Alice in Wonderland

"If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary-wise; what it is it wouldn't be, and what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?"

Lewis Carroll

Thursday, February 2, 2017

Author Interview

Rose Marie Dunphy













About the Author
Rose Marie Calicchio Dunphy was born in the region of Puglia, Italy, in Castellaneta (the same town as silent film star Rudolph Valentino).  She is one of only three women who immigrated to the U.S. from Italy and have written about their experience.   
A New York State-licensed Science and English teacher (BA from St. Joseph’s College, MA from Stony Brook University), she is an author, editor, public speaker and excellent cook.  She’s been interviewed by The Palm Beach Post, Channel 11 News in Phoenix and in a number of online sites in the U.S. and Italy.  She is a winner of Dan’s Papers 2015 Literary Prize for Non-Fiction.

Her books include:
1-Orange Peels and Cobblestones, a novel based on a true experience.                                       
    2-Ciottoli e Bucce D’Arancia, the Italian translation of the novel.        
    3-That First Bite-Chance or Choice, a non-fiction book about eating disorders using the 12-Step         Program of AA to deal with and heal from the disease.                                                             
    4-The Scent of Italian Cooking, a book of recipes gleaned from generations of Italian women and        men that delight everyone's nostrils and palates.                                                                      
    5-The Love of Your Life, a compilation of many of her essays and stories published in THE NEW        YORK TIMES, NEWSDAY, THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR, THE EAST HAMPTON                STAR and in numerous magazines across the country. 


Interview:
  What does your writing process look like? What is your favorite genre to write?
            I love to write essays and novels.  And I love reading them.

What book do you wish you could have written?
I wish I had written “Little Women,” “East of Eden” and “The Help.” I love them.

Just as your books inspire authors, what authors have inspired you to write?
Obviously, Louisa May Alcott and Steinbeck

If you could cast your characters in the Hollywood adaptation of your book, who would play your characters?
I would love to see Isabella Rossellini play the character Stella. There would be many Italian songs played during the different scenes in the movie, most notably throughout, “A Time to Say Goodbye.”

How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning? Do you have any name choosing resources you recommend?
Yes, I chose names based on their meanings. Stella for the mother who’s head is in the stars, who dreams of stardom; Marietta, because it sounds like a marionette or puppet who is controlled by others.

What do you consider to be your best accomplishment?
Probably my novel, “Orange Peels and Cobblestones.”  It’s based on a true event and it took years to write it.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Still writing, to have written one or two other novels, to have been published in literary magazines, and to have Orange Peels and Cobblestones been made into a movie.

Were you already a great writer? Have you always liked to write?
From my early years in school I always loved to write.  My grades reflected it, too. Writing has been a source of meditation, therapy and consolation and pleasure for me.

What writing advice do you have for other aspiring authors?
Write every day and read every day. Your first draft should be from your heart and passion.  Then once you have down what you want to say, you can let your head in to organize, revise, fix  whatever needs fixing.

If you didn't like writing books, what would you do for a living?
I love teaching, which I did for a number of years.  I also would love to be a news reporter or news castor or work as an editor or be a lawyer.

Do you read your reviews? Do you respond to them, good or bad? Do you have any advice on how to deal with the bad?
I read them, but I do not respond to them except to thank them.  If and when you get negative reviews, it’s best to leave them alone. Positive or negative, it is still publicity.

What is your best marketing tip?
Tell as many people that you know about your books written and to come.  Post on your social media. Hire a publicist, if you can afford it. The best is to try to make contacts in the publishing field. 

What is your least favorite part of the publishing / writing process?
Marketing as the key is contacts and money for publicity.

Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it?
I don’t think I would write about paranormal subjects. I like real life, human interactions, relationships.

Is there a certain type of scene that's harder for you to write than others? Love? Action? Racy?
Probably a sex scene.  I’ve yet to write one that is explicit.

Is this your first book? How many books have you written prior (if any?)
I have written 5 books. Orange Peels and Cobblestones, a love story and coming-of-age novel that takes place in Italy, NY and CA, based on a true experience; Ciottoli e Bucce D’Arancia, the Italian translation of the novel; The Love of Your Life, a compilation of many of my published essays and shorter pieces; The Scent of Italian Cooking, a cookbook of Italian and Italian-American recipes handed down to me by many generations of fine Italian cooks; That First Bite Chance or Choice, a self-help book on food addictions which I co-wrote with an expert in the field.

What literary character is most like you?
No sole character, but parts of different characters.  I’m a little bit like Jo and Beth in Little Women, Scooter in The Help.  I’m traditional and yet a free spirit.

What is your biggest fear?
That I will never write all the things I want to write about.

What are you working on now? What is your next project?
I’m working on my second novel and trying to market a few essays that I have written recently.

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Heather Kirchhoff

2017 is going to be a FANTASTIC year filled with author interviews, excerpts, new releases and FUN!

To start the year off right - we have an interview with the amazing Heather Kirchhoff!


About Heather: 

Heather Kirchhoff lives in Missouri where she works at a nursing home and has one dog and a betta. She became a bookworm back in sixth grade when her teacher suggested the Phantom Stallion series by Terri Farley and instantly fell in love. Heather loves reading paranormal stories, plus some love ones here and there. Writing is her passion--it helps her escape the world for a while, as well as reading--she doesn't know what she'd do without it. When Heather isn't writing, she is reading, taking walks, taking pictures, or spending time with her two best friends, animals, and family.

Interview:

1    What does your writing process look like? What is your favorite genre to write?
I basically just sit down and write. I love paranormal because of all of the possibilities, but I’m also starting to enjoy writing realistic fiction as well.
Do you have any strange writing habits (like standing on your head or writing in the shower)?
No, not really.
What book do you wish you could have written?
The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. It’s perfect.
Just as your books inspire authors, what authors have inspired you to write?
Richelle Mead, Alyson Noel, and Stephenie Meyer made me decide to join this crazy world of writing.
If you could cast your characters in the Hollywood adaptation of your book, who would play your characters?
Oh, that’s a tough decision. For Chris I’d do Dominic Sherwood, and for Kateline I’ll go with Zoey Deutch.
How important are names to you in your books? Do you choose the names based on liking the way it sounds or the meaning? Do you have any name choosing resources you recommend?
They’re very important. I can go through a ton of names before finding one I think fits. I choose a name that I feel like fits my character in some way.
What do you consider to be your best accomplishment?
Writing a book.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Hopefully sitting at home writing all day.
Were you already a great writer? Have you always liked to write?
No. I was terrible when I started writing. I was in seventh grade when I began creating my own worlds. 
What writing advice do you have for other aspiring authors?
Just sit down and write. Don’t tell yourself you’re going to write. Don’t wish you were writing. Do it. I struggle with this, but I’m wanting to fix it.
If you didn't like writing books, what would you do for a living?
Probably be a professional photographer.
Are you a plotter or a pantster?
Pantser, though I want to attempt to plot one book and see how it goes.
Do you read your reviews? Do you respond to them, good or bad? Do you have any advice on how to deal with the bad?
I used to, but now I don’t. I’d say just don’t allow the bad reviews to get to you. They’re going to happen no matter what, so accept it and move on. You could always use it to improve your writing.
What is your best marketing tip?
I’m still trying to figure that out myself. I’ll go with try to find new ways to promote yourself and your books.
What is your least favorite part of the publishing / writing process?
I don’t really have a least favorite. At least, not at the moment.
Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it?
Hmm, I’m not sure about this. Right now, no there isn’t. That may change later on, but I can’t think of anything I wouldn’t write about.
Do you have a favorite conference to attend? What is it?
No I don’t. I’ve only attended one in my author career so far. I’m hoping to fix that soon.
Is there a certain type of scene that's harder for you to write than others? Love? Action? Racy?
Not that I’ve come across so far. It’s usually descriptions that I have a problem with.
Is this your first book? How many books have you written prior (if any?)
I’ve written about six books.
What literary character is most like you?
Sarah from The Last Night for sure. I used some of my emotions and things I’ve been through to write her story.
What is your biggest fear?
Spiders.
If you were a super hero what would your name be? What would your costume look like?
I honestly have no idea. I can’t come up with anything.
What are you working on now? What is your next project?
I’m working on Forever Yours, and I’m working on editing Magic #2. I’m not one hundred percent sure what my next project will be. 



Tuesday, January 17, 2017

My Year in Review

Phew! 2016 flew by in a blur so before I jump into everything I have planned for 2017, I decided to take a moment and review some highlights from this previous year.

2016 held some heartbreak, some uncertainties, and many blessings. For those of you who weren't aware, we lost a very precious little member of our family. My nephew, only six months old, passed away. With no other reason given other than SIDS, our family was faced with a loss that was not only unexplained but also extremely painful and shattering. It left us feeling small and vulnerable. That damn question of "Why me? Why us? Why him?" drifted throughout our waking and sleeping moments. But in the truest form of unity, we grew together as a family and held closer to the love in our lives.

Then, just when we needed it the most, we found out that my husband's little sister was pregnant. The family welcomed new life in November and have found hope that the tragic things in life make you appreciate the blessings.

In May I released a book that had been stewing on the sidelines for the past 8 years. Wounded is a story of love and heartache, of the trials and rewards of military life. It's a life that I lived through long enough to know it's obstacles and it's benefits. It also represented my journey through the publishing world and features a cover of my own design.

In August I was invited to become a part of a fantastic publishing community. I signed contracts for all of my books with Marfa House Publishing and welcomed new editing and formatting for all of my previously released books. This journey then took an interesting turn of events when I was offered a job as a graphic designer and have since surrounded myself with authors, illustrators, editors, for-matters, and a team of graphic designers that I couldn't be more proud of. I have been given the gift of living out my dreams and creating cover art for some amazing stories and authors.

In a continued effort to help promote both indie and traditional authors, I hosted an array of author and artist spotlights on my blog throughout the fall and had the opportunity to work with some amazingly talented people.

Tim Baker
Kate Marie Robbins
Cambria Hebert
Brad Boyer
ZZ Rae
Chasity Tarantino
Cookie O'Gorman
Lee Mavin
Micalea Smeltzer
Regina Wamba
SN Garza
Wondra Vanian
Jamie Sterling
Susan Coryell
Lisa Pottgen
Ashlee Sinn
JL Leslie

There are teasers and sales links as well as some reviews - if you haven't read these posts, please do! They are amazing individuals and deserve all of the recognition they can get!

2017 is going to be an even more amazing year and I am excited for the things that I have brewing in my cauldron just waiting for those finishing spices needed to create real magic! Keep your eyes and ears tuned in and see what this new year has in store!