Interview With Debut Novelist Elke Feuer

What type of books do you write? My debut novel is a romantic suspense, but I also write contemporary, time travel and historical romance stories. No genre is safe.  J  

What is your newest book about? It’s about a struggling restoration architect named Josie Fagan who gets more than she bargains for when she agrees to restore an old Chicago home. She discovers an aunt she knew nothing about, is haunted by ghosts, and stalked by a killer who’s trying to cover up a 50 year-old murder.

What inspired you to write it? The idea came to me while having a bubble bath (before I had kids) and listening to jazz music. The characters inspired me to write their stories. They were bossy, and wouldn’t let me have my way, but I couldn’t help falling in love with them.  

What is the writing process like for you? When an idea or character comes to me, I usually start with a story summary template to create the basic story elements including the main plot points and character, and setting sketches. Once I flush out each section as much as I can, I start writing the story. It’s by no means set in stone, but it helps me with the most important things mainly developing the story ideas, writing it, and providing a roadmap so I don’t get lost.

What did you do before you became an author? I’ve been a project/operations manager for over ten years, but I’ve been writing since I was nine.

How does it feel to be a published author?  It’s an amazing feeling to fulfill a life-long dream.  I look forward to living that dream full-time.

Any advice for struggling writers? Never give up and never listen to naysayers (including family and friends) that don’t believe in your dream.

Where do you see book publishing heading? There’s a definite shift happening in the industry and everyone is scrambling to keep up. Let’s hope it a direction everyone can benefit from.

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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 is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2013