to prevent this with most systems? Yes. But, could someone of power within the company make it happen? Yes again!

Was it difficult writing in the voice of a teenager?

Sometimes, yes. However, I’m young at heart! But the biggest help was my two teenage boys as well as their friends who would look over my dialogue and give me tips on how things should be worded and what I should definitely leave out!

 

What was it like publishing your first book?

Publishing was a scary thought until I decided to surround myself with experts. I hired a professional company, Streetlight Graphics, and worked closely with them to create and produce the cover as well as the various formats that were needed and I high recommend them. If you are going to self publish, you need a polished presentation that can stand up next to the big publishing houses. It was well worth the money and I’ll definitely follow the same path for all future books. The rest of the process was just a learning curve and once you understand how it all works, it’s not that scary at all.

 

How do you combat writer's block?

Writer’s block affects every writer now and then including me and it can be quite frustrating. What I usually do first is take a break from it all and do something completely different. If I come back to the computer and the ideas still aren’t flowing, I stop writing altogether and then right before I go to bed, I think about what I’ve written and where I want the story to go and then sleep on it. Usually the next day, the ideas start to flow again and soon enough, I’m right back in the story.

Sometimes you can get so deep into what you’re writing that it can overwhelm you. So, the best thing to do is step back and do something else and “refresh” your creative juices. It works!

 

Since your book is about music, what are some your favorite bands/musicians?

First, there’s the classic bands and artists like The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Chicago, The Doobie Brothers, Earth Wind and Fire, Steely Dan, America, The Raspberries (some of the greatest pop rock ever created, Google them), Todd Rundgren, Van Morrison, Billy Joel, Elton John, oh my gosh - the list goes on forever. Then there’s my current faves like John Mayer, Justin Timberlake, Mayer Hawthorne, Linkin Park, Cold Play (they’re in the book!), Maroon 5, Neon Trees, Katy Perry, Train, etc. I’m really into all types of music from blues to funk to rock. Each genre is like a flavor of ice cream and I love to taste them all…

 

Do you have any recommendations for people who want to become writers?

Write what you know. Write about what excites you. You’re going to be tempted to write what is popular. Don’t do it. If you’re into paranormal romance, or steampunk, then write about it. But if you’re not, and your heart’s not into it, don’t even try because there are far too many writers out there who are passionate about those genres and do an excellent job. My second piece of advice is don’t give up no matter what. If you’re in the middle of writing your first novel and you start to feel it’s total crap, keep writing because the next day, you’ll be inspired and the words you wrote the day before will suddenly seem brilliant. Or, if after you’ve finished your novel and some reviewer trashes it, just smile, keep writing that second novel, and concentrate on all the good reviews you get. Remember – not everyone is going to like your book. Even authors like J. K. Rowling have learned this. You absolutely can’t please everyone, but then again, you’re not writing for everyone. You’re writing because you love to write and the reviewers that “get” your book and appreciate your passion and style will reflect that in their reviews.

 

Thanks for reading this long winded blather. And a HUGE thank you to Megan for interviewing me.

For more information about Overnight Sensation go to:

Author’s website:www.hal-eisenberg.com

http://www.amazon.com/Overnight-Sensation-ebook/dp/B008C2YVSA

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/overnight-sensation-hal-eisenberg/1111609853

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/175512

 

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15725127-overnight-sensation

Watch the YouTube book trailor: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TN2PStT3zU

Thanks Hal for answering my questions!

Emma Michaels Interview

I had the pleasure of interviewing Emma Michaels, whose debut novel The Thirteenth Chime will be released on August 13, 2010. The Thirteenth Chime is a YA fantasy novel about a mysterious clock with a hidden power. For more information on Emma or her book, visit her website or her blog.

About Your Book:

Where did you come up with the concept?
The concept came from several ideas that I had since coming to Washington State. I love it here - it is so beautiful and green, yet there is water everywhere. You could step outside one day and write a book and then the next, go out to the exact same area and have a completely different yet wonderful idea. On the night in question, there was a storm hitting the area where I live and it had knocked out the power. We went next door to share a few candles and the storm raged outside. Suddenly, the howling of the wind died down and for a moment there was silence. Then the antique grandfather clock in the house began to chime. The sound echoed throughout the house and it made me unconsciously reach out to grab someone's hand, wanting to feel a bond in that moment. It was in that moment that the inspiration for "The Thirteenth Chime" was born.

How does The Thirteenth Chime stand out from other paranormal fantasy novels that are being published?
It is very unique in that there is currently no other book like it on the market. It also has a different flair to the writing-style that I use and I believe that readers will be able to be lost in the realism of the characters. Other than that, I guess my readers will have to decide!

Why did you choose a clock to be the focus of your book?
It was due to the inspiration I had that night during the storm. I spent almost two years researching the locations, concept and other factors within the book before I began writing. I am really pleased with the result and I hope potential fans will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing the book.

Is The Thirteenth Chime a standalone novel or part of a series?
A)It is intended to be a part of my series "A Sense of Truth". "The Thirteenth Chime" is the first book in the series and it is my hope that if potential fans really enjoy it, I will be writing several sequels.

On Writing:

Describe your road to publication.
Getting published was difficult at first due to the amount of standard form rejections I received from agents. When I began querying publishers directly on my own, however, it was very different and encouraging. When you receive over a hundred rejections and then suddenly you begin receiving praise and offers, you start to wonder about what was going on at first. What I think I enjoyed most about publication was getting to talk directly to the publishers and finding out their expectations from the market, their thoughts on my novel, what they recommended and above all how much input would I have before, during and after the release. Fortunately, the publisher I ended up going with has been wonderful in hearing out my ideas. What was even better is that not only did they hear me out, they loved most of my ideas and they helped to make it a reality.

How do you pick your characters' names?
David's name was very important and it was decided early on. Destiny's name, however, took a bit longer. It was not until my fiance made a comment about how she just seemed to "be David's destiny" that I realized what her name should be. As to the other characters in the book, I often feel as though they chose their own names. I think when potential fans read the book, they will understand what I mean about the characters.

Do you have any specifications as to when or where you write? For example, do you write with music in the background?
I prefer writing at my desk with my main laptop and mini. I will sometimes listen to music when I write, but usually I do that when I am writing an emotional scene and I need to feel a certain way.

How do you combat writer's block?
I combat it by writing every day, preferably at the same time of day. I work out and do Yoga - which is very important to keeping yourself healthy, especially if you do a lot of typing because you will need to have great circulation to keep up with it. I also make sure I get out into the world I write about whenever possible in order to refresh my view and find new inspiration. Bottom line - it is going to happen, but it is how you prepare and handle it that makes the difference. Even if you can't think of 'what' to write, just write! It doesn't matter what it is as long as you keep writing and then before you know it, you are back in your groove.

For Fun:

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what three things would you bring?
Oh the irony considering I live on an island and I have been stranded on it *laughs*. Before I came to Washington, I was a city girl. After I met and began dating my now fiance, I never would have thought of half of the things that it is important to keep an hand. But let's see, three fun items... definitely no clocks! A piece of chocolate (why not?), a hat and a good book. Believe it or not, it's functional, serves multiple purposes and I'm still waiting on a few book releases as a good possibility!

What was your favorite book as a child?
Tamora Pierce's "In the Hand of the Goddess".

List one interesting fact about yourself.
I did a lot of fencing in my teens and I continue to love it to this day. Luckily, my fiance enjoys it too!

Thank you so much for having me here and interviewing me and to everyone reading! Your support means so much to me and I hope you will love "TheThirteenth Chime"!!!!

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Thank you Emma for participating in this interview! Please check out Emma's new book, The Thirteenth Chime, this Friday when it is released!

Interview with Linda Weaver Clarke

Since it's Book Bloggers' Appreciation Week, I have a special treat for you: an author interview! I had the pleasure of interviewing Linda Weaver Clarke, a historical fiction novelist whose newest books, David and the Bear Lake Monster and Elena, Woman of Courage, were released this past summer. Linda also runs a Family Legacy Workshop, where she travels around the country teaching people how to write about their ancestry.

Short Bio

Linda Weaver Clarke was raised on a farm surrounded by the rolling hills of southern Idaho and has made her home in southern Utah among the beautiful red mountains. She travels throughout the United States, teaching a “Family Legacy Workshop” at libraries, encouraging others to turn their family history and autobiography into stories. Clarke is the author of the historical fiction series, “A Family Saga in Bear Lake, Idaho,” which includes the following novels: Melinda and the Wild West - a semi-finalist for the “Reviewers Choice Award 2007,” Edith and the Mysterious Stranger, Jenny’s Dream, David and the Bear Lake Monster, and Elena, Woman of Courage.

Interview

Family Legacy Workshop

Can you tell us about the Family Legacy Workshop?
I teach people how to take their family history or their own autobiography and turn it into interesting stories. It’s important to teach our children their heritage. Each of us has a story from our ancestors to tell. If these stories are unwritten, then they’ll be lost forever. Our children need to be proud of their ancestors. To read samples of what you can do with your stories, visit my website at http://www.lindaweaverclarke.com/ and read the “short stories” of my ancestors.

How is writing about ancestry different than writing fiction?
When writing your own ancestors stories, everything is taken from biographies, letters, or autobiographies. Sometimes, they’re stories that have been handed down for generations. Leon Garfield said: “The historian, if honest, gives us a photograph; the storyteller gives us a painting.” What I’m teaching people to do is how to paint their stories, to be the storyteller.

What kind of information do people need to have before they start writing their family history?
First, write down any experiences that you remember. Talk to family members and discuss memories. Use letters they wrote to one another. If possible, go to the area your ancestors settled, walk around, find specific places of importance, where your ancestors lived, went to school, and played. If you can’t go there, then do research and find pictures of that area. Time Period is another important part of research. Find out what the country was going through, and insert it in the history of your ancestor. The turmoil of a country helps you to understand what your family went through and why they suffered. Did they live during the depression, and if so, how did it affect them? If they lived during war times, it helps your children understand why their grandparents had such tough times. When writing my father’s biography, I found out that in 1942 they rationed gas to three gallons a week. To me, that was amazing. How about prices? Did it cost ten cents to go to the movies and five cents for an ice cream cone? And what flavors existed? Did they travel by horse and buggy or a Model T Ford?

What have you learned from traveling all over the United States?
I have learned that many, many people are interested in writing their family history. I have met wonderful people who are family oriented or want to bridge the gape between them and their children by writing their stories down.

I see that you work with abused teenagers. What techniques do you use to teach writing as a therapeutic tool?
Writing can be a healing process. When writing your own autobiography or even fiction, it helps to express your innermost feelings and desires. What I teach the youth are the writing techniques that will help them put a story together. We discuss setup, characters, plot, and the importance of conflict and emotion. The secret of holding a reader is using emotion. It’s the difference between a slow or a lively recounting of a story. The greatest reward I received was the hug of a young teenager.

Your Books

What is your historical fiction novel David and the Bear Lake Monster about?
It’s about deep-rooted legends, long family traditions, and a few mysterious events! While visiting the Roberts family, David finds himself entranced with one very special lady and ends up defending her honor several times. Sarah isn’t like the average woman. This beautiful and dainty lady has a disability that no one seems to notice. He finds out that Sarah has gone through more trials than the average person. She teaches him the importance of not dwelling on the past and how to love life. After a few teases, tricks, and mischievous deeds, David begins to overcome his troubles, but will it be too late? Will he lose the one woman he adores? And how about the Bear Lake Monster? Does it really exist?

What kind of research did you have to do to write that novel?
It was so much fun to research. My great grandmother, Sarah Eckersley Robinson, was my inspiration. I wanted to use her experiences for my heroine to bring some reality into my story. As a child, she lost her hearing but she never let her deafness stop her from living life to its fullness. I took a lot of her experiences from her biography and gave them to my heroine to bring some reality into my story.

Sarah was known as one of the most graceful dancers in town. My mother told me that she glided across the floor with ease, with just a touch of her partner’s hand. Sarah had such agility and gracefulness while swimming, that people actually threw coins in the water so they could watch her dive after them. Once an intruder hid in her bedroom under her bed, thinking he could take advantage of her since she was deaf. He must have thought she was an easy victim but was sadly mistaken. She swatted him out from under her bed with a broom, and all the way out of the house, and down the street for a couple blocks, whacking him as she ran. What a courageous woman! Because of my admiration for my great grandmother, I named my character “Sarah.”

In my research about the “hearing impaired,” and talking to a friend who became deaf in her youth, I became educated about the struggles they have to bear. I didn’t realize that concentrating on reading lips for long periods of time could be such a strain, resulting in a splitting headache. After all my research, I found that I had even more respect for my great grandmother and her disability.

Now you may wonder about the Bear Lake Monster and how it fits into my story. Is it fiction or non-fiction? Well, my book is considered historical fiction so I decided to add some parts of history that may sound incredible to you but actually happened.

The mystery of the Bear Lake Monster has been an exciting part of Idaho history ever since the early pioneers arrived. Some people claimed to have seen it and gave descriptions of it. The monster’s eyes were flaming red and its ears stuck out from the sides of its skinny head. Its body was long, resembling a gigantic alligator, and it could swim faster than a galloping horse. Of course, it only came out in the evening or at dusk.

Throughout the years, no one has ever disproved the Bear Lake Monster. A bunch of scientists tried to discredit the monster and said it was a huge codfish that was shipped in from the East but could not prove this theory. Does the Bear Lake Monster exist? Whatever conclusion is drawn, the legend still lives on and brings a great deal of mystery and excitement to the community.

Why did you choose to write historical fiction?
I love to learn about the past. It has always intrigued me but one of the greatest reasons was because I had just finished writing my ancestors’ stories and their experiences were still vivid in my mind. They settled in Paris, Idaho so I decided to set my Òfamily sagaÓ in Bear Lake Valley and then gave some of my fictional characters their experiences. To me, it brings a story to life. For example: In “Melinda and the Wild West,” I inserted an experience that happened to my dad. When he was young, his father asked him to bury the skunks he had shot. Before my dad buried them, he drained their scent glands into a bottle. He called it “skunk oil.” Then he took it to school to show his friends. While explaining how he had done it, he must have gotten a little too excited because he accidentally dropped the bottle and it splattered on the floor. The scent of concentrated skunk oil permeated the room with a stench that was indescribable. Everyone ran out of the school as fast as their little legs would go. And the teacher followed close behind. My father said that he was a hero for one day because he got school out for his classmates. This novel eventually won an award as one of the semi-finalists for the “Reviewers Choice Award 2007.”

In “Edith and the Mysterious Stranger,” I based this story around the courtship of my parents. They wrote letters to one another before they ever met. She said that she fell in love with the soul of my father, what was deep down inside and they didn’t even know what one another looked like. The day they met, my mother told me that her heart leapt within her and a warm glow filled her soul and she knew she would marry this man. I knew this would be the basis of my next novel, but there’s one difference. In my story, you don’t know who the mysterious stranger is until the end of the book. Some readers guessed right while others were pleasantly surprised.

You

What do you like most about being an author?
I love uplifting others with my stories. To bring a smile or a laugh to a weary person makes it all worthwhile. I also enjoy teaching others to write and see the enthusiasm in their faces.

How did you know that you wanted to be a writer?
I have always loved writing, but it wasn’t until I wrote my own ancestor’s stories that I realized how much I loved it. Afterward, I couldn’t stop writing so I turned to historical fiction.

Is there any other information you think the readers would like to know about?
Oh yes! “Elena, Woman of Courage” is the last in this series and was just released. It’s set in 1925. It was a blast to research. I found words that I didn’t even know such as: Cat’s pajamas! Ah, horsefeathers! Attaboy! Baloney! You slay me! When referring to a woman, they used doll, tomato, and bearcat. When a person was in love, he was goofy. If a person was a fool, he was a sap. And when a woman wasn’t in the mood for kissing or romance, she would say, “The bank’s closed.” I was able to use all these words and much more in my book. The language was great!

It’s about a “Happy-go-lucky Bachelor” that is completely fascinated with a woman doctor: Elena Yeates. Of course, women weren’t encouraged to go to college back then, let alone become a doctor, and this fascinates him to no end. With the 1920’s rise of women’s rights, this novel gives you an insight at the struggles women had to go through, while watching a young love blossom! To read an excerpt, visit http://www.lindaweaverclarke.com/samplechapters.html.

Thank you so much Linda for doing this interview with me! I, and the other readers, have certainly learned a lot about you, your books, and the Family Legacy Workshop. If you would like to learn more about Linda Weaver Clarke, please visit her website.

Author Interview: Michael Cadnum

Awhile back, I interviewed Michael Cadnum, an award-winning historical fiction novelist. I'm just posting the review now, to coincide with the release of his new book Peril on the Sea.

Michael's Bio
Michael Cadnum is an award-winning poet, a professional photographer, an amateur archaeologist, and he is learning new respect for spiders. He lives in Albany, California, with his wife Sherina.

1. How much of Peril on the Sea is fact and how much is fiction?
In terms of time and place, duration of violence, strength of the storms, and the outcome, this is a true story. Many of the characters are actual people, and they stride forward in my novel as history records that they did. My own fictional characters allowed me an extra gift-- they gave me the power to see through their eyes, and smell the battle, and feel the salt gales. I have discovered in my travels and my reading that very often fiction can deliver true events more vividly and accurately than the historical record.

2. Why did you choose to write about pirates battling the Spanish Armada?
I have always felt that the nimble, smaller vessels of the English should have been dominated by the soldier-heavy warships of the Spanish. My amazement continues that this sea battle--which took many days, and cost many lives--turned out the way it did. In Fletcher’s era, much of government was on-the-cheap, with the crown hiring pirates instead of investing in a far-flung navy. I was reminded of the way Americans have hired private security companies to supplement regular armed forces in the Middle East. Such mercenaries are hard to control, then and now.

While there is much to admire about her reign, Queen Elizabeth’s government profited by the proceeds of professional, licensed pirates. It was an open question in my mind who was more criminal--the queen, or the sailing men who served her.

3. How much research did you have to do for the writing of this book?
I think of my writing as being based on my life. I love to travel and I love to read. I visited all the places mention in Peril on the Sea, but I had no idea that I was getting ready to write a novel. I was simply doing what I enjoy. Likewise, I have fooled around with foils and fencing, for fun. (I found the experiment painful, by the way--no wonder fencers wear heavy padding!) There comes a time when I realize that I know enough about a subject, a place or an event to write a novel or a poem.

I don’t think I choose my subjects--I think they choose me.
Incidentally, there is an example of a historical on my Poems and Pictures page. The poem is called Concrete, and is written in a voice nothing like my own personal voice.

Sometimes writing is like a séance. Every so often I feel that I am more medium than writer.

4. Captain Fletcher was a multi-faceted character: a pirate with a sense of morals. What was your inspiration for him?
It is a fair question to ask what possessed Captain Fletched to pay me an imaginative sojourn and allow me to write about him.

I owe my characters a great deal, and I color-in their lives with a feeling that I am the fictional being--these imaginative creatures are the ones who are alive.
Fletcher is exactly the kind of captain I would like to sail with--he loves adventure, is protective of his men, he designed his own ship and cherishes her, and he is capable of great sorrow when he loses a friend.

5. I especially liked the name Rosebriar for Katharine's family's ship. Where did you come up with the names for all the ships?
This is a wonderful era to visit--everything the Elizabethans touched seemed to flower into poetry.

The harbors of the era bristled with ships named things like the Bull, the Dainty, and the Delight. Not to mention the Foresight and the Fancy. Add a few well-known names like the Golden Hinde and the Mayflower, and you have to wonder why we have such dull names for ships in our own era.

This rich invention extended even to practical items like door knockers and the arms of chairs. The Elizabethan designers were apparently unhappy unless everything from fireplace pokers to sword hilts were decorated with fanciful lions or eagles, griffins or whales.

6. How long did it take you to write Peril on the Sea?
Because this novel was rooted in my love of the ocean, my respect for friendship, and my keen interest in ships and adventure, there is no starting point for the creation of this novel. In a way, I bid this novel farewell into the hands of readers only conditionally. In deep personal sense, I never began this novel, and I never ended it.

Thanks to Michael Cadnum for taking part in my interview. If you want to find out more about Michael or his books, visit his website.

Blogger Profile: Mrs. Magoo

I had the pleasure of interviewing Mrs. Magoo of Mrs. Magoo Reads.

Name/Alias: Sophie, alias Mrs. Magoo
Blog Name: Mrs. Magoo Reads
Blog URL: http://www.mrsmagooreads.com/

Can you tell us about yourself and your blog? I'd love to! I review YA books (although I have a Mini Magoo feature, for kids books, and Mama Magoo, for adult books). Every Saturday I have Saturday's Scribe: an interview or guest blog with an author. I also have Movie Monday, where every Monday I make a video out of one of my reviews and also give away a copy of the book I reviewed.

Why did you start a book blog? At first, I just thought it would be cool to have a blog! I decided to blog about something I love, books.

What special features does your blog have? Movie Monday is my main special feature. As far as I know, not many other blogs have review videos. Also having weekly contests to go with it is fun!

How often do you write reviews? This really depends. Sometimes I'll go two weeks without reviewing a book and sometimes I'll review a book a day for a week. It just depends on how much homework I have and if I'm in the mood to be reviewing.

What do you like best about blogging? Now that my stats are increasing, I love the idea that people actually read and value my opinions. But hey, the free books are great, too. =)

Do you have any tips for aspiring book bloggers? Make your blog unique. Now that there are hundreds of blogs out there, you want there to be a reason that people will go to your blog and not some other person's.

Thanks for answering my questions, Sophie! If you want to read Sophie's interview of me, click here. I'm also giving away a copy of You Are So Undead To Me by Stacey Jay at Mrs. Magoo Reads, so head over there to win it!

Author Interview: SarahBeth Carter

Wow, I am so excited! The first author interview on Simply Books! And right on time for Book Bloggers' Appreciation Week. So the author I interviewed was SarahBeth Carter, and she wrote Meeting Lizzy, which is being released Friday, September 19. I reviewed Meeting Lizzy a few months ago for Flamingnet and you can read my review here.

SarahBeth's Bio

SarahBeth is the author of LJW Publishing's first fiction book: Meeting Lizzy. She can't seem to stop reading and at times it seems that writing is her only form of effective communication. SarahBeth graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in English Literature followed by a slew of previous majors that she thoroughly enjoyed experimenting with. She's married with two kids and sometimes wonders if she has come home to an insane asylum, but then...isn't that normal? She someday wants to spend the night in an Irish castle and possibly, if it's allowed, touch one of the stones at Stonehenge.


About Meeting Lizzy

What was your inspiration for the book?

I can remember the exact moment at which Meeting Lizzy began. I was driving home from a night class at ASU in the rain. The freeway was pretty empty and I was enjoying the drive and the sound of the rain. I turned the radio on and was flipping through stations. One song mentioned domestic violence and another mentioned the age old question of identity from a teen perspective. That’s really all it took for my overactive imagination to jump right in and fill the rest of the drive home with the first scene that unfolds in the prologue. I jumped on the computer and started typing as soon as I got home.

How did you create the characters Cy and Lizzy? Were they based on real people?

Cy and Lizzy weren’t based on real people, but Cy and Lizzy do feature random quirks and traits of people I know. For instance, Cy’s buffalo wing eating technique came straight from my husband, Justin. (Sad, right?) And I have personally made the mistake of trying to get from point A to point B barefoot during an Arizona summer which also finds its way into the story. I’m a firm believer in fiction reflecting reality, but I always feel pretty safe in my musings since actually recreating a person I know on paper would be next to impossible. There are so many perspectives of a person that I won’t ever get to see. I only see what they give me and that’s going to be totally different than the person they give their husband, their mother, their teacher or a stranger on the street.


The book's plot revolves around teen dating violence. Why did you decide to include this issue?

Domestic violence has always been a haunting issue for me. Not because I’ve been personally affected by it, but because it seems like one of the most confusing, terrifying and hopeless situations I could ever imagine finding myself in. I’ve always been in awe of people strong enough to stand up when the person they depend on for strength when they’re running low becomes the person pushing them down. I hope that I could be one of those people, but imagination can only take you so far and even then…imagining something and actually doing it are two very different things.

The more I got into the story the more I realized that violence in teen relationships is a wider spread issue than the general public realizes. I hope that I did a decent job of portraying the situation and that someone, somewhere will read the book and use their new awareness of teen dating violence to recognize it in a friend who needs help or to avoid falling into an abusive relationship themselves.

Now that the book will be released in less than a week, how do you feel? Nervous? Excited? Happy?

Nervous and excited about covers it, I suppose. Every now and then I’ll have a giddy, “I did it!” moment: when I see my book on a shelf, when I get an email from a stranger who loves the characters as much as I do, when a random post pops up online discussing the storyline presented in Meeting Lizzy and recommending it to other readers. It’s an amazing process and I’m so glad I’ve been able to have the experience.

On Writing

What is the hardest part about the writing process?

The hardest part of the writing process for me is when the initial character and story rush ends and I’m left with the basic story and someplace to go and a lot of blanks when it comes to exactly how I need to get there. The easiest way for me to get over it is to print off everything I’ve put down and cut it into pieces. Then it’s a huge jigsaw puzzle on my office floor with blank pieces for the spots that need something new or a transition, etc.


Do you have any weird quirks about writing? For example, you can only write when it's dark outside.

I do almost always write when it’s dark outside. I don’t think it has anything to do with the fact that it’s dark. I think it is more the fact that it’s a time during which I can have total control over my environment because no one else is in it. All my favorite people are asleep that could normally distract me from my train of thought. Strangers don’t normally knock on my door in the middle of the night and phone calls are rare. I’m the only one that disrupts the silence and that’s the main requirement for me when I’m writing.

How do you combat writer's block?

When I’m stuck I’ll gather songs and make a playlist that reminds me of the characters I’m working with or the situation I’m trying to get down on paper. It usually works for me, but I have to admit that sometimes it just doesn’t. Sometimes I just have to turn off my computer, put my notes down and spend my writing time going out to a movie with the girls instead. Distraction is a fabulously effective fall back for writer’s block.

Getting To Know You

What was your favorite book growing up?

One of my favorite books growing up was The Witch of Blackbird Pond. I also really loved Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising series. Luckily, I’m absolutely fine with re-reading so I can still enjoy them today.

Did you always want to be a writer?

I actually did always want to be a writer. I wanted to be an artist, too, so I’m at a 50% success rate. But I’m totally good with that!

In your bio, it says you "experimented" with different majors before settling on English Literature. What other majors did you experiment with?


When I think of my range of majors I have to laugh. Let’s see if I can hit all of them for you. I believe I actually declared most of the majors at one point or another, but some may have changed before I put any official paperwork through: Exercise Science, Dance, Nutrition, Architecture, Speech & Hearing Science and then…English Literature! Not really that many really, but definitely plenty! My first inclination was English Literature, but I had several people advising me that it wouldn’t be a smart choice and that it would really limit me when it came to using my degree to get a good job after graduation. I should have gone in to talk to an English Literature counselor from the beginning. It’s really one of the most versatile degrees you can get; it can lead in so many different directions that you’ve got a lot of options.

Just For Fun

If you were on a deserted island, what one movie would you bring?

Love movies…and this answer would change frequently, but at the moment I’m thinking “Disturbia.”

Tell us a random fact about yourself.

I am third in a family of seven children.

Any last comments?

Thanks! It was fun running through your questions.

Thank you, SarahBeth! If you want to more information on the book, click here, or if you want to visit SarahBeth's blog, click here.

BBAW Interview: Dewey from The Hidden Side of the Leaf

When Amy from My Friend Amy started this whole Book Blogger's Appreciation Week, she emailed us to ask if anyone wanted to interview a fellow Book Blogger. I said yes, and my interview partner was Dewey from The Hidden Side of the Leaf. You can read her interview of me here.

1. How did you get started book review blogging?
I started my blog because I wanted a place to write about my reading. I didn't expect to have an audience (at first I didn't even have comments turned on) and I didn't expect to become involved in the book blogosophere. But now I participate in all sorts of blogging activities, and I'm really interested in book bloggers as a community.


2. What do you like the most about blogging?
I think what I like most is making new friends. But I also really like all the free books that come my way and hearing about good books from other bloggers.

3. What are your favorite books and/or genre?
My favorite genre is probably what is known as literary fiction, although I don't really like that term. I have so many favorite books that I wouldn't know where to start. But I think that my favorite book I've read so far this year is Purple Hibiscus.

4. If you could meet one author, who would you meet and why? Probably Margaret Atwood. I heard her speak once, and it left me wanting to ask her a thousand questions. She's just such a brilliant person, and I love the way she thinks.

5. What advice would you give aspiring book reviewers?
I hear people belittling their own ideas by saying they can't review books or don't have anything interesting to say. I think they should just trust in themselves and know that their reactions are just as meaningful as anyone else's.