Interview With Novelist Ellen Meister

 

TAKE MY HUSBAND (Harper Collins/Mira, August 2022) is a witty, insightful domestic comedy about one woman's unexpected, thought-provoking journey out of her marriage as she realizes how much better off she would be if her husband had not survived a serious car crash. Below is an interview with the author on her upcoming book.  

1. What motivated you to write your book, to force you from taking an idea or experience and turning it into this book? I’m not often nudged by a muse—most of my ideas come from hard work, which includes conscious scrutiny of the tiniest fleck of a notion, as well as pages of notes and buckets of frustration. But in this case, I was working on a different book—in the zone of concentration—when my husband barged in to ask me a question.  As I blinked at him, my muse flew into the room and dropped an idea in my lap: A happily married woman wants to throttle the person she loves most. Who was I to resist?   

2. What is it about and who is it for? Take My Husband is about a woman who becomes obsessed with an unconventional way to end her very conventional marriage. I think it will appeal to anyone who lived through the pandemic with a significant other and sometimes thought: one of us has got to go.  

3. What takeaways might the reader will be left with after reading it? I never want my books to be didactic, but I hope the reader will recognize the message that a good relationship cannot be based on the subjugation of one person’s needs for another’s.  

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design? I had originally submitted the book with the title Dear Husband. I wasn’t entirely, uh… married to it, so when my publisher said I had to change it because they had a book coming out with a similar name, I wasn’t dismayed. Then, when I hit upon Take My Husband, I was grateful the original title got turned down! I had no idea what kind of cover might work for a subversive dark comedy with a jokey title, so I crossed my fingers that the art department would work some magic. When they showed me the concept, I was delighted. I thought it was so smart to make the title do the heavy lifting, and leave the rest subtle. I especially like the broken picket fence. 

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers? Don’t beat yourself up for having doubts and insecurities about your writing. It’s the very fuel that drives us to work harder, to always do better.  

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? I believe there will be more hybrid publishers, and I think that’s a healthy thing for an industry with such never-ending conglomeration of the big players.  

7. What challenges did you overcome to write this book? The toughest challenge of Take My Husband was creating a sympathetic main character. I needed to make sure the reader would go along with her emotional journey and understand her decisions, even as they knew she was traveling the wrong path. And I had to make it funny!  

8. How would you describe your writing style? I work very hard to make my writing look effortless. My aim is to engage the reader and make myself invisible.  

9. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? I need the cash? (insert rim-shot) Seriously, I like to think Take My Husband will appeal to anyone who wants to laugh, and is eager to enjoy a journey through the darkly funny side of marriage.  

About The Author: Ellen Meister's newest novel, TAKE MY HUSBAND (Mira/August 2022), is a darkly comic take on a modern suburban marriage. It follows her other critically acclaimed books, including THE ROOFTOP PARTY, which was called  "wickedly entertaining" by BookReporter and was selected by Long Island Woman Magazine as Summer Pick of the year, as well as LOVE SOLD SEPARATELY (Mira 2020), DOROTHY PARKER DRANK HERE (Putnam 2015), FAREWELL, DOROTHY PARKER (Putnam 2013), THE OTHER LIFE (Putnam 2011), and more. Ellen lives in Long Island, New York, where she teaches creative writing. She is also an editor, screenwriter, book coach, and ghostwriter. For more information visit ellenmeister.com.



 

Please Contact Me 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 successfully 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 ©2022. 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 blog, with over 4,000 posts over the past decade, 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 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and two jobs at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Susan RoAne, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA, IBPA, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. He has been featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald. For more information, please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. 

 

Interview With Award-Winning Russia Expert & Author Avraham Shama

 

 Cyberwars: David Knight Goes to Moscow

1.      What motivated you to write your book, to force you from taking an idea or experience and turning it into this book?  I was propelled to write this novel, Cyberwars: David Knights Goes to Moscow, which is based on real events, because I wanted readers to know how President Vladimir Putin decided to invest in cyberweapons in 1999, how he later used these weapons to interfere with the U.S. presidential elections of 2016 and 2020, and how now he is using cyberweapons in his war on Ukraine. I also wanted to assure readers that, with the help of protagonist David Knight, U.S. has developed its own cybertechnology to counter Russia.    

2.      What is it about and who is it for?  The book is about a New York University professor named David Knight who experiences a breakdown after he is fired by his wife and by his employer. David moves to New Mexico to hide and repair his life at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Unexpectedly, he falls in love with a young Latina professor at UNM, and the C.I.A. sends him to Moscow to spy on the Russian economy. In Moscow, he accidentally discovers that Russia is preparing for a cyberwar against the U.S. Upon his return home, he mobilizes the Agency to begin a counter cybersecurity program to defend his country. In the process, he redeems himself and deepens his shallow New Mexico roots. The novel is also a tender love story across the Hispanic and Anglo cultures, as well as about an unexpected transformation of David Knight to a patriot. The book is meant for ordinary people like you and me, interested in what is happening to the security of the U.S. and in what could happen to them in view of the Russian threat. It is also intended for readers who like reading about impossible love, and about self-redemption.  

3.      What takeaways might the reader will be left with after reading it? My hope is that when readers are done reading my novel, they would be left with a sense that Russia’s cyberthreats are real and critically important, and that the U.S. is ready to protect them against cyberterrorism. Likewise, I hope that the readers would enjoy the love story between David and his native New Mexican girlfriend, Toni, who comes from very different culture, and appreciate David’s newly-discovered love of his country that he took for granted before his Moscow assignment.      

4.      How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design? My decision about the book title and its design evolved during the years it took me to write the novel. At the outset, it was clear that cyberwars is its basic theme. It was also evident that David Knight is my spy in Russia. These two themes were combined in a suggestion by my 3rd Coast Books editor. I still remember when this happened. I was just leaving my dentist office when I got his text saying, “why not combine the two themes and title it Cyberwars: David Knight Goes to Moscow?” “Brilliant,” I texted back. The cover design followed the same thinking and cooperative work with 3rd Coast Books, and resulted in a cover that tells the reader what the book is all about pictorially.  

5.       What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers? Frankly, I could use words of wisdom from other writers, too! I would advise fellow writers to take their time thinking about the subject and about every detail of their book before putting pen to paper. I would tell them to write several vignettes and read them aloud to see if they got the right rhythm, music and voice—not only the plot—of the story. Once they find their “groove,” I would tell them to develop their own routine and stick to it (mine is to write in the mornings, edit in the afternoons, and meet my characters at night to decide on the next day’s writing). Then I would advise them to be ready to write several drafts of their book before they have a reasonably presentable text.   

6.      What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? The world of book publishing has been upended in the past twenty years, and that is a good change, like a constructive chaos. The industry had become more concentrated in the hands of giants like Amazon, but the change made it possible for everyone to become a writer. It also made it possible for small, independent publishers to grow in numbers and power. I see this trend continuing in yet unseen permutations.  

7.      What challenges did you overcome to write this book? My challenges in writing this book were both professional and personal. The book is based on real events pertaining to spying and cybersecurity. The challenge was to decide how much to tell without harming my sources. My personal challenge centered on the large amount of time required to write the book and on overcoming the loneliness inherent in the writing process. But once the book was completed, I felt joy that I could share it with readers everywhere.    

8.      How would you describe your writing style? I don’t really know. I write carefully, agonizingly so sometimes.  I choose my words so that readers can follow my thinking. At times, I describe things, for example: how hot and suffocating is the small adobe home of my protagonist, David Knight, in the desert of the Southwest; in other instances I write in an expository style, as in when the Russian scientist in the novel explains to David Knight what is big data and how it is used in cyberwars; and finally in some other instances I use persuasive style, as in when David Knight tries to convince readers of Russia’s cyberthreat to the U.S. I guess one could call my writing style eclectic and purposeful.  

9.      If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? People should buy my book because it is the first of its kind that could help them understand the new world of cyberwars and perhaps help them protect their cyberlives. This is a New Cold War world that’s going to affect every aspect of their lives as individuals, community members, and as citizen. Their financial, health, and voter information could be taken and used without their knowledge, and their electric and Wi-Fi services could be invisibly disconnected at any moment. As well, this book is about love between two people from stunningly different backgrounds, and about the redemption of protagonist David Knight.   

About The Author: Avraham Shama is an award-winning writer, professor, and consultant. He specializes in the Russian economy and in the spread of new technologies. Shama has published extensively in these areas. He holds a B.A. in Economics and Political Science and an M.B.A. from the Hebrew University, and a Ph.D. from Northwestern University, the Kellogg School of Management. For more information, please see: avrahamshama.com

 

 

Please Contact Me 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 successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres.

 

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Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2022. 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 blog, with over 4,000 posts over the past decade, 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 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and two jobs at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Susan RoAne, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA, IBPA, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. He has been featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald. For more information, please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. 

Self-Published Authors Should Apply Now For The North Street Book Prize

 

 

I always encourage writers to submit their work to contests and book awards. Should you win or become a finalist, is a great way to earn some credibility and third-party validation. Book awards can be overlooked by authors, and many writers do not know when or where to apply. Well, listen up. If you are self-published, take a look at The North Street Book Prize.

 

If you self-published in any of the areas below, you have until June 30^th to apply:

 

·         Mainstream/Literary Fiction

·         Genre Fiction (e.g. romance, mystery, thriller, young adult, science fiction, fantasy, historical fiction, etc.)

·         Creative Nonfiction & Memoir (definition)

·         Poetry

·         Children's Picture Book

·         Graphic Novel & Memoir

·         Art Book (definition)

 

They are offering thousands of dollars in prize money.

 

To learn more, go straight to this link:

http://winningwriters.com/brianfeinblum22 

Also on that site, you will see some other great free resources. Click here to see more:

https://winningwriters.com/resources

 

In addition to having a reasonable shot at an award, every applicant who parts with a mere $70 also gets these items:

 

·         How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically by Carolyn Howard-Johnson (PDF)

·         Free guides to successful publishing from BookBaby

·         Three months' free subscription to Book Award Pro (Essentials tier), so you can find more great contests for your book

·         The 7 Steps to Plan and Write Your Book, courtesy of Book Launchers (PDF)

·         8 Simple Secrets for Big Book Sales on Amazon, courtesy of C.S. Lakin at The Self Publisher (PDF)

·         One month free membership in The Self-Publishing Mastermind at Self-Publishing Made Simple, a community for growing your knowledge of all aspects of self-publishing

 

Stop wasting time reading my blog – go and apply now!

 

Please Contact Me 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 successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres.

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Note: WinningWriters.com compensated this blog.

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2022. 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 blog, with over 4,000 posts over the past decade, 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 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 as the head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and two jobs at two independent presses, Brian has worked with many first-time, self-published, authors of all genres, right along with best-selling authors and celebrities such as: Dr. Ruth, Mark Victor Hansen, Joseph Finder, Katherine Spurway, Neil Rackham, Harvey Mackay, Ken Blanchard, Stephen Covey, Warren Adler, Cindy Adams, Susan RoAne, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA, IBPA, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, and Connecticut Authors and Publishers Association. His letters-to-the-editor have been published in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Post, NY Daily News, Newsday, The Journal News (Westchester) and The Washington Post. He has been featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald. For more information, please consult: linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.