BOOK PROMOTION
The story is the memoir of the author's Mama, a true southern lady, well educated, with a passion for sterling silver and a tendency to shop at Dollar Stores. It is a comical, sometimes tragic story of this strong woman who conquered an addiction to alcohol that almost took her life and everything she had to rise again for second act. This a story of growing up with an alcoholic who never lost her deep southern roots. It is the tale of a lady who loved and lost but, against all odds, rose again for a second act and the story of the author's relationship with her mother through it all. Some readers may call this Southern Lit with the eccentric characters, southern ways, and a bit of sibling rivalry. Others may see the compelling story of the relationship between a mother and daughter over a span of more than fifty years. Anyone growing up southern can relate to parts of this story. It is an amusing yet, at times, heart wrenching tale of a well educated proper southern woman who survives to have another chance at life and takes nothing for granted.
What can you say about a woman who valued her sterling silver, her family, and her bridge clubs but never saw a Dollar Store she didn't like. The narrative covers more than fifty years of the her life. The story shows that no one's life follows a straight path and we should never give up on someone we love. She was a survivor and after she sobered up, she appreciated every day she lived. As a young newly wed, fresh out of Wake Forest, she was a social worker trying to help the children and elderly on the sea islands off South Carolina. After she got her life straight she continued that work, not professionally, but on a personal level helping addicts get sober and aiding the elderly who needed assistance and companionship.
Once she got her life straight, she was never bitter about what she had lost. Rather, she moved forward with a lust for life, realizing every day was a gift. She was talented and smart, but she was also quirky and sometimes a little difficult. She was truly a character, well loved by her family and friends, but a force to be reckoned with none the less - all four feet eight inches of her.
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AUTHOR INTERVIEW
What is your name, where were you born and where do you
live now?
Ann Currie Williams, born in Conway,
SC and now live in Orangeburg, SC
Did you always want to be a
writer? If not what did you want to be?
I have always been
writing something since I was young; keeping a journal, writing a blog or short
stories.
When did you first consider
yourself as a "writer"?
The first time I got a
poem published while I was in college.
Did it take a long time to get
your first book published?
No, because I knew it would be
nearly impossible to get a publishing house to pay any attention to me, so I
went the self-publishing, publish on demand route.
What is the name of your
latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would
you say?
My latest book , which is my first book, is
titled “Sterling Silver and Dollar Stores, Life with My Southern Mother.”
It is a funny yet poignant story about growing up with my mother
who was an alcoholic then sobered up.
Who is your publisher? or do
you self publish?
I self publish.
Do you have plans for a new
book? Is this book part of a series?
I am about finished with my
second book which is the story of my wedding, as the bride, and then me as mother of the bride planning
my daughter’s wedding. Needless to say it is quite comical. If we didn’t laugh
about these things they would be tragic.
What genre would you place your books into?
I’m
not sure where they fit. Some may call them “Chick Lit”, but my first one has
had some appeal to men because of the southern life part of it. It could be
called “Memoir” because so far the books have been of my life. Others had said
they were “Family Comedy”.
Where do you get your book
plot ideas from?What/Who is your inspiration?
The inspiration for my book, “Sterling Silver”
was, obviously, my mother. She was a very complex character. Looking back on my
childhood there were so many comical things that went on that I just assumed
occurred in every family until I went to college and learned that no, in fact,
most families were not as “special” as ours was. She was smart, talented,
witty, and as quirky as they come. Yet she had fought her addiction to alcohol
for years and was able to overcome it and live a second act. She truly is my
inspiration.
Do you have a certain routine
you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?
I carry a leather bound
journal with me everywhere I go and jot downs things that come to mind. I
note conversations I hear that are a little odd, or write the description of
some occurrence that I know I will never be able to remember if I don’t have a
record of it.
Do you have anybody read your
books and give you reviews before you officially release them?ie. Your partner,
children, friends, reviewer’s you know?
I have several good
friends whom I have read the complete manuscript for their input as I finish
it. And I have an editor.
Do you read all the reviews of
your book/books?
Absolutely! Everyone I know
about. I can always learn from what others say.
Would you ever ask a reviewer
to change their review if it was not all positive about your book/books?
No never, unless they
said something that was factually wrong.
How do you come up with the
Title and Cover Designs for your book/books?Who designed the Cover of your
books?
I came up with the title
and I actually worked with a graphic artist in the UK on the cover. I gave her
my thoughts and she took it from there. And after a few drafts it was done.
Do you choose a title first,
or write the book then choose the title?
I start writing and hope
the title will come to mind in the process. For ‘Sterling Silver” I ran ten or
twenty potential titles by my friends for their thoughts. And, they had their
own suggestions. Finally the title came to me one night when I could not sleep.
How do you come up with
characters names and place names in your books?
So far they are real
people and places in my life. Trust me, I could not make this up if I tried.
Although I confess I do change some of the names of some folks in the book so
as not to hurt anyone’s feelings. (Then I learned that I hurt their feelings
because I did NOT use their names!)
How do you market/promote your
books?
Social media, Facebook, blogs,
Goodreads, and as much word of mouth as possible.
What do you do to unwind and
relax? Do you have a hobby?
I am a landscape photographer.
Which format of book do you
prefer, ebook,hardback, or paperback?
Personally, I prefer
eBook format but I found that so many potential readers wanted a paperback
version that I published both ways.
What are you currently
reading? Are you enjoying it? What format is it? (e-book, hardback or
paperback)
I am currently reading
“The Republic of Pirates: Being the True and Surprising Story of the
Caribbean Pirates and the Man Who Brought Them Down “ by Colin Woodward
and I just finished “Beach Music” by Pat Conroy.
Do you think e-books will ever
totally replace printed books?
I hope not. I am an
incurable romantic when it comes to “real” books.
Do you think children at
schools these days are encouraged enough to read? and/or do Imaginative
writing?
No, I do not. My husband and I read
to our daughters and encouraged them to read. And both of them said that being
brought up in a house of readers with books and magazines around all the time
made a big difference in their view of the world.
Do you have a favourite genre of book?
Probably the Legal Mystery or a Biography
Is there a book you know you will never
read? Or one you tried to read but just couldn't finish?
War and Peace
What piece of advice would you give to a
new writer?
Don’t give up. Keep working. And,
listen to your critics, you don’t necessarily have to agree with them all the
time, but it serves us well to listen to them.
Do you or would you ever use a pen name?
No, I just use my own name. So far I
have nothing to hide from.
If you could invite three favourite writers
to dinner, who would you invite and enjoy chatting with?
Pat Conroy, Doris Kearns
Goodwin, and David Sedaris – and I would just sit back and listen.
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