Interview With Author Imogene Drakes

 

1. What inspired you to write this book? Reviewing my travel journal made me realize that my journey contained a story worth sharing with readers who enjoy travel, history, and discovery.  

2. What exactly is it about — and who is it written for? The book follows my six-week trip around the world to visit ancient sites, many of them remote, while conducting fact-finding research for my upcoming book on religion, mythology, and science. It is written for people who enjoy travel or hope to travel, solo women travelers, readers interested in our origin stories, and anyone who loves adventure.  

3. What do you hope readers will get out of reading your book? I hope readers will enjoy traveling vicariously with me, find respite from everyday troubles, and reflect on the origin stories, mythological questions, and cultures encountered along the journey.  

4. How did you decide on your book’s title and cover design? The title is a nod to Jules Verne’s tale and gives the exact number of days in my journey. The cover evolved from many ideas and contributions, but I chose to feature the tortoise, Mohenjo-Daro—a particularly significant stop on the journey—and the enigmatic Moai.  

5. What advice or words of wisdom do you have for fellow writers – other than run!? Write what is inside you and wants to come out. Let the first draft flow, and fix the words later.  

6. What trends in the book world do you see -- and where do you think the book publishing industry is heading?  As people feel increasingly pressed for time, busy and younger readers appear to be listening to more books rather than reading them in print. At the same time, many seasoned readers still value a well-produced hardcover with compelling photographs.  

7. Were there experiences in your personal life or career that came in handy when writing this book?  Yes. My determination to finish projects—and to finish them well—helped me sustain the focus and discipline needed to complete the book.  

8. How would you describe your writing style? Which writers or books is your writing similar to? I usually write the way I speak, with a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor. I do not encounter many authors whose voices feel quite like mine, but I enjoy Graham Hancock’s work and the conversational style of Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoirs. Both create the feeling that the author is speaking directly with the reader.  

9. What challenges did you overcome in the writing of this book? I was fortunate not to encounter any major challenges with the writing itself. Once I sat down, the story came naturally and I wrote it.  

10. If people can buy or read one book this week or month, why should it be yours? Readers will be entertained while learning about unfamiliar places, ancient sites, origin stories, and cultures—all through a journey that may inspire them to step outside their comfort zones.  

About The Author: Dr. Imogene Drakes is a career scientist, educator, spiritual researcher, and international speaker who grew up in Guyana’s multicultural society before moving to the United States in 1989. Her early passion for science led her across six continents in search of connections among religion, mythology, and science. She managed clinical and forensic analyses in Guyana, lectured at the Guyana Police Academy, and later worked in clinical laboratory science in the United States, retiring as a Laboratory Director in 2025. Her wide-ranging contributions include teaching public health at SUNY Downstate, singing in a gospel choir, serving as a volunteer community board member, earning recognition for outstanding community service, and presenting at major medical society meetings, including as the opening presenter at the Vermont Medical Society’s 2024 Annual Meeting.  

Her mission is to help people understand their purpose, build resilience, and discover connections between spiritual and scientific narratives. Dr. Drakes holds a Master of Science in Forensic Science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City and a PhD in Public Health from Walden University in Minnesota. Outside her research, she enjoys traveling, watching documentaries, learning to play the piano, and learning to ski; she is also the proud mother of twin sons and grandmother of six. Her new book is Around the World in 42 Days. For more info, please see:  www.ImogeneDrakes.com.

 

 

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About Brian Feinblum

This award-winning blog has generated over 10, 000,000 page views. With over 5,700+ posts over the past 15 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 2026, 2021 and 2018 as one of the top book marketing blogs. It was also named by www.WinningWriters.com as a "best resource.”  Copyright 2026.

 

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) and (https://pubspot.ibpa-online.org/article/10-things-my-dog-taught-me-about-marketing-books). He was recently interviewed by the IBPA: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0BhO9m8jbs

 

He hosted a panel on book publicity for Book Expo America several years ago, and has spoken at ASJA, three times at BookCAMP, Independent Book Publishers Association, Sarah Lawrence College, Nonfiction Writers Association, Cape Cod Writers Association, Willamette (Portland) Writers Association, APEX, five times at Morgan James Publishing Red Carpet, 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