Interview With Author Fran Annaford

  

1. What inspired you to write this book? Boredom during the pandemic. There was only so much gardening I could do. Although the jars of homegrown tomato sugo were great.    

2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for? The Starnberg Series is a collection of books about the lives and loves of gay women working in the Arts. Primarily opera, theatre and film.  The books are set in southern Germany and London.  

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book? I hope they will fall in love with the characters, who are often complex. I hope they will enjoy the erotic scenes. If my books spark a new interest in the Arts world, it would be a bonus. 

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design? For the first book I suggested a view of Lake Starnberg in Bavaria, which the publishers’ graphic artists achieved brilliantly. The second book centers around a famous pop/folk singer. The view from the stage of a stadium concert reflects the subject matter. The titles of all my books are inspired by the great gay icon Dusty Springfield’s hit songs. Her music is enjoying a revival which is great.   

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!?  I spent my life thinking I couldn’t – then found that I could. Open the laptop and try! 

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?  The pandemic gave book reading a boost. Let us hope that it hasn’t entirely diminished. The danger in the long term is the attitude of kids. If efforts aren’t made in the schools to convey a greater love of the written word, as opposed to blowing things up on a screen, then the publishing industry is in trouble.  

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book?  My books utilize my life experience in my profession. The characters are entirely imaginary, but it is impossible not to ignore the odd character trait, or actual occurrence.   

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to? I write lesbian romance books. A niche genre. Although I hope the characters and story lines are compelling enough to interest a broader reading public. And everyone enjoys some erotica. Don’t they?  

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book? None other than learning by doing getting a publisher and gaining confidence in proof-reading. And overcoming the conviction that I couldn’t write prose.  

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? I think they will be both moved and entertained, fall in love with the characters, and want to continue turning the pages.  

About The Author: Fran Annaford works in the entertainment industry. Unexpected free time during the Covid 19 pandemic saw the beginning of her writing efforts. Now she can’t stop. The Starnberg Series comprises eight books and the Westminster Series is onto its fourth volume. All will be published in due course.

 

Need PR Help?

Brian Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with 3.6 million page views, 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 over 30 years of experience in successfully helping thousands of authors in all genres. Let him be your advocate, teacher, and motivator!

 

About Brian Feinblum

Brian Feinblum should be followed on www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog ©2024. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he now resides in Westchester with his wife, two kids, and Ferris, a black lab rescue dog, and El Chapo, a pug rescue dog. His writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s The Independent.  This award-winning blog has generated over 3.6 million pageviews. With 4,800+ 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 director of publicity positions 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 hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, Independent Book Publishers Association Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, Morgan James Publishing, 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. His first published book was The Florida homeowner, Condo, & Co-Op Association Handbook.  It was featured in The Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald.