1.
What inspired you to write this book?
I was hearing that
there were millions of children being trafficked into sexual slavery, and I was
shocked that this was happening in our world today. I wondered what I could do,
and a friend said, ‘Write a book.’ That
was not something I had ever considered doing, but my friend was insistent that
I give it a go, and I could use the finances to help children.
2.
What exactly is it about – and who is it written for?
TJ and the Winged
Visitor is about a girl who is friendless, bossy, and a know it all, and
creates havoc among her classmates. But there is someone who knows the real TJ
and chooses her to receive a visit from an entity who resides in a different dimension
to Earth.
The book was
originally written for young teens but has become a story for all ages as it
has now been read by the generations, 12 years up to 90 years have delighted in
TJs story.
3.
What do you hope readers will get out of reading your
book?
I hope readers
will be inspired by this unusual graphic account of teenagers lives that
include both the supernormal and the supernatural. A story that entertains and
uplifts but has this element of the real stuff of life showing it is possible for
anyone to change.
4.
How did you decide on your books title and cover
design?
The book title: I
wanted to write a compelling fiction adventure story that included fantasy. Foremost
it had to have a page turning storyline with interesting characters that were
relatable to readers, but also supernatural themes that awed and connected with
our inquisitive minds. So, I based the title on the normal and the
supernatural. TJ and the Winged Visitor. The Cover design: The aim was to
attract attention but not give too much away t0o soon. I felt that a night sky
with a white wing could do both.
5.
What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow
writers – other than run!?
Words of wisdom
for fellow writers: I have discovered we are all unique with specific talents
and abilities. Many people are happy to follow the trends of what is out there,
and they do well. That didn’t work for me, I found it hard work. Whereas what
touched my heart, was what inspired me to keep going with the ups and the many
downs of writing and rewriting and editing and deciding to find a publisher
instead of self-publishing-which I have discovered has similar demands on the
author. My advice: find a topic that inspires you and believe you can write
this story, put your all into it and be persistent in writing, persevering,
never giving up.
6.
What trends in the book world do you see – and where
do you think the book publishing industry is heading?
The market is
being consistently flooded with thousands of new manuscripts, so the story
content should be captivating which is what I have aimed for. Though it seems
even mediocre content can do well with consistent exposure and sales marketing.
The book
publishing industry is providing more opportunity for authors to get their
works in print, but with those opportunities come less quality care and time
spent by the publisher to make the work known and market it. It appears publishers
expect authors to do 90% of the marketing if they want their works known. With
the digital explosion and the concept of being online consistently, this works
well for many authors but there are also many others who have amazing stories
with less skills to market. There has also been a push by publishers to market
digital books as they are cheap to produce, yet possibly more buyers for paperback
copies as there is nothing like holding and enjoying your own piece of
entertainment history.
7.
Were there experiences in your personal life or career
that came in handy when writing this book?
There was an
experience from my personal life that I considered in writing this book. My
husband had a strong personality, leadership, opinionated, and always right. I
was quieter, happy to sit in the background, a follower and peacemaker. We both
were methodical. If I tried to take charge when I considered my way better, it was
not well received. So, I began to ask questions of others and discovered there
were lots of different personality traits and how people may react. This
understanding was helpful in deciding what TJ would be like and how she would
fit in the story.
TJ and the Winged
Visitor is all fiction, but I would not think it unusual for an author to weave
a circumstance or concept in their writing, that is gained by an experience.
8.
How would you describe your writing style? Which
writers or books is your writing similar to?
I consider my writing style unusual. When I first thought about writing I had no experience in that field, so I attended courses and listened to suggestions on how to get ideas. It was an involved process and time consuming to seek out ideas that way, and then have to plan a beginning, middle and ending before I started the book. So, I decided to try what seemed easier to me. I would think about it, start with a sentence and follow thoughts and mind pictures, always with a desire to entertain. I would like my writing to be different, even unique to others, bringing with it a flair of storytelling that can encourage the human heart, enlarge thinking, bring enjoyment with humour, fun, and thought-provoking creative ideas.
9.
What challenges did you overcome in the writing of
this book?
The challenges I
overcame in writing TJ and the Winged Visitor was believing in myself that I
was worthy of doing something special. I also had to overcome running ahead
with my ideas, when something probably needed more time and thought spent on it.
10.
If people can buy or read one book this week or month,
why should it be yours?
The reason people
should choose to read TJ and the Winged Visitor this week or this month is because
it is a guaranteed page turner for all ages, an inspiring wonderful story of teenagers
and others, their challenges, drama, friendships, and love set in two realms,
the normal and the supernatural.
About The Author: Susan Chambers is a mother and grandmother,
residing in Australia. She has a flair for descriptive communication that draws her
readers to vision as they read and naturally relate to her characters who
display both real and quirky characteristics. She delights in bringing a
mixture of drama, fun, humour and heartwarming tales that keep her readers
entertained to the very last page. For more information, please see: https://susanchambers.ampbk.com
Do You Need Book Marketing & PR Help?
Brian
Feinblum, the founder of this award-winning blog, with over four million page
views, can be reached at brianfeinblum@gmail.com He is available to help authors like you to promote
your story, sell your book, and grow your 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
This
award-winning blog has generated over four million pageviews. With 5,000+ 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.” Copyright 2025.
For
the past three decades, Brian Feinblum has helped thousands of authors. He
formed his own book publicity firm in 2020. Prior to that, for 21 years as the
head of marketing for the nation’s largest book publicity firm, and as the
director of publicity 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.
His
writings are often featured in The Writer and IBPA’s
The Independent (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/whats-needed-to-promote-a-book-successfully).
He
hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and
has spoken at ASJA, BookCAMP, 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. He served as a judge for the
2024 IBPA Book Awards.
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.
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.
You
can connect with him at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianfeinblum/ or https://www.facebook.com/brian.feinblum
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.