Interview With Author Jane Merling

 

1.      What inspired you to write this book?

I was inspired to write this book by Covid 19. We are all here today as a result of the survivors of the Spanish flu.Those brave souls who lived through the First World War only to face the battle of a pandemic. Two generations, one hundred years apart, dealing with a similar world event in vastly different ways.

  

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

The story is about family history and the impact it has on future generations, whether we realize it or not. It was written for any family, anywhere - every family has a history.

  

3.      What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book?

My hope is that readers will recognise that any negative can be turned into a positive. The negative things that happen in life define who we are. Failures and challenges are the best learning tools. Families have their own individual dynamic; don't always agree. If they are lucky and care enough they will work it out.

  

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

We gather Pearls on a String throughout our lives by the events and people that come our way. The cover was done in moody colours hopefully to draw the reader to walk through the doors of that house to find what happens within.

  

5.      What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!?

My advice to other writers would be to write about what moves you.

 

6.      What trends in the book world do you see? 

Subject matter is very personal. Trends come and go and it really depends on what interests individual readers. I believe that history, romance and mystery will always sustain itself. 

 

7.      Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book? 

The story was set in the 1980's, which is a time I think the world started to change. Women became more independent; lifestyle choices started to become acceptable; communication more vast.

 

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to?
Pearls on a String was written in the first person. I chose that style as it felt more intimate for this particular story. My next story is being written in the third person. I just read The Quinn Brothers by Nora Roberts and loved it. Hopefully my style is somewhat like the way those books were written.

 

9.      What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book?

My challenge was how many characters to include in the story. There are a number of secondary characters that are pivotal in illustrating Sarah's personality. I made it a two part story, as the second half is the result of what happens in the first part of the story. A happy ending is a cliche, but I felt the story needed one. I wanted to make the point that even though Sarah's life changed dramatically she retained her relationships with those that matter most to her.

 

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

We should revere our ancestors. We are our ancestor's wildest dreams. Our history is full of magic; everyone should unlock their own. My book may help them do that.

Author Bio: Jane Merling has had a book in her hands for as long as she can remember. After a long, successful career in accounting, this Canadian born author now enjoys spending her days in her beachside community on Lake Huron.  Her debut novel, Pearls on a String, was born from a fascination of history and genealogy, and through the freedom of writing, Jane has learned to follow the mantra: positive things can always be found in negative situations. Please see: https://baymarpublishing.com/books/pearls-on-a-string/

 

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About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on Twitter @theprexpert. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2023. 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 award-winning blog has generated over 3.3 million pageviews. With 4,400+ posts over the past dozen years, it 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 www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.” For the past three decades, including 21 years 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, Todd Duncan, Susan RoAne, John C. Maxwell, Jeff Foxworthy, Seth Godin, and Henry Winkler. He recently hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, 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: www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum.