Sunday 1 May 2016

BOOK PROMOTION & AUTHOR INTERVIEW - TANGLED A SOUTHERN GOTHIC YARN BY PHYLLIS H. MOORE

Title: Tangled - A Southern Gothic Yarn
Author: Phyllis H. Moore
Release Date: 8th March 2016

BLURB from Goodreads
A southern family saga emerges as Nettie begins a quest to discover who she is. Twenty-one years old and Annette Roberta Randall is searching, looking for herself. The perception and sensitivity she relied on to bolster her through an isolated childhood have disappeared and with them her sense of self. Nettie also seeks the truth, information about her dysfunctional family and the mysteries that whisper to her in their eccentric family home. She receives glimpses in the alcohol induced monologues of her mother, Delores Cecelia, “DeCe”. However, DeCe lost herself long before Nettie was born, and she buried her secrets so deep, even the spirits haunting her cannot unlock her soul. Pup, Nettie’s peculiar uncle, may have witnessed the most recent chaos, but he cannot communicate what he knows for sure. Nettie’s struggles are apparent to her extended family and neighbors, but only she can resolve to overcome the pull of the notorius Kirkland family and Berclaire mansion. The secrets fester and DeCe clings to them like the neglected ivy tendrils on the shadowed side of the mansion. Slowly, the truth will unfold, but will it be enough to free Nettie, or the undoing of her mother, DeCe? 

Nettie believed it was possible her grandfather, Old Nate, was responsible for the hauntings at the Berclaire mansion, but the more she learns of her great grandmother, Roberta, she decides he might have been a victim, also. DeCe had been taking pills and drinking alcohol from before the time she was a teenager, attempting to numb herself to her dysfunctional family. Nettie could only guess at a history during her drunken orations about DeCe's childhood. Nettie knows she is the seventh child born to DeCe, the others gone before Nettie was born. Some would filter back into her life, but would they help her learn more about her identity, or bring more pain?


AUTHOR INTERVIEW
What is your name, where were you born and where do you live now?
Phyllis H. Moore was born in Texas, now 63 years old, she lives about 15 miles from where she was born, but several places in between.

Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
No, I was a social worker for thirty years. I have a masters degree in social work. I retired in 2004 and owned and operated a bed and breakfast for seven years before retiring again. I didn’t start writing until about four years ago.

When did you first consider yourself as a "writer"?
When I started writing, I considered myself a writer, but I didn’t consider myself an author until I someone else read my writing and agreed to publish it. That was an essay in an online journal, Fiction Southeast. I was thrilled.

Did it take a long time to get your first book published?
I waited in the traditional publishing line for a few months. After not hearing back from an agent, I decided it didn’t have the time to wait and decided to publish myself last November. I’m not a patient waiter.

Do you work another job as well as your writing work?
No, I’m retired. All of my productive time is spent writing and marketing what I write. I hate to say, I have found the marketing takes more time than the writing.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?
Tangled, a Southern Gothic Yarn is a dysfunctional family saga set in Texas with paranormal leanings. It is a story of survival.

Who is your publisher? or do you self publish?
Self-publish

Do you have a "lucky charm" or "lucky routine" you follow when waiting for your book to be accepted by a publisher?
No

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?
About four months.

Which of your books were easier/harder to write than the others?  
Opal’s Story was the easiest

What can we expect from you in the future?  ie More books of the same genre? Books of a different genre?
I have a non-fiction book in the works on retirement. I will probably post it as a give-away or free, and I have a short-story anthology I plan to release in October, scary stories. I imagine my future novels will be the same genre.

Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
My first three novels were a trilogy, The Sabine Trilogy. I enjoyed writing them, but I don’t know if I will do another series. The novel tells me what to do.

What genre would you place your books into?
Women’s literature, southern gothic

What made you decide to write that genre of book?
I wrote and I learned what the genre was at a writer’s conference. I didn’t know what tropes I was writing to.

Do you have a favourite out of the books you have written? If so why is it your favourite?
Probably Tangled, then Opal’s Story because I love the characters.

Do you have a favourite character from your books? and why are they your favourite?
Pup, Francis Nathaniel Kirkland. He’s autistic, so I had to describe his motions and his thoughts.

If you had to choose to be one of your characters in your book/books which would you be? and why?
Mrs. Sophie, because she is unconditionally loving to everyone.

How long have you been writing?, and who or what inspired you to write?
Four years. When I’m not writing I think about writing. It’s an obsession.

Where do you get your book plot ideas from?What/Who is your inspiration?
Everyday events and conversations inspire me. Since I have started writing, I pay attention to minute things     and listen and ask questions more during conversations.

Do you have a certain routine you have for writing? ie You listen to music, sit in a certain chair?
I don’t listen to music. I usually sit in the same chair or sofa, unless the weather is nice, I sit on my screened porch.

Do you have anybody read your books and give you reviews before you officially release them?ie. Your partner, children, friends, reviewers you know?
Yes, a have a team of beta readers and family that read and give me feedback. I have to twist arms to get reviews. That’s a challenge.

Do you gift books to readers to do reviews?
Yes

Do you read all the reviews of your book/books?
Yes

What was the toughest/best review you have ever had?
I have liked all of my reviews for different reasons. No one has been tough on me yet.

Would you ever ask a reviewer to change their review if it was not all positive about your book/books?
No.

How do you come up with the Title and Cover Designs for your book/books?Who designed the Cover of your books?
I design the covers and then send them to FIVERR for formatting. My titles are not very deep, I will have to give thought to them in the future. It’s not intuitive for me.

Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?
I write the book and see what happens.

How do you come up with characters names and place names in your books?
Sometimes they name themselves and I have no idea where it comes from.

Are character names and place names decided after their creation? or do you pick a character/place name and then invent them?
Sometimes I name a character because I like the name, then change it because the character takes on traits I didn’t expect.

Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?
It depends on if the character is the protagonist, or antagonist and if they are a supporting character, I consider what the protagonist needs from them, then I either give it to them or withhold, depending on the drama I need.

Do you basic plot/plan for your book, before you actually begin writing it out? Or do you let the writing flow and see where it takes the story?
Let it flow.

How do you market/promote your books?
Request free reviews and promotions. Sometimes I pay for Facebook ads. I blog and promote my web site on Facebook. I do a newsletter release when I have a new book. I’m trying to figure out how to grow my list. This promotion stuff is all new to me and the most challenging. I do book signings and have been lucky that several businesses offered to host me. I sell paperbacks at the signings. I enjoy that because I get face-to-face feedback from readers.

What do you think makes a book a really good/bestseller ?
A story with rich characters that readers can relate too and moves the reader in some way.

Have you ever suffered from a "writer's block"? What did you do to get past the "block"?
Never

What do you do to unwind and relax? Do you have a hobby?
Have a glass of wine with friends. I love the new adult coloring trend. I garden, love to travel, sew, knit and crochet.

Have you ever based characters on people you know or based events on things that have happened to you?
Yes

Are there any hidden messages or morals contained in your books? (Morals as in like Aesops Fables type of "The moral of this story is..")
Yes, and sometimes I don’t know they are there until I have reread for the 10th time. I surprise myself.

Is there a certain Author that influenced you in writing?
Fannie Flagg, Rebecca Wells, Kathryn Stockett, Rick Bragg, Jeanette Walls. I like southern stories with flawed characters.

Which format of book do you prefer, ebook, hardback, or paperback?
Ebook

What is your favourite book and Why?  Have you read it more than once?
Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls. I have only read once.

Do you think books transfer to movies well? Which is you favourite/worst  book to movie transfer?
Sometimes. I did not like The Shining. My visions of the hotel was different. I liked Hunger Games.

What are you currently reading? Are you enjoying it? What format is it?(ebook, hardback or paperback)
I just finished Secrets of Hallstead House by Amy Reade on my Kindle. She and I are in a GoodReads group and I agreed to review her book. It’s good.

Do you think ebooks will ever totally replace printed books?
I know too many people who still love the smell and feel of a real book. Ebooks are so handy for travel. You can take as many books as you want. That’s the beauty of them.

Do you think children at schools these days are encouraged enough to read? and/or do Imaginative writing?
Probably not, but I am out of touch with what children do in school now days.

Did you read a lot at school and write lots of stories or is being a writer something newer in your life?
I have always been an avid reader, but writing is a new thing.

Did you have a favourite author as a child?
Daphne DeMauier.

Do you have a treasured book from your childhood? If yes, what is it?
No, not really.

Do you have a favourite genre of book?
Women’s Literature

Is there a book you know you will never read? Or one you tried to read but just couldn't finish?
I have read books recently I could not finish. They had not story and flat characters.

Are there any New Authors you are interested in for us to watch out for? and Why should we watch out for them?
I just read Kalidescope Lives by Roji Abraham. I think he’s going places. It was a collection of short stories and I loved it. Rich characters and settings.

Is there anything in your book/books you would change now if you could and what would it be?
No. I can’t think about that.

What do you think about book trailers?
Great, but I can’t think about that for me.

What piece of advice would you give to a new writer?
Write, and write some more.

Do you or would you ever use a pen name?
No

If you could invite three favourite writers to dinner, who would you invite and enjoy chatting with?
Maya Angelou
Fannie Flagg
Paulo Cuelho

No comments:

Post a Comment