What genre do you write and
why?
I
write horror and general fiction for young adults, teens and children. I love
sharing my personal experiences growing up with my sister in the South Bronx.
These stories are part of my Bertha Series. My Faces Behind the Stones series
is told from the point of view of the person behind the gravestone that has
wronged someone else. The purpose is to teach teens lessons in life. The third
genre I write in is non-fiction, which includes my books on Alzheimer’s and
tips for caregivers.
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Tell us about
your latest book.
Hidden Truths and Lies is the fourth
in my Faces Behind the Stones series. Each story is told from the point of view
of the person who is deceased behind the gravestone and has either been wronged
or someone did something to him or her. Each story in this series teaches a
lesson the person behind the stone should have learned before committing crime,
hurting someone else, or generally failing at life. We’re about to enter Golden
Stone Cemetery, where these unfortunate people are buried so deep you can
barely find their markers. Their crimes are so heinous and their deeds so cruel
that family members buried them here because they want to forget they ever
existed.
What
marketing methods are you using to promote your book?
The marketing methods I employ vary with each book. This is the first
time I have decided to have a blog tour to help promote my title. It is really
exciting and great to have so many authors, reviewers and bloggers take an
interest in my work. I promote on the social media and send out review copies
to reviewers upon request. I have given copies of the book to people in many
restaurants that I frequent, neighbors and the staff of the local Starbucks who
make my morning cappuccino.
What formats
is the book available in?
The book is available in all digital forms and in print.
Who are your
favourite authors?
My favorite authors are: Steve Berry, Shelley Shephard Gray, Lisa Unger,
Jon Land and Harper Lee. These are just a few.
What advice
do you have for other writers?
When I decided to write my first set of Bertha stories I was told by more
seasoned authors to write about what you know. When I decided to write my mom’s
story about her journey with Alzheimer’s I once again asked several other
authors what their thoughts were on this subject. Writing about her journey
is something that I know about and experienced. I find that this helped me get
started. When completing your manuscript and having to decide the right
publisher it is crucial to do your research on the company you have chosen to
check out the complaints and the reviews. I would also suggest that you make
sure your manuscript is properly formatted and edited and if you are going to
send a query letter that you get someone experienced to guide you. When dealing
with reviews do not get discouraged if some are not positive. As a reviewer I
never pan books and if I find that a book would be rated less than three stars
I will create a summary for the author and will not review it. I won’t
post it on a site that requires a rating. That‘s just my way. What I might not
feel is a great novel someone else might.
What's your
favourite quote about writing/for writers?
Stay true to who you are. Believe in yourself
The best thing about being a writer is the fun of creating your stories,
getting positive feedback and seeing you name in bold print on the front cover.
Being a writer allows me to share my childhood experiences with other people
and writing the Faces Stories a chance to teach teens and young adults some
life lessons. The best part is you are in control of the plot, the storyline
and the outcome.
Where can
people find out more about you and your writing?
You can read my reviews on just reviews: https://tillie49.wordpress.com/ You can read my
reviews on Facebook: Fran Lewis’s reviews. You can read more about me if you
Google my name and on LinkedIn.
Who is you favourite character
in your book and why?
Bertha is my favorite
character because I am Bertha.
Why do you think readers are
going to enjoy your book?
Young adults who have read my Bertha Series think that it is
pretty cool that I wrote about real life incidents and fun times with my
sister. I shared the fact that I was as a teen overweight and how difficult it
was to lose the weight, which I did. I shared what happens when you are bullied
and how you have to learn to fight back but in the right way in my Bertha
Fights Back book. My Faces Books teach lessons to both young adults and adults
hoping they learn from the mistakes of others.
How long did it take you to
write your book?
Hidden
Truths and Lies took about 6 months to write.
Who designed the cover?
My
publisher Robin Surface is quite amazing. I gave her the specifics of what I
wanted on the cover and sent her some samples and she did the rest.
Did you learn anything from
writing your book that was unexpected?
I
learned that I could create stories that remind me of the old Alfred Hitchcock
shows that I watch today. I learned that it is really fun to try your hand at
new things even if you are not sure how they might turn out. I learned that
writing Hidden Truths and Lies would give me a chance to include two Science
Fiction Stories and what did I not expect: The amazing outcome!
Where can a reader purchase
your book?
You can purchase my book on
Amazon, Smash words, Barnes and Noble
What are you doing to market
the book?
The Blog Tour is first. Interviews on radio shows to promote the
books. Promote it on my own radio show. Mailings, emails, sending out copies to
anyone who wants to read and review it. Press releases and links to where to
purchase using the Social Media.
Who inspires you?
Before my sister passed away she dared me to review my first
book. I don’t cook and she dared me to review a cookbook. I took that dare and
went with it. I reviewed a cookbook and the creator of the recipes and the book
thought my review was original and quite humorous. After that it just
snowballed and other authors asked that I read and reviewed their books. I am a
reading and writing staff developer. Growing up my mom insisted that I read at
least ten books a week and using index cards take notes on the characters and
the plot. I had to include my thoughts about whether I liked or disliked the
book too. She has always inspired me to read and create my own stories and my
sister’s dare keeps me going even now. Knowing that I can capture the true meaning
of an author’s work and help them spotlight it inspires me to continue for an
infinite amount of years to come.
How do you research your
books?
Writing the books on Alzheimer’s and caregiver tips I did quite
a bit of research on the causes, stages, care giving. I contact Alzheimer’s,
downloaded information for ADEAR and many other websites making sure that my
information was accurate.
What is your work in progress?
Tell us about it.
My work in progress is Faces 5, which will be a little different
than the other four. Faces five will start with three stories told by three
different people behind the stones but these will be based on real people and
real life events.
What are your thoughts on
self-publishing verses traditional publishing?
I have self-published my Bertha Series and was not pleased with
the outcome the first time. I had all five books republished by another
self-publisher. I found that being new in the field I did my research but
obviously I did not realize that the editing would be poor and that I would be
charged for corrections after they claimed that I signed off on the final
galley. Needless to say that did not sit well with me and I made sure it was
corrected. However, when the final books did come out and I reread the galley’s
they had no errors yet the published ones did which is why I had them
republished. My first three Faces books were traditionally published by a small
publisher who created a great final copy but did nothing to help market the
books or promote them. At this point I have not decided which way I will go
with the next one.
Who or what inspired you to
become a writer?
My
sister inspired me to write about growing up in the South Bronx and my aunt, my
mother’s sister concurred that that would be fun and exciting. My mom was
diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and I had to retire early from teaching. My sister
wanted to know if I was going to become a huge couch potato or do something
with my life. Retiring was necessary because someone had to oversee my mom’s
care. Becoming a couch potato definitely not!
Does your family support you
in your writing career? How?
I am pretty much on my own. My nephew Jake did write one of the
stories with me but I am not sure that he will write another one with school
and homework. He thought it would be cool to write a baseball story and he did
a great job.
What are you currently
reading?
I am
currently reviewing and reading: Serpents in the Cold by Thomas O’Malley and
Douglas Graham Purdy. I tend to read at least five books at one time. I am also
reading and reviewing Ink and Bone: Lisa Unger, On the Run: Izai Amorim and
will be starting Progeny by Tosca Lee and Hot Start by David Freed.
What books or authors have
most influenced your life?
The books that have made
the greatest impact on my life are: To Kill a Mockingbird, Little Women, Pride
and Prejudice, and Gone with the Wind. Presently the authors I love to read
are: Jon Land, Allan Topol, Steve Berry, Terry Shames and Shelley Shepard Gray.
I also love Brian Freeman and his Jonathan Stride character as well as anything
written by Steve Martini.
When you’re not writing, how
do you spend your time?
I love to meditate. I love walking and going to outdoor parks. I
love museums and enjoy art galleries and art shows. I love listening to
classical music, opera, the three tenors and of course shopping. I really love
a great flea market, tag sale and art shows.
Thank you so much for doing this interview. Fran
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Hidden Truths and Lies
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1 Comments
Since I read this book, I enjoyed this interview, getting to know the author better. Thank you for sharing.
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