Easter dinners will no doubt get into discussions about faith, work, school, the weather, travel, sports, TV, movies, things in the news … and books.
Yes, while tens of millions will gather to honor their religion and rejoice in quality time with family and friends, people will discuss which books they are reading and exchange recommendations.
Look for a boost in book sales as a result of this word-of-mouth exercise. You won’t see another elevation in sales like this until Memorial Day Weekend, when barbecue chit chats will dictate summer reads.
Social media may drive conversations online but nothing beats actual socialization, face to face. Large gatherings around the house like Easter meals will help decide people’s next book buying decision. So when you are talking about the opening of the upcoming baseball season or commenting on the main course, be sure to give the book marketplace a boost with a good recommendation for some pleasurable reading.
Interview With Fiction Author Myra King
1. What type of books do you write? Literary, Mystery/Crime, YA.
2. What is your newest book about? My newest book is the sequel to one I wrote early last year. (I wanted to have two books completed before trying for an agent. I’m still in the process of editing.) Set in country Australia, it’s a YA novel, starring fourteen year old Kaleen Pingelly and her best friend Velvet Brown, named after the heroine of National Velvet fame. Sadly, unlike the character in the film, Velvet is horseless. But she has a gift, a unique but terrifying ability only Kaleen knows about. My latest published book is Cyber Rules, an e-book, published by Certys UK, available on Amazon. All royalties from this are being donated to Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). I have raised over a thousand dollars.
3. What inspired you to write it? I’ve been an avid fan of psychology for as long as I could read. The age old debate about ‘Nature over Nurture’, or is evil born not made, has always fascinated me. The personality types dictating our lives - empathy or the lack of it, among other emotions, is it brain (matter) generated or learned? So I’ve created characters to work this out with me. Their journey is mine and I’m always learning.
4. What is the writing process like for you? I often write an opening line or two in bed, after waking at three in the morning. At other such ungodly times, when I’m working on a story, I will be jolted awake with useful edits in my head such as: Myra, you blithering (insert far stronger word) fool, you can’t have angora sheep! There’s no such thing. What were you thinking? But mostly I work in my office with the door closed. I need quietness and, if possible, no interruptions.
5. What did you do before you became an author? Like most writers, I’ve always needed to write. As far back as I can remember I have always enjoyed writing. I was the only kid in the class who, when told to write an essay, would smile while my classmates were groaning. It’s not an escape, it’s a necessity and a different reality, especially when the writing is flowing well. To make up for the money deficit that writing brings though, I’ve been a tourist operator, ran a riding stable and worked for one of Australia’s top thoroughbred horse breeders.
6. How does it feel to be a published author? Of course there’s the thrill of that first check, mine came back in 1980 from my first article published in a national magazine, but seeing my ideas in print and knowing then that what I wrote could make a difference, was the main bonus.
7. Any advice for struggling writers? Join a writers’ group, or several. Share, critique, write. Read as much as you can of everything that interests you. Get out and live some life, listen and observe people and things, so you can draw believability from experience. Work on your writing, aim to get and hold the reader’s interest with conflict or seduction, appropriate pace and intrigue. But most importantly, cultivate the voice. Voice goes way beyond dialogue. It’s that indefinable quality of character, which gives the story its authenticity. Build a name for yourself. Enter writing competitions and submit to magazines and journals. Be prepared for rejection and keep trying. Don’t be frightened to nudge or push the boundaries. Edit and edit, then print out and edit, you will always miss errors and typos on screen. Leave what you have written for a month or more, especially first or second drafts. Come back to it with fresh perspective. You may be surprised at what you change.
8. Where do you see book publishing heading? It’s no longer heading but arrived. E-publishing is the way of now. Our schools have virtual libraries and our bookstores are becoming as deserted as abandoned churches. However there will always be a place in print for niche market books, kids’ picture books and the top best sellers.
Myra King is an Australian writer living on the coast of South Australia. She has written a number of prize winning stories, including a first prize in the UK-based Global Short Story Competition, and has a short story collection, City Paddock, published by Ginninderra Press. In 2010 her short story, The Black Horse, was shortlisted for the US Glass Woman Prize. She has been published in the US, Australia, New Zealand and the UK in magazines and journals such as Boston Literary Magazine, Orbis, Melbourne University Press, San Pedro River Review, Short Story America volume 2 and The Valley Review. Her novel, Cyber Rules, was published by Certys UK in 2012. Check outhttp://myrakingprofile.webs.
Myra King is an Australian writer living on the coast of South Australia. She has written a number of prize winning stories, including a first prize in the UK-based Global Short Story Competition, and has a short story collection, City Paddock, published by Ginninderra Press. In 2010 her short story, The Black Horse, was shortlisted for the US Glass Woman Prize. She has been published in the US, Australia, New Zealand and the UK in magazines and journals such as Boston Literary Magazine, Orbis, Melbourne University Press, San Pedro River Review, Short Story America volume 2 and The Valley Review. Her novel, Cyber Rules, was published by Certys UK in 2012. Check outhttp://myrakingprofile.webs.
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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, the nation’s largest book promoter. 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 blog is copyrighted material by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2013
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