1. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Right after college and before I had kids I used to work in advertising writing print and Tv ads. Some of my ads actually won awards. i don't even know where I kept those dust collectors! But that was ages ago. Now i live in the Pacific West, and have five children, ages nine to nineteen. I have four at home now whom I homeschool. It gets really hectic at our home. We also have many pets, so something is always happening.
2. Describe your book ‘Keeper of Reign (Reign Fantasy)’ in 30 words or less.
Books written in blood. A curse that befell a people. A Kingdom with no King. Life couldn’t get more harrowing for the Elfies, a blend of Elves and Fairies. Or for sixteen-year-old Jules Blaze. Jules, heir of a Keeper, suspects his family hides a forgotten secret. Now, Gehzurolle, the evil lord, and his armies of Scorpents, seem bent on destroying Jules and his family. Why? Gehzurolle’s agents hunt for Jules as he journeys into enemy land to find the truth. Truth that could save him and his family, and possibly even reverse the age-long curse. Provided Jules doesn't get himself killed first.
3. What was the hardest part of writing your book?
Finishing the book! It's hard for me to say, enough is enough, no more editing, no more improving, it's time to get to the next book. I literally have to yank myself and hit the submit button so I don't keep tweaking the book.
4. What books have had the greatest influence on you?
Great authors and their incredible stories and craft like Lord of the Rings come to mind. I love the imageries and the richness of the symbols Tolkien used, yet, at the same time readers can read it on a more superficial level, too--just a story about Hobbits, and the evil Sauron, and Gandalf. But to me it's so much more than just a fun read--even though it's that, too. Having read so many classics I have to say that some of the English and American classics have rubbed on me some, too, like Jane Austen, Hemingway and Laura Ingalls Wilder.
5. Briefly share with us what you do to market your book?
I have done lots of blog tours, so as to get the word out there about Keeper of Reign, and also to promote myself as an author. Social media too is a new thing for me, so I have had to build a following on facebook (
https://www.facebook.com/KeeperOfReign) and twitter (
@emmbeliever, in case you'd like to follow me). I also had to get a website and a blog site ready. (
http://www.emmaright.com/)
Also,I put out lots of ads, free and otherwise. Since I got the book ready for its launch a couple of months back i have been reading about book marketing to find out how others get the word out about their books. I have joined a few of the book marketing sites, but there are just not enough hours in a day and it would be nice to have thousands to promote my boos, too. Hah!
6. How do you spend your time when you are not writing?
Aside from keeping our home (and kids) in order, and driving the kids to their different after homeschool activities, I have hardly any time for writing and marketing my books. I try to exercise--fail! I do read to relax and also as an author I feel it's important to read to keep myself abreast of what readers like and also not to go rusty.
7. What are you working on next?
I am finishing up Dead Dreams, a young adult psychological thriller mystery, and putting the marketing plans for that as it's out this month.
Also, I am writing Keeper of Reign Book 2 which hopefully can be out Spring of 2014. No precise title for that Book 2 yet.
