Saturday 23 February 2013

AUTHOR INTERVIEW - S.J. PIERCE


A LITTLE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Susan James Pierce has a degree in Marketing Management, works for a Fortune 500 company in Atlanta, Georgia, and devotes her precious, spare time to writing Fantasy and Sci-fi novels. 


Even though her full-time career has nothing to do with books at all, she has always enjoyed complex story telling with fascinating characters, and has had a penchant for the written word since grade school. As a matter of fact, her only publishing credit to date was a poem she wrote at the age of twelve. Why her love for writing never translated into a career, she can only attribute to 'life happens', but her wish is that she can redirect her career path into something that satisfies her creative inner-self.
“The most important story you will ever write is your own.”  ~Bev Davis, Columnist

THE INTERVIEW

What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?

My name is Susan James Pierce. I was born, raised, and continue to live in the suburbs of Atlanta, GA. Although I enjoy traveling and dream of visiting many more places to come, I’m a Georgia peach through and through.

Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
No. Though I’ve always enjoyed writing – I had a poem published at the age of 12 and have won contests for essays – I’ve aspired to be everything from a ballerina (I’d danced for many years), to a psychologist, to an interior designer. I’ve even dappled in cake decorating and jewelry making. I didn’t circle around to writing again until about a year or so ago, and my life has been forever changed. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarize it in less than 20 words what would you say?
Marked for Vengeance (Book One of the Alyx Rayer Chronicles). It’s about a 300 year old angel that was sent to Earth to capture her “Marked” human when summoned.

What genre would you place your books into?
Paranormal Romance/ Urban Fantasy

Do you gift books to readers to do reviews?
Absolutely. Reviews are one of the single most important aspects of a book’s success, especially the first in a series. I always welcome requests for a copy in exchange for a fair and honest review to be posted on their blog, Goodreads, and Amazon.

Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?
Yes. There is always something to be gained from others’ POV, even if the review isn’t a glowing one.

Would you ever ask a reviewer to change their review if it was not all positive about your book/books?
Never. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. What a boring world this would be if we all loved and hated the same things!

What do you do to unwind and relax? Do you have a hobby?
Coincidentally, writing and reading. Nothing beats letting your mind escape into a different world for hours on end.

Did you have a favorite author as a child?
C.S. Lewis. He’s the reason I love to both read and write in the Fantasy genre.

What piece of advice would you give to a new writer?
I’m pretty wet behind the ears myself. But from what I’ve learned so far, my advice could be summed up in two words: perseverance and professionalism. Like many others, this is a tough industry.  You have to work hard to get your book noticed through soliciting reviews, networking, advertising, etc. And if you’re someone who doesn’t have a thick skin and quits easily, you won’t make it. Just remember to push through, be open to criticism to better your writing, and above all, remember why you write in the first place – because you love it!
As far as professionalism goes, you also have to remember that whatever you put out there is a reflection of you whether it’s a remark on your blog or someone else’s, or your response to a review or critic. Always conduct yourself professionally. The internet has a lengthy memory and you’re stamping your “brand” for a long time to come. Nobody wants to work with an author who is ungrateful and attacks others.


Where can we follow you?

No comments:

Post a Comment