Interview With Author Sally Ann Hunter

 

1.      What inspired you to write this book? The effect of moonlight on the ocean (and my relationship with my partner).  

2.      What exactly is it about and who is it written for? It is about two women who journey to explore every ecosystem of the ocean, while also exploring their own inner natures. They are accompanied by a magical conch shell, Nereids who are water nymphs and many sea creatures. They have no idea of the profound transformation which will come to them. I expect lesbians will enjoy this book as well as everyone who loves the sea. It is an example of Nature Writing and describes the sea creatures in every different ecosystem.  

3.      What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book?  I expect readers will enjoy and rejoice in a healthy ocean, which will encourage them to protect it. I also hope that readers will be inspired by a very real spiritual experience, inspired to know that this is possible.  

4.      How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design? I love the idea of transfiguration, someone or something being illuminated from within and thereby transformed into something of much finer quality. The cover, which is a sunset over the ocean, represents a scene in the book and hints at the ending.  

5.      What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!?  Write what you want to write and don’t worry too much about people who push you in a different direction.  

6.      What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?  Firstly, I see a growing interest in writing and reading about the natural environment. I think book publishing is heading more and more towards electronic versions of books, as well as more and more self-publishing.  

7.      Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book?  Yes, I am a biologist and am familiar with describing organisms and ecosystems. I also studied coastal systems. As an environmental policy officer, I understand natural processes. while writing this book, I worked through my feelings about my mother and managed to forgive her.  

8.      How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to? My book includes some of my poems and my prose is also poetic, particularly with the use of metaphor. I use the Nature Writing style, which gives as much emphasis to the natural environment as to any other character.  

9.      What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book? Nature Writing was not well known at that time and some other writers did not appreciate the attention I gave to the sea creatures. I often drew parallels between them and the women in the book.  

10.  If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? Love the marine and coastal environments now, before they are gone..Know them better so you can protect them.  

About The Author: Sally Ann Hunter is a biologist and environmental policy officer (BSc [Biol], MEnv Sts.). She has published a collection of poetry called The Structure of Light and a biography called You Can’t Keep a Good Man Down: from Parkinson’s to a new life with Deep Brain Stimulation A paper she wrote on the biography, was read on ABC Radio’s Ockham’s Razor, as was a paper on living with solar power.She completed a ten month course called Manuscript Incubator at Writers SA. She also completed Poetry Studio, an online course over several months with Jill Jones. A novel called Transfigured Sea (Nature Writing) was published in 2022 and another called Golden Cups (Historical Fiction) is in the process of publisher’s revision. A number of her poems have been published in anthologies and online. She lives in the Adelaide Hills where she gains inspiration for much of her Nature Writing.

 

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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.