Maya Pruett is visiting me again because we didn't have time to get her interview together before her last visit :-) Here's her interview! Join me as I welcome her back. I hate to throw all those questions at someone and not get answers, so here we go...
1. When did you know you wanted to be a writer? What were
some of your first steps toward making your dream a reality?
Great
question. I don't know how much I can expound on it, but for years, writing was
always in the back of my mind. Like some witches brew trying to gather enough
of the right ingredients.
I used
to buy books on how to write, and things like dictionaries of word origins. I'd
tell myself, this is for later, when I get time to try that writing thing. It
wasn't in the forefront of my consciousness until I was about 35.
What
really happened though, is one day I was sitting in my room in LA and I said to
myself, 'Maya you always said when you didn't have a boyfriend, you were going
to sit down and write.' So I grabbed some paper and wrote my first childrens
book entitled The Adventures of Allegra Alaska. I have not gone a day
without writing since.
2. What 3 things would you like readers to know about
you? Well, in light of what has happened to Lance
Armstrong. I think you should know that I have never doped, had a blood
transfusion, or won a Tour de France.
3. LOL. Okay. Poor Lance. What was he thinking? Tell us
about your books. Genre, titles, any favorite characters? What can we look
forward to from you in the near future? WIP’s (works in progress), upcoming
releases. I always have 55 irons in the fire, but The
Cat Food Chronicles book two is in development. And I also would like
to write a screenplay. However, I have work like my childrens picture book
series
Ivan
Moltenbocker Jr. Presents already finished. I want to work on getting the series
published. I have sixteen seriously silly stories for all the little gromlets
out there.
4. Is there a common thread in your books? How do your
values show up in your writing? What do you want readers to take from your
writing? That I am trying to make them laugh and
that I spent many years slaving away … I mean just toiling, to get them to
giggle. I joke but it's hard work and it feels good when people get that. I
mean, you can just get ripped to shreds in a review simply because the reader
thought it was going to be something it was never meant to be. I often wonder
how some reviews would change if people took into account the blood, sweat,
tears, and years we put into a book.
5. I doubt most would change much. People have all kinds
of various and sundry reasons why they do and say things, and sometimes they
really believe being nasty and overly critical equates with honesty. Go figure!
What do you look for in a good book? Great characters, interesting storyline, uniqueness.
6. What are some of the best social media, marketing, and
publicity tips you’ve come across? If you're a
writer read, Amanda Hocking's blog she has such good information on their for
you. And she knows, because she has definitely been there done that. Also, John
Locke’s book How I Sold One Million ebooks In 5 Months
is well worth the price. He breaks down how to master the top social networking
sites.
7. What are some things you know now about writing and
being an author that you wish someone had told you at the very beginning? What
are some of the greatest challenges, in your opinion? My
greatest challenge has been having to have a regular job. For me writing is a
full time gig and hopefully soon it will be my one and only. Also, often it is
hard for other people to understand that you have a vision and sometimes that
vision takes years to manifest. So I keep my eye on the prize and work my tail
off.
8. That’s why other authors become so important to you.
Seems only other writers understand that. Along that same line, what are some
of your favorite resources? The Internet is a dream
come true for writers, it's all there at your finger tips. And never forget your contemporaries, there
is so much help from other authors by way of their blogs
·
What lifts your
spirits when you’re discouraged? I go on youtube
and look for new Abraham/Hicks videos. If you don't know who Abraham/Hicks is,
you are in for a treat. Watch one today!
Thanks so much for visiting
and chatting with me today, Maya! Looking forward to more of your books!
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