INTERVIEW
Welcome!! It’s my pleasure to host you! Thanks for taking time to visit and share this Q&A with us!!
Plotter or Pantser? Why?
I think of myself as a linear pantser. Once I get the spark of an idea, I let it percolate. While driving or doing routine tasks, I imagine characters and come up with a title. Before starting to write, I plan the first three chapters and the ending. As for the rest of the storyline, I let it flow as I write.
What book are you reading now?
I just finished reading Rising Strong by Dr. Brené Brown. An excellent book for anyone struggling with failure and getting up again.
Do you have any suggestions for beginning writers? If so, what are they?
Experiment with different genres while discovering your own unique voice. Sign up for a creative writing course—online or offline—that exposes you to short stories, children’s and adult writing, creative nonfiction and poetry. Search until you find a warm, supportive environment where your words can flow freely. And, most important of all, enjoy the journey.
Tell us about the absolute BEST fan letter you have received?
I was thrilled when I received this review of Between Land and Sea, Book 1 of the Mediterranean Trilogy:
“The novel is a classic wisdom tale with a twist and is reminiscent of Jane Austen. A spirited and headstrong woman who through her own prejudice falls for the wrong man and only through trial and tribulations manages to achieve insight and love. As a former English teacher, I would highly recommend this modern coming-of-age tale to my female students.” Colleen McConnell
Do you have any special routines or rituals?
When I retired and started writing full-time, I expected to be inspired each day. Everything was in place—business cards, new computer, dreams of a runaway best-seller — but my underdeveloped writing muscles refused to budge. After some experimentation, I came up with a daily regimen. Nothing too dramatic, but it works for me. I like to sleep in each day and enjoy a leisurely breakfast. But after my second cup of coffee, I start writing. My goal – 1000 words a day. After I reach that quota, I’m free to meet with friends for lunch or coffee and plan other outings.
Use no more than two sentences. Why should we read your book?
My novel, The Coming of Arabella, offers hope and inspiration to anyone who has been dumped, deceived or demoted. Reinvention is possible at any age and in any circumstance.
Do you have a favorite quote, quip or saying? What is it?
"Life begins at the end of your comfort zone." Neale Donald Walsch
Is there a piece of advice that you have received that has really stuck with you? If so, what was it?
“It’s okay to fall out of love with your manuscript.” I received this advice from Brian Henry, a creative writing instructor at Ryerson University. During one of his workshops, he recommended putting manuscripts aside before starting the editing process. He didn’t specify a timeline but stressed that we can’t improve our work until we fall out of love with it.ABOUT THE BOOK
The Coming of Arabellaby Joanne Guidoccio
GENRE: Paranormal Romance
BLURB:
On the day of her engagement party, an ex-mermaid’s life is disrupted by the unexpected arrival of another mermaid—a sister she has never known. Under normal circumstances, Barbara Davies would be overjoyed, but her special day is already wrought with tension. While Barbara is not the first mermaid from the Mediterranean kingdom to settle in small town Ontario, she has yet to reveal her origins to her fiancé. So when Arabella, the gorgeous sister whose disturbing black eyes banished her to the island of Crete, saunters into her life, clutching the arm of Barbara’s discarded lover, a powder keg of emotion is released.
Relationships falter and careers stall as envy stirs in the hearts of the sisters. On the verge of meltdown after her fiancé leaves Canada for a teaching job in Vermont, Barbara flees to Arizona hoping for a reprieve. There, she finds solace at a retreat for ex-mermaids and a second chance at love with a charismatic preacher. As she contemplates a new life in the desert paradise of Sedona, shocking secrets emerge and tragedy strikes. A stronger and wiser Barbara rises up to face these new challenges and embrace the best parts of her mermaid heritage.
Buy Links Amazon (US): http://is.gd/DQhWmI Amazon (Canada): http://is.gd/JrwC1l Amazon (UK): http://is.gd/fJ2x4E Amazon (Australia): http://is.gd/6KovIe
EXCERPT
Arabella’s eyes glazed like burning embers of coal. “You don’t know or what to know what I capable of.” She snapped her fingers. “I can discredit you just like that.”
Barbara laughed. “Discredit me without discrediting yourself? I’d like to see you try that.”
As Arabella got closer, Barbara could smell that flowery scent she had always associated with Belinda. It did not suit Arabella in the least. The younger woman needed a muskier scent, one that would blend in better with her predatory nature.
“You’ve already lost Graham and Gwen. Mama and Paul are on my side. Do you want to lose Sharon as well?”
“There’s nothing you can do or say that will turn Sharon or anyone else in this office against me,” Barbara said. “So, don’t waste your breath.” While she maintained a tight smile and spoke in an even tone, Barbara could hear her pulse pounding as tremors of anger shot through her limbs. She wanted desperately to sit down but would not give Arabella any more physical advantages.
Arabella smiled smugly. “Sharon doesn’t like secrets or people who keep them. I wonder how she would react if I told her about your . . . our origins.”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
Arabella shrugged. “I don’t care one way or another. Stewart is encouraging me to write about our lives. He thinks it has the makings of a bestseller.” She laughed. “In addition to the erotica, of course.”
She’s bluffing. Barbara ignored the intrusive thought as memories of Stewart rushed back. He was the consummate businessman and enjoyed being on the cusp of the latest trend. His artist clients produced edgy and controversial art that had been rejected by more conservative agents. Vast stores of family money allowed Stewart to be more daring and sometimes even provocative. What could be more daring and provocative than a mermaid wife?
AUTHOR Bio and Links:
In high school, Joanne dabbled in poetry, but it would be over three decades before she entertained the idea of writing as a career. She listened to her practical Italian side and earned degrees in mathematics and education. She experienced many fulfilling moments as she watched her students develop an appreciation (and sometimes, love) of mathematics. Later, she obtained a post-graduate diploma as a career development practitioner and put that skill set to use in the co-operative education classroom. She welcomed this opportunity to help her students experience personal growth and acquire career direction through their placements.In 2008, she took advantage of early retirement and decided to launch a second career that would tap into her creative side and utilize her well-honed organizational skills. Slowly, a writing practice emerged. Her articles and book reviews were published in newspapers, magazines, and online. When she tried her hand at fiction, she made reinvention a recurring theme in her novels and short stories. A member of Sisters in Crime, Crime Writers of Canada, and Romance Writers of America, Joanne writes paranormal romance, cozy mysteries, and inspirational literature from her home base of Guelph, Ontario.
Social Media LinksWebsite: http://joanneguidoccio.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/joanneguidoccio Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjoanneguidoccio LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanneguidoccio Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/jguidoccio/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7277706.Joanne_Guidoccio
Buy Links for THE COMING OF ARABELLA by Joanne GuidoccioAmazon (US): http://is.gd/DQhWmI Amazon (Canada): http://is.gd/JrwC1l Amazon (UK): http://is.gd/fJ2x4E Amazon (Australia): http://is.gd/6KovIe
GIVEAWAY
Joanne Guidoccio will be awarding a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $25 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn host.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
