Farah Oomerbhoy

Author of The Avalonia Chronicles

launching a book

Interview with Author Lisa Manterfield

Interview with Author Lisa Manterfield - FarahOomerbhoy.com

Today I’m pleased to welcome author Lisa Manterfield to the blog. I hope you enjoy getting to meet Lisa and don’t forget to check out her book and giveaway at the end of the interview!

1. What made you decide to start writing?

Writers often talk about the idea that won’t leave them alone. I had one of those and knew I had to do something with it. It was a topic I was exploring in my real life and writing seemed to offer some answers, or at least a way to explore ideas. I wrote it as a screenplay first, but could never get it to be the story I needed to tell. Eventually, I tried it as a novel and I knew I’d found the perfect outlet. I wrote a lot of other things in between, including two non-fiction books, but that original idea eventually became my first novel, A Strange Companion.

2. Do you prefer series or standalone books?

Standalone. I like to explore new worlds when I read, so I don’t tend to stick with a series for more than a book or two. Harry Potter is the only series I’ve ever seen through to completion. I love writing stand-alone novels because each one is a fresh canvas and a whole world of possibilities. That’s both the fun and the challenging part of writing standalones.

3. In your fiction you often cover serious themes like death and grief, how do you balance these themes in your work?

In real life, I’m quite a cheerful person, so it’s sort of funny to me that I explore death and grief so much in my writing. Fortunately, I’m also a sucker for a good love story, so even in the darkest stories, there’s still room for a flicker of love to burn. And my supporting characters often bring lighter moments to my books. Without them, I think my stories could be very sad. Instead, they’re hopeful.

4. Can you give us one fact about The Smallest Thing we should know?

The nugget of trivia is that it’s a contemporary novel inspired by the true story of the plague village of Eyam, a village that voluntarily imposed a quarantine on itself back in 1665. A little behind-the-scenes detail about my updated version is that Aiden, who plays an important and juicy role in the book, was born out of a one-sentence writing prompt. All of a sudden, this character marched onto the page and took my main character—and my writing group—by storm. His arrival changed the whole trajectory of the novel and I’m so glad it did.

5. What is one wish you have for your book?

You always hope that people will love the book and tell everyone, of course. But I also hope that readers will take away the message that even the smallest of good deeds can make a huge impact on other people’s lives. With so much going on in the world right now and so many calls to protest and take action, it’s easy to lose sight of the fact that one small gesture of kindness can change a person’s entire day, maybe even their life.

6. Do you have any other creative hobbies?

I love the theatre and I love to dance. I like to cook, garden, and knit, too. But the truth is that these hobbies have taken a back seat recently as I’ve thrown all my creative energy into writing. Now that The Smallest Thing is out in the world, I hope to get back to some of those other outlets. I took my first tap dancing class earlier this year. It was so much fun (not to mention great exercise) and I’d like to pick that up again.

7. What is the best advice you would give to young writers?

Write for yourself first. Write the stories you want to tell and then figure out where they fit in the world. Because publishing has changed so much, almost any kind of story can find readers who will love it. I think it’s also important to find a community of writers to grow up with. Whether you go to a writers’ conference, find a local group, or join an online community, you need to find people you can trust to give honest and useful feedback, and to support you through the hard parts as well as the celebrations.

8. What can readers look forward to from you next?

I have a collection of short stories that will come out later this year. I’m also in the early stages of a new novel. At the moment, I’m still playing around with several ideas, including one set partly during World War II and featuring a character from A Strange Companion. This might be as close to writing a series as I ever get. But I don’t want to make too many rash promises at this point, as my novels tend to evolve into something quite different to my original idea. I’m in the very early stages right now and anything could happen.

About the Author:

Lisa ManterfieldLisa Manterfield is the award-winning author of A Strange Companion and I’m Taking My Eggs and Going Home: How One Woman Dared to Say No to Motherhood. Her work has appeared in The Saturday Evening Post, Los Angeles Times, and Psychology Today. Originally from northern England, she now lives in Southern California with her husband and over-indulged cat. Learn more at LisaManterfield.com.

Find Lisa online:
Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

About the Book:

The Smallest Thing by Lisa ManterfieldThe very last thing 17-year-old Emmott Syddall wants is to turn out like her dad. She’s descended from ten generations who never left their dull English village, and there’s no way she’s going to waste a perfectly good life that way. She’s moving to London and she swears she is never coming back.

But when the unexplained deaths of her neighbors force the government to quarantine the village, Em learns what it truly means to be trapped. Now, she must choose. Will she pursue her desire for freedom, at all costs, or do what’s best for the people she loves: her dad, her best friend Deb, and, to her surprise, the mysterious man in the HAZMAT suit?

Inspired by the historical story of the plague village of Eyam, this contemporary tale of friendship, community, and impossible love weaves the horrors of recent news headlines with the intimate details of how it feels to become an adult—and fall in love—in the midst of tragedy.

Amazon

The Smallest Thing by Lisa Manterfield Official Blog Tour

Follow along with the tour:

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How Wattpad Changed One Writer’s Life

How Wattpad Changed One Writer's Life

Today I’m pleased to welcome fellow Wattpadre author (Wattpadres is a group of 12 Wattpad authors) Darly Jamison to the blog. I hope you enjoy learning about Wattpad from Darly and don’t forget to check out her book! 

My journey on Wattpad began in the early morning hours of February 20, 2014 after reading an author’s bio that mentioned the site. The idea of millions of stories available to read for free completely intrigued me, and when I discovered anyone could upload content I quickly opened my account.

I lurked around for quite a while, reading and just trying to figure out what made the place tick. Then one day, I decided to dive into a story of my own. I’d had a couple of ideas rolling around inside my head and now I finally had a place to put them. Growing up, I’d always dreamed of writing but figured something like that would never be possible. My college education consisted mainly of journalism and medical courses, how would someone like me ever be able to write a story?

But I did! The first novella I added to Wattpad, Chasing Neverland, is complete at about 26,000 words, and my second, Strawberry Wine, came in around 38,000 words. I had actually done it. I’d completed two short stories and low and behold, I even had a few readers! That’s when things became interesting.

My third story, The Secret, inspired by the movie Sleeping with the Enemy, finished at nearly 60,000 words and today has over three and a half million views.  It also won a 2014 HQ Love Watty Award which came as a huge surprise! Readers became so involved in that story they asked for a sequel, which is now complete as well. It’s called Secrets and Lies. The feedback I receive from readers and writing friends is invaluable, and every story I add feels stronger than the last. And right now that’s my goal: to improve my craft.

My biggest accomplishment to date came when I added my story Strawberry Wine into a contest sponsored by Wattpad and Kensington Publishing. I didn’t think anything would come of it. In fact, I felt silly after submitting. After all, I was a novice writer! But several weeks later, after Wattpad readers voted on their favorite submission, I found out Strawberry Wine had made it into the finals. I couldn’t believe it! Yet still … I didn’t think I stood a chance at winning the grand prize, a publishing contract with Kensington, so I forced the entire competition out of my mind.

When I received the congratulatory message in my inbox from Kensington on April 13, 2015, I thought I was dreaming. I walked away from my computer and then came back only to find the message still there. Then I logged out of Wattpad and logged back in and the message was still there! All I could do was stare. How in the world had they chosen me as the winner?  I had read some of the submissions … they were amazing. I figured it had to be a mistake, or worse — someone’s idea of a cruel joke. I remember calling my husband at work and the first thing he asked was, “Did you hear about the contest?” He actually remembered the date the winner was to be announced even though I’d made it a point to forget. I told him about the message I received and he yelled out to the guys at work, “She won”! On one hand I was horrified he had told people my secret (no one in my real life, other than him, knew I’d started writing) but on the other hand, I was touched that he cared about it as much as he did.

I contacted the editor assigned to me and wrote everything she said down … and it’s a good thing I did because that conversation is a blur! She told me I would need to add 40,000 words to the original manuscript because it was not long enough to be considered a romance novel, and she advised me to start a Facebook page and Twitter account, along with a website and blog. To be honest, I walked around in a daze for the first couple of weeks. I was so overwhelmed! But Kensington has been so helpful and supportive. They’ve welcomed me into their family and I feel so lucky to be working with them.

Strawberry Wine is set to be released on January 31st, 2017. I recently had the opportunity to view the new cover and it’s beautiful — the art department did an amazing job! I can’t wait to share it with the world.

I still have to pinch myself when I think about everything! To know that my book will soon be sitting on the shelves of stores like Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million never fails to bring a tear to my eye. And the kindness and encouragement I have received from Wattpad and readers and writers alike is humbling. None of this would be happening without their support.

Recently, my editor asked me to pitch another story idea, perhaps even a series based in the town where Strawberry Wine takes place. Nothing is set in stone but it sounds promising! 

I still can’t believe this is happening, but it is. And my publication story is only one of many. Finding Wattpad has changed my life. It can change yours, too.

About the Author:
Darly JamisonDarly Jamison is a Midwestern girl who lived as a Southern Belle in a previous life. She has an incurable addiction to John Hughes movies and is possibly the only person in the history of the world to be fired from the library for reading on the job.

When not writing, Darly can be found hanging out with her husband and children or trying to perfect her chocolate cheesecake recipe. Her debut novel Strawberry Wine will be released through Kensington Publishing January 31st, 2017.

Connect with her on her website, Twitter, Facebook, and Wattpad.

Pre-order on Amazon

Why Book Covers Are So Important

Quartz Feather

I’m honored to be on Quartz Feather for a guest post, Why Book Covers Are So Important. Read the excerpt below and check out the full post on Quartz Feather.

It is quite easy to say, “don’t judge a book by its cover.” But the truth is we all do it.

One of the most important things that you can do for your book is to get the cover design right. This is after you get your book professionally edited of course. Even if the cover is spectacular, if the book is riddled with mistakes and plot holes readers won’t finish it.

The cover of your book is the face of your story, it is the best marketing tool you have. If your cover is beautifully designed it will draw in readers to try it out. Even if they have never heard of you and this is your debut novel, a reader who enjoys your genre is more likely to pick up a cover that stands out from the crowd.

Full Post on Quartz Feather.

How to Meet Deadlines and Remain Sane

The Black Book

I’m honored to be on The Black Book for a guest post, How to Meet Deadlines and Remain Sane. Read the excerpt below and check out the full post on The Black Book.

Deadlines!!! Some people thrive on them, and others cannot work within restrictions. But if you want to get your book published, deadlines are an absolute necessity. I personally don’t like deadlines, but I do respect them and I have come to realize that without them I would keep procrastinating and nothing would ever get done.
From one procrastinator to another, here are a few ways to make sure that you meet your deadlines and remain sane at the same time.

Hiring help. An author assistant can be a great asset to an author. Whether it’s a virtual assistant or one that you meet with everyday, an assistant can take on a lot of your workload. They can carry out many of your other marketing and administration tasks (including research!), leaving you time to do what you do best, which is write. Author assistants cheer you on, help you out, and guide you through your week. The are champions of your book and are an inexpensive way to get expert help and advice. (You can find more information about author assistants from my assistant here: http://katetilton.com/author-assistants/)

Full Post on The Black Book.

10 Things You Might Not Know About Launching a Book

Pixie Vixen Reviews

I’m honored to be on Pixie Vixen Reviews for a guest post, 10 Things You Might Not Know About Launching a Book. Read the excerpt below and check out the full post on Pixie Vixen Reviews. 

When I started my publishing journey nearly a year ago, I had no idea the hard work, determination and detail that goes into publishing a book. At that time I was so confused about what to do and where to start. I was virtually a baby in the publishing arena, looking out in wonder at the vast world before me. I didn’t understand how it all worked, but I wanted to learn more.

The task ahead seemed like an insurmountable mountain looming before me, but then I found a wonderful virtual author assistant, Kate Tilton, in October of 2014. She introduced me to the amazing Laura Zats and the wonderful team at Wise Ink Creative Publishing, and so my publishing journey began.

There are many things to consider when publishing a book. Here is my top ten list of tools and ways to think about your project as a product during production and your launch that you may not have thought about before.

1 Audience. The first thing that Wise Ink had me do was fill out an audience profile worksheet. And I was completely lost. I had no idea we needed to do this, but in hindsight it was very necessary. After all, even though I had been writing my book for myself, my ultimate goal was to get The Last of the Firedrakes into other people’s hands. Figure out who your audience is, what they like to do, and what they want in a book.

Full Post on Pixie Vixen Reviews.