Interview With Author Bainy Cyrus!

1. What inspired you to write this book? 

I grew up along with the clubhouse belonging to the Woman’s Club of Norfolk. Since my small elementary school did not have an auditorium, we used The Woman’s Club only a block away for school plays, Christmas carols, assembly meetings, and special events. Then I attended cocktail parties at the same clubhouse. Finally, I joined the Woman’s Club of Norfolk in 2016 and was for the first time mesmerized by the beauty of the clubhouse. Hence, I began researching its history dating back to its construction in 1910 and the history of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC). That clubhouse has seen an interwoven history of the city, the neighborhood, and even America. I felt that GFWC deserves recognition for its hard work and dedication to the community nationwide and globalwise since 1890.

 

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

"Tea and Toil at The Woman's Club" has an interwoven history of the 120-year-old club, its clubhouse called the Martin Mansion, its unique neighborhood called The Hague, the city of Norfolk, America, and most of all, the General Federation of Women's Clubs. This narrative nonfiction, along with the author's stories of growing up along with the Martin Mansion, focuses mostly on women's issues and empowerment in the past 155 years. 

 

And "Tea and Toil" is for the general audience including men because it has significant male characters, one of whom was the founder of The Weather Channel. 

 

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

Appreciation for history and respect for women's indebtedness to the community and the world. 

 

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

Since the book contains fancy events and hard work in that clubhouse, I thought it would be cool to have two terms contradicting each other, especially with the same first letter. So "Tea and Toil" came up, added by "at The Woman's Club" so that readers would understand that the book revolves around the clubhouse and shows its connection to historical events in the city, nation, and the General Federation of Women's Clubs.

 

I wanted the cover design to appeal to both sexes by placing the female silhouettes in a fashion timeline from left to right under the Martin Mansion in the oval frame - and a WWII warplane associating with the General Federation of Women's Clubs. Something of an eye catcher! 

 

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

Take time and enjoy what you are writing about. Pretend that the reader is across the table from you for the sake of motivation. And when you research, check more than one source for the sake of clarity. Credibility is key to a successful historical book. And it's okay to overwrite because it is always easier to cut and edit than simply rewrite the entire book. Self-editing as many times as you can is the best thing you can do. Just be patient with yourself, relax and have fun. Even if writing a book is fiendishly hard work. 

 

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading? 

These are difficult questions to answer but I will do the best I can. I believe that real facts are more important in the book world amid misinformation by the media involving politics. And also, history is more important as well. About the book publishing industry...I feel that it is heading to more self-publishing, independent publishing, and hybrid publishing due to more rejections by agents and traditional publishers. 

 

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

Absolutely yes, "Tea and Toil at The Woman's Club" contains my personal experiences with the clubhouse here and there...

 

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to? 

I have always been a fan of truth and real facts so I would say my writing is straight-forward and to the point. With some humor. Maybe like Anne Tyler as a realistic novelist and Erik Larson as a historian that writes his books like a novel. 

 

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

At least I finished the entire book! 

 

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

Because today's politics have distorted the real facts on women and history, my book should open people's eyes to the amazing women's movement from the late 1800s toward today. And help them appreciate history in general. 

 

Bainy is the author of five books including the 2010 award-winning “All Eyes, A Memoir of Deafness”. A lifelong resident of Norfolk, VA, she just published a narrative non-fiction that won six awards in different categories. Before writing, Bainy was a landscape designer and then a job coach for the disabled. She is now retired and enjoys RVing across the country with her husband Steve and their dog Sydney.  Please see this for more information: www.bainycyrus.com.

 

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About Brian Feinblum

This award-winning blog has generated over 4.4 million pageviews. With 5,300+ posts over the past 14 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