Interview with Author L.W. Clark

 

1. What motivated you to write your book, to force you from taking an idea or experience and turning it into this book?

When my husband and I met and started getting to know each other, he told me that I have many interesting stories, and that I should write a book. My stories and his inspiration are the reasons the book is out there. 

2. What is it about and who is it for?

It’s about adventure and intimacy. It follows a young woman, Alyssa Florescu, as she literally packs up and puts her old life aside in the pursuit of claiming a new one. She’s desperate to shed the limiting expectations of her friends and family of Eastern Europe in the 1990s, and she finds that looking for love, freedom, and life itself in America under New York’s city skyline isn’t at all it's cracked up to be. It’s much more.  It’s for anyone looking to read an authentic "coming to America story" about freedom, not giving up on your goals, and finding love in unpredictable and beautiful ways.  

3. What takeaways might the reader be left with after reading it?

That it’s important to follow your dreams regardless of the obstacles that will inevitably appear. That we’re all connected, and that love will always win in the end.  

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design?

One day I spoke with my brother and nonchalantly mentioned I was thinking of writing a book. He was quiet for a while and then responded “You should! You should write the book and name it The Yellow Suitcase, since you dragged that thing all over the place!” The publisher suggested the cover design. There were a few iterations before it was finalized.  

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers?

I’m not sure I have enough experience yet to offer words of wisdom. Perhaps it would be to stay with it, and just keep writing, even if it’s not perfect - the words will come, eventually.  

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?

There seem to be too many writers chasing too few agents and too few publishers. The amount of books being published each year seems to keep growing, perhaps because of self-publishing, which I think will continue to grow.  

7. What challenges did you overcome to write this book?

English is not my first language so that was a challenge. Much of the narrative and creativity flowed, but there were also moments of struggle, in finding the right stories in the right places. It took many iterations with a lot of editing, but it was a labor of love.   

8. How would you describe your writing style?

I try to keep the writing simple and easy to read, and keep the narrative moving, with as few words as possible. For this book I included an internal dialog for Alyssa, so the readers can understand exactly what she’s going through. I think it also changes it up a bit to make it interesting. As James Patterson said, you have to get the reader to keep turning the page. 

9. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours?

Because it’s an uplifting story with romance, humor and a number of plot twists which (I think) makes for an interesting read. With all the turmoil over the last 18 months with the pandemic and social unrest, the book can be a welcome escape to a simpler, more innocent time in the late 1990s.

 

Contact For Help

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com He is available to help authors promote their story, sell their book, and grow their brand. He has 30 years of experience in helping thousands of authors in all genres.

 

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2021. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This was named one of the best book marketing blogs by BookBaby  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. It was also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America. For more information, please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.