Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Interview with author Gurpreet Kaur Sidhu



STORM

1. What really inspired you to write your book, to force you to take an idea or experience and conveying it into a book?
I’ve  had some really terrible things happen in my life, things I know I don’t deserve. That question you hear from people – “Why do bad things happen to good people? – is what made me wonder about my life. I’m a believer in reincarnation, so it really made me think about what I could have done in my previous life to be given this kind life. That itself was an inspiration. I also have met people who actually remember their past lives and that just amazes me.

2. What is it about and whom do you believe is your targeted reader?
The story is about Evan Storm, who remembers his past life and it taunts him. He wakes up every morning in terror and faces his doppelganger in real life, only to realize it’s all a hallucination. He’s convinced that he’s remembering specific parts of his past life for a reason, so he tries to get to the bottom of it. When he does, he ends up becoming a target on the SEA’s radar and that’s when things become interesting. I believe my book is targeted to readers who enjoy a para-spiritual thriller-mystery novel and shadowy clandestine organizations. If readers are a fan of the TV Show Scandal they will enjoy reading Storm.

3. What do you hope will be the everlasting thoughts for readers who finish your book? What should remain with them long after putting it down?
I hope they are more careful of what they do in life, the choices they make, and how they treat others. At the end of the day, people should be satisfied with who they are as a human being and how they’re contributing to the world. I would want my readers to remember that second chances are rare and what we do and say does affect our future.

4. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers?
Write until you’re finished telling the story, then edit. The biggest trap that I’ve seen aspiring writers fall into, and I’ve been there myself, is trying to get the first page perfect. Or even just the first line. I know how daunting it is to write a sentence and then stare at it, knowing it could be better. Instead of continuing with writing, you end up stuck trying to perfect that once sentence and that ends up with never finishing the page, let alone the entire story. So, instead of getting stuck on trying to make your first draft perfect, let go of  the idea of making a masterpiece in one sitting because it’s not going to happen. The sooner you accept this, the easier it will be for you to write. My dad told me this when I was younger and it’s a line from a movie, which I don’t remember. “Write with your heart, edit with your mind” and I think that’s the best piece of advice I can pass down to my fellow writers. One other thing I would like to add is that not everyone is going to be a fan of your work. Some people will love your work and others will disregard it. You just have to remind yourself that it’s just one person’s opinion and it doesn’t define the success of your book.

5. What trends in the book world do you see and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?
I think the love for vampires and zombies has died down or is dying down and the focus is more on trying to bring stories based on minorities, the LGBT community, race, and culture out into the world. More and more people are listening to audio books as well, which weren’t around when I was a kid. It’s convenient when you have an hour long commute and I think it works out better for those who don’t want to read but would rather listen to someone tell them a story. With our advanced technology, the book publishing industry is moving in a positive direction. It’s definitely saturated, but it’s allowed a lot of writers to become published authors and have their work recognized. You no longer need an agent to help you get on the New York’s Best Seller’s list. It’s harder to claim that title when you’re a self-published author, but it’s not impossible either.

6. What great challenges did you have in writing your book?
The biggest challenge I faced was trying to show the character’s emotion and not tell it. I struggled with that a lot but after continuously writing and editing and researching, I improved my skill on showing the character’s emotion. Having the book focus on two different time periods was quite the challenge as well. I had to do some research on what people wore during the 1930s and how they spoke. I didn’t want to use slang if they didn’t speak slang. I did some good digging in what the 1930s looked like, just so I could get a visual and be able to write as if I lived in that time period. One of the other challenges I faced was trying to make sure I kept the first book interesting and let the reader’s imagination wander about what could possibly happen in the second book. That was and is still the hardest part in writing the series. Each book reveals a secret, but that secret is leading up to something bigger. So I have to end the story in a way that it doesn’t leave the reader hanging but also keeps the door open for a new storyline. Everything and everyone is tied together in some way, even though it’s not evident at the moment. Not revealing too much is hard.


7. If people can only buy one book this month, why should it be yours?
People who like chills and thrills would definitely like this book. It explores two different lives of the same character, which I haven’t seen in the book world so far. It also provokes you to think about your life and everything that’s happened to you. It makes you curious about who you could have been in another lifetime. If readers love plot twists, then this would be a great story in indulge in. Overall, it’s not a predictable story and the second one only gets better.

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Brian Feinblum’s insightful views, provocative opinions, and interesting ideas expressed in this terrific blog are his alone and not that of his employer or anyone else. You can – and should -- follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels much more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2018. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s Independent.  This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by Book Baby http://blog.bookbaby.com/2013/09/the-best-book-marketing-blogs and recognized by Feedspot in 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. Also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America and participated in a PR panel at the Sarah Lawrence College Writers Institute Conference.


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