Romance/Contemporary/Interracial
By Stella Eromonsere-Ajanaku
No of Pages: 106
ISBN: 978-1530511259
eBook Price: 99c
Graphic designer: Maria Lazarou (Obsessed by Books) https://www.facebook.com/obsessedbybooksdesigns/?pnref=lhc
Author Interview:
Discuss your newest book?
My new release, Wild
Whispers is a story about a beautiful widow, Adaora, who lost everyone
and everything she loved and cared about in Abuja and retreated to Dagor
Village.
In this story, you will
meet Adaora Dike, an African woman with a backbone of steel and a heart of gold
and Gary Mason, a Londoner who happened to stray to her doorstep in the woods,
sees the emotion Adaora wants to keep away and wants to share something deep
and special with her.
This is the first book I
have written with a heroine who is a widow. The great thing is, Adaora is not
broken by tragedy.
Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?
In all honesty, my deep
desire to write romance novels originated from reading a ton of Mills and Boon
romance stories in my teen years. My friends and I bought, read and swapped countless books. It was very exciting. At that time, I did not think I would
actually write but the joy of travelling with characters all around the world
was unforgettable. Back in secondary school, I wrote plays. Although nothing
came out of them, it was my first attempt at writing.
What are your current projects?
Two projects need my attention
for sure. There is a story about a divorced woman that came straight at me one
morning as I woke up. I have the blurb typed out. When the time is right, I
will write her story.
Secondly, I owe my readers
Book 2 of Royal Cowries, my historical/suspense/mystery romance novel. A
few readers have sent me emails asking for a follow up story. And I have
committed to writing the story this year.
What books have most influenced your life most?
Mills and Boon romance
stories in my teens because there was a promise of a happy-ever-after no matter
the conflict and hoops the characters had to jump over.
They influenced me to
write the kind of stories I wanted to read – romance stories with African
twist. Now I write Interracial/Multicultural romance.
What inspired you to write your first book?
Loitering
Shadows published in May 2010 was partly my story. When
my colleague stuck a notebook and pen in my hand and asked me to write, I asked
myself, what am I going to write? So I decided to start with the story I knew –
mine. But as I carried on writing, my imagination kicked in and it turned into
a half-fiction/half true story. It turned out to be a very therapeutic adventure.
In writing Loitering Shadows, I discovered that a
writer did not need a therapist to get rid of past pain or things too naughty
to tell anyone else. You just weave the details into your storyline and no one
knows the truth except you. Lol! Every novel after Loitering Shadows reflects a bit of me or my husband in the lead
characters.
Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she
do that is so special?
In Wild Whispers, although
Adaora was cast out and rejected by those who should have supported her and
taken her in when tragedy struck, she did not allow her unfortunate situation
to weigh her down or stop her from doing good deeds. She is one special woman.
Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to
grasp?
Yes,
I want to showcase the plight of many strangers and emotionally vulnerable
people in our communities. We need to be more accepting and treat them the way
we want to be treated. There are lonely people around us who we probably look
at with contempt or with no interest at all.
In
Wild
Whispers, only a young girl called, Ebele in the entire village paid
the emotionally-torn Adaora any attention. The young girl’s infrequent visits
brought Adaora the comfort she needed to stay strong.
Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character
from your most recent book?
My most recent book before
Wild Whispers was Red Velvet Rose ~ A Valentine Romance.
It would be amazing to have Laz Alonso
from Breakout Kings play the
sexy-as-sin Moroccan Millionaire Zane
Abdul and for Ashley Benson from
Pretty Little Liars to play my
beautiful blonde heiress, Gabriella
Gilcrest.
Why do you write?
I write to satisfy my
innate passion. My fingers just writes no matter what it is. Whether I’m
watching TV or reading a book, I always have a pen and paper by my side. For as
long as I can remember, I have always scribbled on notepads.
Writing is a habit I
engaged in when I was in school as well because it helped me understand my
subjects better. When I worked as a food safety professional, I got nominated to
be project teams’ secretary all the time even when I did not fancy sitting down
to take notes.
One day, I told a
colleague at work that I would like to get published. I just blurted my
thoughts aloud. She said, ‘What’s stopping you?” and thrust a reporter’s
notebook in my hand and told me to write as I commuted. And I did.
What made you decide to sit down and actually start something?
As a teen, I read
countless Mills and Boon romance novels. One day, I thought to myself, how
lovely it would be to have romance novels featuring a blend of African
characters, clothes, food and culture along with western characters and
culture. That way, readers like me have the best of both worlds.
So my very first book was
an interracial romance story titled: Loitering
Shadows.
My motivation for writing
IR is because I know that love breaks down every barrier across race and
culture.
Do you write full-time or part-time?
Until two years ago, I
wrote part time but I now write full time. People might not know how demanding
and exhausting writing is, but with a passion for writing and romance as deep
as mine, there is nothing more fulfilling and rewarding.
What is the hardest thing about writing your latest book?
There was so much tender
romance growing between Adaora and Gary and I want readers to experience the
same emotions as they read Wild Whispers. So trying to cram a
lot into a short story was hard.
What is the easiest thing about writing?
Having a laptop and a
quiet space makes writing an easy task for me. The plot of the story is usually
easy for me to write. For most of my books, through God’s grace, it just flows.
What book are you reading now?
I just finished reading Black Unleashed by Penelope Marshall. It
was a great read. And I have a review request to read The Wedding Day by Sharon Kleve. That is the next book on my TBR
list.
What is one random thing about you?
I drink bottles of water
throughout the night, lying down and first thing in the morning.
What is your preferred medium of writing? Pen and paper or
strictly tablet and computer?
In 2010, I used pen and
paper. In the past few years, I have used my smartphone, tablet or laptop. Life
is so much easier this way.
What does your writing process look like?
Once I get a nod to write
which is usually in the form of a storyline or blurb waking me up from my
beauty sleep, I just get on typing. Sometimes, I scribble down key events I
want to feature in a few chapters to achieve a good flow.
After writing, I keep the
draft aside. After a couple of days or weeks, I rewrite the story, edit and
re-edit. Then I send it to my editor who uses a fine-toothed comb to go through
the book. We do a bit of back and forth trips to revise and accept revisions.
When I’m happy, I send the PDF copy to Createspace to produce a proof copy
prior to publishing.
Do you have any strange writing habits (like standing on your
head or writing in the shower)?
Lol! I have had
inspiration on fleshing out storylines or adding dialogue here and there when
I’m in the shower or commuting in the bus. When I’m traveling, I record every
detail on my smartphone. And if I’m in the shower, I wait till I’m out to type
it out.
How important are names to you in your books?
Very important. The names
for the lead characters must ring true in my ears and match the characters' personalities.
For example, in the first
draft for Wild Whispers, the hero’s name was Ryan Bennett. At that point,
I did not give the choice of his name a thought, I just needed to get the story
down. After a few revisions, I asked my teenagers to come up with a more
‘manly’ name to fit my hero’s personality. And bang, my son came up with Gary and my daughter came up with his
last name, Mason. Honestly, Gary
Mason was the perfect name for a man with a great heart who would not allow
prejudice affect his decisions.
Did you make any marketing mistakes or is there anything you
would do in future?
Oh yes I have made
marketing mistakes. It is a learning curve. When I first started writing, I did
not promote or engage with readers in any way because I worked full time and I
thought writing was the most important thing. How wrong I was.
Through social media, I
have learned that readers love to interact directly with authors and not
through an agent or PA. I make out time to thank potential and new readers,
chat about my book characters, storyline and get to know their own story in
many cases. And I would continue to involve readers in picking character names,
cities and give them credit by including them in the ‘Sincere Gratitude’ page
of my books.
What is your favourite book and why?
I thoroughly enjoyed
Chicki Brown’s book – Don’t Stop Till You
Get Enough (Stafford Brothers Book 3) and more recently, Black Unleashed by Penelope Marshall.
Do you have any advice for other writers?
Yes. Write from your
heart. Get a good editor (could be an author you love their writing) to get rid
of the little foxes that spoil the vine. Interact with readers and promote your
books on social media. There are millions of authors in the market, if you only
write, no one is going to know your book exists.
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
Play board games with my
husband and children, enjoy cuddles and have a sweet time with my husband,
watch TV, go swimming (in the summer), go to the cinema and read romance
novels.
From where do you gain your inspiration?
Mainly from God because
storylines and character dialogue wake me up from my sleep. I also write about
prevalent issues affecting relationships such as infidelity, age difference,
parental influence, rape etc. I look around and I get inspired.
Forbidden
Dance was written after I looked out of my bedroom window
one day and I saw a woman in bathrobe drive off in a puff of gravel with a man
trying to run after her. In my head, a story was borne.
What would you say are the main advantages of self-publishing
against being published or the other way around?
I love self-publishing
because of the freedom to write, design covers and publish based on a timeline
that works around my family life.
How do you market your books?
Mainly on Facebook pages,
on my blog (Flirty & Feisty Romance Blog) blog tour, Twitter, Pinterest and
more recently, Instagram.
Why did you choose this route?
Promoting my books on
social media suits my family life, my health condition and it is free. It works
for me.
Would you or do you use a PR agency?
I use Ocean 2 Ocean Books
Promotion for Facebook release parties because they are lovely, effective and
affordable. Johnna N. Seibert PA is great at posting new releases on several
Facebook pages for free. She is amazing.
Do you have any advice for other authors on how to market
their books?
Spend time on Facebook
engaging with readers (potential or exiting) and for some of your books, get
your book covers professionally designed.
Readers love attractive
book covers. Most of my book covers and promo materials were designed by the
very creative and wonderful, Maria
Lazarou of Obsessed by Books. She
is affordable, delivers on time and creates extra special promo materials as a
bonus. I love Maria to bits.
What part of your writing time do you devote to marketing your
book?
A large chunk, several
days a week. I split my time between writing and promoting each book by keeping
readers updated and doing giveaways.
What do you do to get book reviews?
In chatting with people on
Facebook, once they leave comments that they have read or bought my book, I
encourage them to leave a review. Otherwise, readers often don’t. Some readers
tell me they would read anything I write because they love my stories, yet,
they might not leave reviews.
Sometimes, readers worry
about what to write because they are not writers. They worry that their reviews
would be judged as well.
How successful has your quest for reviews been so far?
The most reviews I have on
one book is seven, six or lower. Yet, my books sell at a rate I’m super
delighted with considering I’m a relatively unknown indie author. It means I
have loyal fans and new readers pick up my books as well.
When I struggled to write
my Valentine Romance story in January, I posted the fact I was suffering from
writer’s block on Facebook. The spontaneous responses I got from readers was
overwhelming. They posted possible names of character, cities my heroine could
come from, how my characters would meet and told me they would read anything I
wrote. I was so shocked and delighted. One reader posted a photo of my heroine
that ignited my writing the story. And I eventually released Red Velvet Rose in less than a month!
Now, I don’t agonize about
not getting hundreds of reviews.
Do you have a strategy for finding reviewers?
When I first started
writing, I emailed book bloggers for review request, in almost all cases, they
didn’t reply. There was one blogger who replied, read one of my early books
(when I did not have an editor) and gave me the best advice ever. She told me
to get an editor. But I had no money. God brought one brilliant US author my
way who offered to edit my books for free. I have learnt so much from her.
That was the turning
point. Thank God, the way for Flirty & Feisty Romance Novels
now is UP. I don’t ask reviewers for reviews anymore because they seem to be inundated
with review requests.
When I do Author Takeovers
Events on Facebook, I give away my books and I do ask winners to leave a
review.
Now, authors ask me to
review their books and I feel honoured. I always make sure I reply every review
request.
What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?
Good reviews are a delight
of course because it gives me a great idea on what the reader liked and it is
an affirmation my work is admired.
Bad reviews are great
because it helps me grow. A reader who takes time out to share what they did
not enjoy about my book is just as appreciated as a reviewer who wrote a
glowing review. The only one I find unacceptable are reviews that either
include spoilers or are abusive.
What’s your views on social media for marketing?
My swift reply is, what
would we do without social media? It provides a wide reach across the world for
our books. Flirty & Feisty Romance Novels are sold in the US, Canada,
across Europe, India and in Australia. This would not have been possible
otherwise. I have never even been to most of these countries.
Which social network worked best for you?
Facebook and Twitter for
sure.
Any tips on what to do and what not to do?
Do: Actively engage and interact
with readers on any platform that works for you.
Know your audience and
write to keep your readers asking for more.
Find someone to help edit
your story to get rid of the basic errors.
Keep writing. The more you
write, the better you get.
Don’t: Don’t give up even when you
receive bad reviews, you can only get better if you keep at it and listen to
constructive criticism.
Did you do a press release, Goodreads book launch or anything
else to promote your work and did it work?
It varies. I did a
Facebook release party for Forbidden Dance organized by Ocean 2
Ocean Book Promotions, and it was a success. I did not do anything for Tempting
Desire release and it was a huge success, thank God. I have never done
a Goodreads book launch.
For Wild Whispers, I’m doing
a blog tour.
Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and
why?
Actor Jim Caviezel tops my list. He blew me away with his extraordinary acting
ability, swagger and personality in the movie series, Person of Interest. I would love to meet him.
What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
Keep on writing. Don’t let
anyone tell you, you are not good enough. Find an author whose work you enjoy
to read your work if you can’t afford an editor. Self-publish and promote your
work on social media. There’s room in the world for you.
How can readers discover more about you and your work?
All Flirty & Feisty Romance
Novels are available on Amazon and Smashwords. I have excerpts, snippets
and teasers on my blog: Flirty & Feisty Romance Blog,
Website: Flirty & Feisty Romance Novels and my books are on
Goodreads.
Thank you, Stella. It was really interesting reading about your writing process and all about you as a writer!
Thank you, Stella. It was really interesting reading about your writing process and all about you as a writer!
“Where do you keep your cleaning cloth?” Gary asked with
a grin. “We need to wipe the floor dry first, so we don’t slip.”
Adaora handed him a dry towel from one of the cupboards.
He bent low, wiped the tiles dry and placed the bowl to
catch the leaks from the ceiling.
“Thank you for listening to me and for comforting me
without words.”
Gary formed the cloth into a ball. “I’m the one who owes
you gratitude. You took a risk letting me in here. You can cry on me anytime,
Adaora. You’re an angel.”
Amazon.com (eBook) 99c:
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GIVEAWAY
Wild Whispers Blog
Tour begins on Mon, April 25th - Thurs May 26th 2016
(The Blog Tour schedule is below -
scroll down).
Star Prize: One Wild Whispers Bracelet
Other Prizes: Flirty & Feisty
Romance eBooks of your choice (excluding Wild Whispers)
HOW TO WIN
To win the star prize:
Follow Wild Whispers on
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