Interview with Author Jeannie Moon

All of Me

1. What really inspired you to write your book, to force you from taking an idea or experience and conveying it into a book?All of Me is the third book in the Compass Cove series, and while each book is connected, the protagonists in this book had a serious story to tell.  I'm always driven by what my characters have to say and doing justice to their journeys.

2. What is it about and whom do you believe is your targeted reader? This book is a quest of sorts.  My two main characters are searching for belonging, but my heroine is also searching for herself. She's escaped an abusive relationship, one that robbed her of her courage and her self-worth, so she returns to her small hometown to rebuild her life and find the lost pieces.

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? All of Me, at its core, is a story of hope and connection. I want readers to feel those emotions and to understand that by pushing through the darkness, you can find the light. That we all have people who will walk through that darkness and stay with us while we find our way. 

4. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers? This sounds cliched, but it's true: tell the story that makes your heart race. Tell the story that makes you cry. Don't chase trends, and don't buy into group think. Tell your story. Keep it simple and dig deep with the emotions. 

5. What trends in the book world do you see and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? The trend of "more is better" seems to be fading a bit, especially in the romance world where authors were burning themselves out with unrealistic publishing schedules.  I believe, in both traditional and indie publishing, we will start to see fewer releases. No one is going to notice, as there will still be lots of new books, but the pace was unsustainable for most, (not all) and quality suffered. Readers deserve our best work, and that doesn't generally happen at a breakneck pace.

6. What great challenges did you have in writing your book? Domestic abuse is a hard subject. The challenge is making it part of the character, not a plot device. Above all else, I had to understand the nuanced behavior we see in survivors. I had to do a deep dive into Lilly's heart and soul, and I had to stay a while to examine her trauma and how it became embedded. Her experience was not just what happened, but how it became part of her.  Survivors deserve nothing less than my respect and attention, and I took this to heart. 

7. If people can only buy one book this month, why should it be yours? Because even though it's a serious subject, the small town I've built, Compass Cove, is all about love, family and finding a place to call home. Readers will feel deeply, but in the end, they will emerge with a feeling of hope.  They too will feel the power of finding true north. 

8. Why do you feel women over 40 are misrepresented in fiction? While my main characters in All of Me are both under 40, I do have several characters over 40 who are series regulars. I resent women being shown as clueless, tech illiterate, sexless and unattractive. It gets worse over 50, and over 60...forget it. You are firmly in grandma status. It's upsetting because the truth is women are just getting started at midlife. We have a lot to offer and our life experience gives us tremendous personal power. 

9. Are men under- or mis-represented as well? Sometimes, but the older man has long been a sexy icon in literature, film and television.That's not to say we don't have some bumbling older male characters, but if fiction were our road map, older women have nothing to look forward to except their knitting circles and book clubs. 

For more information, please consult: https://jeanniemoon.com/mediakit/ and https://jeanniemoon.com/.

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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 ©2019. 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.