Friday, May 20, 2016

Interview With Author Lucie Babikian


Belonging To Him

1.      What inspired you to write your book? I have loved reading since I was a girl. When e-books became available globally, my whole world was opened up. I had access to literature that, up to that point, wasn’t available in the Middle East. I read voraciously. As soon as I’m done reading a book, I always look for a new one.  I reached a point where I was trying to find a certain type of book with a specific storyline, and I just could not find it. I decided that I was just going to have to write the book I wanted to read.  At first, I didn’t know what I was doing, so I took an online course at the London School of Journalism in Creative Writing—and then I wrote Belonging to Him. I took the rough draft to editors and reworked and evolved it until it was polished.

2.      What is it about? Set in Rome, my protagonist, Bella, is traumatized by a dark past and feels she cannot trust a man ever again. Then she meets this notorious playboy Lorenzo. The passion between them will not be denied. Everything changes when lust turns into something deeper. Their love and their lives, however, are threatened when Bella’s past catches up with her. It’s about second chances and learning how to love again after being hurt.

3.      What do you hope will be the everlasting thoughts for readers who finish your book? We have all made mistakes. Many of us have suffered difficult pasts. We all deserve a second chance. I want readers to root for Bella as she tries to love again, to trust again. I hope they get into the passion between Bella and Lorenzo. You can have love, trust AND passion. I hope my book conveys that. And I want readers to go away with a sense that true love can survive anything.

4.      What advice do you have for writers? Because I grew up in the Middle East, I believed it was not going to be possible for me to write an erotic romance and get it published. Erotic romances are not readily available in the Middle East, and women aren’t usually encouraged to write such things. But I did write my book, and I did get it published —and so can any writer! Anything is possible if you believe in yourself and never let negativity get to you. If you love what you do, and you want to share it with the world, do not let anything stand in your way. I’m happy I found the courage and determination to write the kind of book that I was passionate about and then share that book with the world.

5.      Where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? I love reading as much as I love writing. But where I grew up, there were a limited supply of novels in English. Until e-books came out, I had no access to erotic romance, which then became my favorite genre to read and write. I think books of all genres are becoming more available to readers worldwide. And writers have more options for publishing, too. Just a few years ago, it wasn’t “cool” to self-publish, but in today’s digital world, it’s become perfectly legitimate. Now it’s easier than ever for a person to see their book in print. The industry is opening up for many of us, as readers and as writers.


6.      What challenges did you have in writing your book? As a mother of three children, the most challenging part was, and still is, managing the time to write. Often, I wait until midnight to start writing. It's the time when I know I will not get interrupted, and I sometimes work until two or three in the morning. Another obstacle has been overcoming writer’s block. I try to find the time to write every day and if I become stuck, I reach out to editors and coaches who I hire to work out ideas, brainstorm and help me over the hump. I love what I do passionately, so dealing with challenges like finding time to write or handling writer’s block is all part of the creative process.


7.      If people can only buy one book this month, why should it be yours? Belonging To Him is a quick, sexy read and it gets suspenseful at times. It will grip your heart and ignite your passion. It has it all—a woman who escapes abuse, second chances, a sexy playboy, a billionaire setting in Italy and Monaco, an evil ex, a bitchy female rival and a wild ride of an ending that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

For more information, please consult: https://twitter.com/LucieBabikian

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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2016

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