Interview With Author Amanda Jane Ali

 

 

1. What inspired you to write this book?
The initial idea for Daughter of Light came from a scene from a dream I'd had.  The story grew up around that one scene.  

2. What exactly is it about and who is it written for?
Daughter of Light is a paranormal romance about a Guardian, Dominic Peverell, who finds his soul twin, Kitty Katz, after a 500-year search. Kitty is only a child and Dominic needs to stay away from her until she has grown up.  Unfortunately, their link means that demons targeting Dominic turn their attention to Kitty and she is put in danger. I wrote Daughter of Light for readers like myself who enjoy reading novels with a supernatural element to them, with more complicated storylines than a simple romance.

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book?
 I hope that readers will enjoy the novel for the romance and drama.  There are one or two scenes in the novel which I hope they will also find scary!  

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design?
I wrote 'Daughter of Light' when my youngest daughter started school back in 2008 and it was called 'Demon Legacy'.  It was intended to be the first in a series of books - but the name of the series kept changing.  I tried to find an agent, without success, and put it to one side.  I wrote another two books in the series, then started a third, but I had to return to work and was unable to find the time for writing - especially as I had started working towards my degree.  Then, along came Covid, and I was made redundant so I had time to revisit 'Demon Legacy'.  I no longer liked the title of the book and decided to change the name to 'Daughter of Light', as Kitty's status as a Daughter of Light is central to the novel. Austin Macauley asked if I had any ideas for the cover and I had a very vague idea that I wanted the cover to feature the figure of a woman standing with the moon behind her.  I am really delighted with the cover that Austin Macauley provided.
  
5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!?
I don't really think I'm in any position to offer sensible advice to other writers - like many other writers, I suffer from Imposter Syndrome! However, although the usual advice is to write for your readership, I tend to write novels that I would like to read - if you enjoy your novel, then there will be others who enjoy it, too. Also, it is essential to love your work as the editing process is vitally important before sending it to anyone.  Spelling mistakes really distract readers.  'Daughter of Light' has had many edits and each time I have been able to fully immerse myself in the story again, which makes the process much more enjoyable.
 
6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?
I think that self-publishing and hybrid publishing are the future of publishing.  For any new writers trying to go down the traditional route, it is an incredibly frustrating and soul-destroying journey - especially when you can see a traditional publisher giving huge advances to celebrities who rely on ghost writers, while true writers are unable to break into the industry.  Self-publishing and hybrid publishing also enable the author to have control over what is published in their name.

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book?
Not that I am aware of.

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to?
I try to write simply and clearly so that the reader can understand what I am trying to say.  I do enjoy descriptive writing - although not for its own sake.  I also like dialogue as it is a good way of introducing the reader to a character.  The writers who have had the most influence on me are Dean Koontz, Lillith Saintcrew, Stephen King and Christine Feehan.  

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book?
My biggest challenge was in 2022, when I had to go in for brain surgery three days after Austin Macauley had sent me the first pre-publication version of  'Daughter of Light'! In the end, I had to have three operations as the first two didn't work. These days, my biggest challenge is finding the time to write, now that I am working outside the home. Especially in view of all my singing and family commitments.

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours?
'Daughter of Light' is more than just a romance. It is not a short book; it is something you can really get your teeth into.   There is an element of danger throughout and a (hopefully!) satisfying resolution at the end.  There is a great deal of action throughout which hopefully keeps the reader hooked!  This is the kind of book you'd read on a rainy weekend when all you want is to sit in front of a roaring fire and forget the outside world!  

 

About The Author:  I live just outside Greater London with my husband and our two youngest children, a very old Chocolate Labrador, our very chunky cat and my youngest daughter's kitten.  In my day job I work at a local church as Hall Manager/Parish Administrator - I am truly fortunate to work in a job I love, with people who mean a great deal to me.  Best of all, as my job is part time, I get to indulge in my twin passions of writing and singing, which have both been important to me for almost as long as I can remember. My teachers weren't always impressed with my writing: one of my teachers asked for a one-page essay about what we did over half term and was less than impressed with the six-page horror story I submitted.  My other great love, singing, was probably inevitable as my father was a semi-professional jazz pianist and my earliest memories are of my brother and me dancing as he played 'Black & White Rag' .  I sang with him from the age of 15 until I was pregnant with my eldest daughter (morning sickness and nerves don't mix!).  When I returned to singing five years later, I joined a local choral society, eventually leaving them to become a backing vocalist in a local band.  The wheel turns and I am no longer with them - I now sing with, and run, our local church choir, as well as singing with two other choirs.  Life is good. For more info, please see: amandajanedearle.ampbk.com

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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 3.9 million pageviews. With 4,900+ 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.