Interview With Liz Parker, Novelist

 

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

I wanted to play with the idea of how family shifts and evolves over the course of your life. When we’re young, many of us are raised with clear instructions that family is everything, but as the years build on themselves, a natural ebb of family gatherings and traditions take place. But the love remains, and the shared memories of where we started. I asked myself: what if a group of cousins who had drifted apart were suddenly thrust into a situation where they needed to truly work together?

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

As with many family dramas, this is for anyone who has a loving-yet-complicated relationship with their family. It’s for the reader who can read these characters and think, “I am Penny,” or “I know Halsey.”

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

I hope readers see that this particular family is worth fighting for, and that the answer to any problem is usually at the end of an honest conversation. I have a saying, “Don’t jump before the bridge appears,” which really just means, when you think you’re out of options, help is usually on the way. 

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

I credit my brilliant editor with the title (thank you, Alicia Clancy!), and my gifted cover designer. 

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

Don’t worry about forgetting your idea for a book — the great ones stick to your ribs and refuse to let go. When you’re ready to write, you’ll find the extra time will materialize right in front of you.

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

I see us gravitating towards happier stories. I see us hearing and seeking unheard voices, and reading outside our comfort zones. I see bright things, and faith that the supply chain issues will be resolved!

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

I wrote this book on an incredibly tight deadline — I had about four months to write a draft - and I have a very full time job. The challenge was discipline: how could I map out a writing style that would get the manuscript over the finish line, but not so stringent I couldn’t account for an off day when the words wouldn’t come? It took a ton of mental fortitude AND compassion for myself. But mostly, it took the faith that I could do it: I had to believe in myself and my writing in a way I hadn’t before, and not giving in to negative thinking or self-talk was the difference between delivering a final manuscript and not.

8. How would you describe your writing style?

Slow and steady wins the race! I write for a few hours every weekend — it sounds too minimal to ever amount to anything, but: if you keep writing the same story for many weekends, you’d be shocked to find that after six or seven months you’ve got a full manuscript.  

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

The Family Compound is a heartfelt, funny, and wonderfully memorable family drama. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll jump for Penny and Andrew and Halsey and Heather’s love stories. You’ll want to see these cousins figure out how to save their hill, and you’ll feel like you’re sitting right in the middle of Stowe, Vermont the whole time you’re reading.

 

Please Contact Me For Book PR 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.