Metamorph Publishing Interviewed Me!

I recently had the opportunity to be interviewed by Marguerite Madden of Metamorph Publishing. I thought this might interest you.

First of all, welcome to my blog interview! I hope to be able to spread the word about your book to all my readers!

·         #1 Tell me a little about yourself! Where do you live, do you have a “real” job, do you have any children/pets, and so on?

I live in central Arkansas with my wonderful husband, Michael, dog Bess and two cats, Chaucer and Miss Kitty. I worked in retail management in natural foods for about 20 years. Last year, the small store I worked for went through some changes and I found myself with a lot more time to write. My wonderful husband supported my decision not to seek another full time job. I manage one website for a local company and have another very part time gig that gets me out of the house once a week. I am a work in progress and so is my writing career.

·         #2 Tell me about your latest book. What inspired you to write it? Where did you get the ideas for your plot and characters?

Marabella, Discovering Magics is my first novel. It is about an uncommon girl growing up in a place called Common Valley. She encounters hardship and tragedy in her young life but also friendship, love and magics. There are magical creatures, adventures, and a little romance included.

Several years ago I was bored and my husband suggested I write. I found a few handwritten pages in an old notebook. Always the writer, I had written an origin story for a Dungeons and Dragons character I played back in college. The story grew from that. I base various characters on people I have seen or that I know but no one character is solely based on any one person. The plot and story are already rattling around in my head. I just have to get it down.

·         #3 When did your book come out, and where can readers find it?

Marabella, Discovering Magics came out October 16, 2014. It is available at Amazon.com in paperback and on Kindle. It is also available at one local store, so far.

·         #4 What distinguishes your book/plot/characters from others? Don’t give away any spoilers, but what’s the “hook” that you think will draw the readers to your book?

I am a fan of character development so even minor characters have their own voice. Even though the setting is a fantasy world, it is populated with people you may kind of recognize. My “hook” is in the slow build up. As Marabella grows and discovers more about herself and her magics, so does the audience. She grows from precocious child to headstrong young woman. As she progresses, so does the action. I want readers to be invested in her losses, victories, mistakes, and whatever comes next.

·         #5 What would you like your readers to take away from your book? What emotions and thoughts do you hope to invoke?

I want readers to feel the loss, the friendship, and the loyalty experienced by the characters.

·         #6 Are you planning a sequel, or another book?

Marabella, Discovering Magics is book 1 in a series. So far I have two more books planned. I am currently writing book 2.

·         #7 What genre do you place your book in?

It is in the juvenile/teen fantasy category. These books are for anyone who enjoys fantasy and magic.

·         #8 How did you publish? Are you independent or do you have a publisher? How did you decide to publish?

I am self- published through Create Space. It was a learning experience and there are a few things I will do differently next time.  I was urged to publish by friends and family after they read my beta copy.

·         #9 What’s your marketing plan? Do you use social media to help you market, and if so, which ones? Do you have any new ideas for marketing that you’d like to share?

I admit I have not marketed well. I do have a blog, (http://marabellaspeaks.blogspot.com), FaceBook page, (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marabella/505991099535227), Google+ page, (Sandra Boutwell-Falcone) and website, (www.sbfalconewrites.wix.com/s-b-falcone) as well as Twitter (@Sbfalcone) LinkIn (Sandra Boutwell-Falcone) and Instagram (sbfalcone) accounts and an author page on Amazon (www.amazon.com/author/sandra.boutwell-falcone). I tried sending out postcards announcing my book but that didn’t work at all. With my tiny marketing budget already long gone, I am depending on social media and word of mouth.

·         #10 Are you a member of any writing/reading groups (i.e. Shelfari, Goodreads, Scribophile, etc.)?

 I am on Goodreads.(Sandra Boutwell-Falcone)

Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions!

Marguerite Madden

Author/Publisher

Metamorph Publishing