My first six months as a full-time writer

I recently posted a video update on my first six months working as a full-time writer here in Hong Kong. Some of the milestones I mention in the video were four years in the making, but it has still been an amazing ride over the past few months!

If you missed the video when I announced my decision to quit my day job, here it is. This is by far my most-viewed video, by the way.

I recently appeared on RTHK's State of the Art program. As soon as I get the links sorted out I'll post those too. Did anyone in HK hear it live?

Into the home stretch...

Here's a picture from my talk at the FCC (stolen from Suvi Lampila).

There are five days remaining in National Novel Writing Month. So far I've written 43,042 words of the prequel to my post-apocalyptic series-in-progress. I hope to get another 3,000 down at my usual Tuesday night writing session, so it's safe to say I'll hit the goal by Saturday (famous last words?). Last year I managed 58,000 words by the end of the month, but in all fairness I had to spend part of this month polishing The Art of Escalator Jumping in preparation for my self-publishing demonstration. The good news is that the book has already sold enough copies to recoup my costs and has garnered a lovely review from Susan Blumberg-Kason.

In addition to writing hijinks, the end of this November will mark another personal milestone. I will pay off my last student loan. I'm just starting to get my head around what it will mean to be 100% debt free. I plan to write more about that in the near future. In the meantime, I'm trying to decide how to celebrate. Buy some new boots? Cut off all my hair? Apply for a master's program? Do you have any suggestions?

Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving and may you reach the home stretch on all your goals!

The Art of Escalator Jumping

Cover by James at GoOnWrite.com

As promised, here is the novel I formatted and uploaded to Amazon in front of a live audience last night. The talk was a great success. I hope that today there are a few extra empowered writers around Hong Kong.

This is my first novel, which I wrote last spring to get over my fear of fiction. I'm quite proud of the writing, but it's too short and too niche to submit to a traditional publisher (unless love stories on escalators become a thing). Here it is for $2.99 if you want to read it.

THE ART OF ESCALATOR JUMPING

A chance encounter on the Mid-levels Escalator in Hong Kong tips a young woman into an unexpected romance…

Octavia Chan is a reserved Eurasian woman who has a hard time standing up to her mother. Joan is driven, controlling and—for a 26-year-old back under her mother’s roof—incredibly frustrating. Octavia has recently returned to Hong Kong to reconnect with her mother when she meets Cal, an impulsive American with enthusiasm to burn.

The Escalator brings Cal and Octavia together like a mechanical sprite.

Then Joan’s tight control begins to unravel. Rather than working for a better relationship with her mother, Octavia finds herself fighting for Joan’s sanity. Enlisting the aid of a tough psychologist-turned-lawyer, a Hong Kong socialite, and a helper with a secret, Octavia must use her own kind of strength to help her mother.

But a storm is brewing in Hong Kong, and Joan has a secret too.

Bookspotting and Book Launching

This weekend I attended the launch for my friend Suvi Lampila's debut novel 7 Days and Counting. The event was held at Kapok, a unique design shop on Sun Street in Wan Chai. Suvi's book features an experimental, intentionally ambiguous structure, and it has had a unique publishing journey. She originally wrote the book on her blog, receiving constant feedback from a team of editors around the world. Then, she received a grant from the Arts Development Council here in Hong Kong to self-publish her novel. The result is a beautifully-produced paperback featuring original artwork that can be viewed in a number of different ways, just like her story. I'll do a full review of 7 Days and Counting, most likely when the e-book edition comes out later this year.

My bookspotting adventures this week were quite successful. I spotted a man carrying a book by Mike Gayle in Central Station. On the MTR, I spotted a schoolgirl with a middle grade novel titled The Goddess Girls. A Chinese man was reading the Chinese version of Onward, that book about Starbucks, which has an easily recognizable cover. Over the weekend, I spotted a girl reading Lost and Found Girl in a Japanese restaurant and a young man carrying The Honeymoon by James Patterson in an Italian restaurant. Finally, there was a backpacker in Central Station bright and early this morning with one of the Game of Thrones books in hand. My fiance was reading The Sun Also Rises yesterday and I'm reading a non-fiction book about extreme weather at sea in preparation for Nanowrimo.

Have you spotted any books this week?

P.S. If you're a Hong Kong-based writer, we're having a write-in for Nanowrimo at Holly Brown in Central on Saturday the 3rd. We'll get there at noon and write until we can't write any more, then go for dinner. We will also be writing at Holly Brown every Tuesday night. Find us upstairs!

BIG BACKPACK - LITTLE WORLD by Donna Morang

THE GIST:

A free-spirited older woman teaches English around the world.

THE VERDICT:

This is a memoir of the infectious love for travel of a woman who is determined to get the most out of her life. Unlike the majority of ESL teachers, the author began teaching English abroad in her fifties and has spent over ten years wandering the globe in search of adventures to have, beers to drink, and students to love. Unlike many travel memoirs, she isn't running from anything and runs toward as many new experiences as possible. The author clearly loves people and this book is full of quirky characters and funny, personal stories. This book is unique among backpacker tales because of the way Morang's age affects her relationships with people.

Morang spends most of her time in Mexico and various Central and South American countries, with jaunts to Southeast Asia in between. Adventure and hilarity ensue because she is not afraid to try anything. She doesn't mind working for low wages and living in uncomfortable conditions as long as she can visit the beach and enjoy meals with her many friends. It was inspiring to read about someone with seemingly inexhaustible enthusiasm for new places and people. She is the type of person I would want to meet on my travels.

Morang's writing style is personable and funny. However, this is a self-published book, and unfortunately there are typos and occasional errors. This isn't necessarily a reason not to read the book, but it was noticeable. I also found some inconsistencies that made it feel like journal entries that had been compiled rather than a cohesive narrative. However, the interesting stories and the author's sheer optimism prompted me to keep reading. I have no hesitation recommending this book to travelers and aspiring ESL teachers in need of inspiration and a good laugh.

THE LINK:

Donna Morang's blog

THE COST:

I received a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. The Kindle edition is $4.95.

THE QUESTION:

How do you think being an older traveler would differ from seeing the world as a 20-something?

KA MATE: TRAVELS IN NEW ZEALAND by Dan Coxon (with an interview)

THE GIST:

A travel writer explores New Zealand through rugby, wine and wandering.

THE VERDICT:

KA MATE is an in-depth exploration of New Zealand, a country that does not feature in very many travel memoirs. Coxon's journey takes him around the north and south islands of New Zealand, mostly by car and camper. He records his observations along the way, introducing the reader to a friendly country with a strange mix of Western and Pacific Island cultures and a fascinating history.

The three topics that attract Coxon's attention in this adventure are wine, rugby and the Maori people. He seems the most passionate about exploring the wineries, revealing an industry that has become increasingly important to the island nation. He also attended several rugby matches, giving a firsthand account of the mass enthusiasm that accompanies the sport in New Zealand. The Maori were more elusive, and although he relates their history most of his experiences with them were through choreographed attractions. New Zealand is also an extreme sports destination, and he describes his experiences with several of the adrenalin fueled activities.
Travel memoirs these days seem to fall into two categories: personal discovery and place discovery. Most of the travel books I've read lately fall into the personal discovery category, but this one is all about the place. At times I wanted to know more about the author and his motivations (which are very interesting if you read the interview below). However, if you enjoy travelogues that are focussed on comprehensive observations about the place then this book is for you.
THE LINK:

Dan Coxon's website

THE COST:

I received a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. It is $3.99 for the Kindle edition.

THE QUESTION:

When you travel do you focus on a specific aspect of a new place, such as the food, history or activities, or do you prefer to get a general survey?

THE INTERVIEW:

Dan was kind enough to answer some questions about his book. I hope you find his responses as interesting as I did!

I don't usually include book covers in my reviews,
but this is the most striking one I've seen in a while.

Why did you choose to travel around New Zealand? What in particular drew you to the country initially?

My New Zealand trip was actually part of a larger journey, a year spent travelling around Asia and Australasia. I'd just reached that point in my life where I really had to either settle down to a full time job and raising a family, or go out there and explore the world. I basically spent a year doing the latter. Stops along the way included Tokyo, Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia, Fiji... and, of course, New Zealand. It's the kind of trip that many people do as a gap year, either before or after college, but I highly recommend doing it later in life. Not only do you appreciated what you're seeing a little more, but you have the money to really get out there and make the most of it too.

As for why New Zealand wound up being the subject of the book, it seemed to me that there wasn't much good, interesting material available on it - and it's a fascinating country. In particular the history of colonisation fascinated me, especially the way in which both the Maori and the Europeans were settlers on what was essentially a lonely rock in the middle of nowhere. I tried to get some of that history into KA MATE, without making it too dry or academic. History is always at its most interesting when it's still affecting the way we live today, and it seemed to me that this was definitely the case in New Zealand. The wonderful scenery and excellent wines may have influenced my decision too, though - and the sport! My wife and I are both rugby fans, and New Zealand has always been its spiritual home.

You spent some time doing touristy things and some time with local families. How did each experience influence your impressions of the country?

To be honest, the time spent with people who lived and worked there was much more illuminating than the time spent on the tourist trail. If you want to really get to know a country, then you have to talk to the people who call it home. They gave me some valuable insights into the political situation, as well as the current controversies over race and nationality. Plus they knew all the really great places to visit! My time enjoying the tourist diversions was fun too though, and much closer to many people's experience of New Zealand. I'd highly recommend trying the extreme sports, or caving in Waitomo, even if you're not normally that adventurous. And if you can't face throwing yourself off a mountain, there are always the wine regions!

What are some of your favorite travelogues or travel memoirs?

I should confess that I probably haven't read as many as I'd have liked recently. The travel literature industry seems to be in a state of flux right now, and publishers aren't always willing to take the chances that they might have a few years ago. Plus Bill Bryson's popularity has turned it into a genre dominated by humor, and that's not what interests me. I think humorous travel memoirs can be fun, but they also sometimes miss out on some wonderful opportunities to learn about other cultures, and to explore the lessons of history. The best travel literature manages to do all that, but it's something that's becoming increasingly rare.
Having said all that, I still love Rory MacLean's books - if you haven't had a chance to read them yet, you should. THE OATMEAL ARK was where I started, and I immediately wanted to read everything he's written! Colin Thubron is a master of the genre too, while Patrick Leigh Fermor's A TIME OF GIFTS deserves a much larger readership than it has.

How did you determine how much of yourself to put into your travel memoir?

It can be a tough balancing act. On the one hand, you want to create something that's unique to you, and that illuminates the country through your own observations and experiences. But on the other hand, you also want to convey some basic truths about the place you're visiting, and a sense of history and context. It's difficult to achieve at times, but I think that's part of what makes the travel memoir so intriguing. It's more than just a history book, or a cultural study - it tells a story, and draws heavily upon personal experience, so that the information almost sneaks in unnoticed. Hopefully I managed to keep that balance in KA MATE.

Do you have any advice for people who are interested in writing travel memoir?

There are two obvious bits of advice: travel, and write. I've met people who say that they want to be travel writers, but have barely set foot outside their back yard; and others who have travelled a lot, but never written a word. The same advice holds true for most writers: if you want to write, then make sure you write every day, even if it's only a little at a time. Make sure you read too, because it's the only way to keep improving. As for more specific advice, I'd also recommend keeping a daily diary or journal while you're on the road. Even if you don't have much time, or you're sleeping in cramped conditions, you can still hopefully find ten minutes to jot down your experiences and impressions from the day. Then, when you get back to your desk and start to write, you have to abandon the journal format and gradually craft it into something new.

What are your strongest lasting impressions of New Zealand since your trip? Have you been back since you took the trip for this book?

I haven't returned to New Zealand yet, although I'd have loved to - especially during the recent Rugby World Cup! I'm still in touch with some of the people I met out there, and it would be great to catch up with them again. But the honest truth is that travel is expensive, and if you're a struggling writer - especially a travel writer - it's hard to justify spending large amounts on visiting somewhere you've already been. If someone offered me a free flight I'd be there tomorrow, but in the real world it takes a little more planning. As for lasting impressions, those would definitely be the friendships I made, and the people I met. The scenery was amazing too, and the wine, and the open, carefree Kiwi spirit... but the friends will always come first.

Where are you going next?

I'm actually living in the USA right now (having spent the rest of my life in Britain), so every day is almost like being overseas! I've been here for four years, but I'm still discovering new things, meeting new people, and changing my view of both America and my home here in the Pacific Northwest. It's a culture that we're all used to seeing on TV and in the movies, but in reality this is still a foreign land to many of us. Maybe there's a book in that...

Thank you again for answering my questions Dan!

RESULTS NOT TYPICAL by Catherine Ryan Howard

THE GIST:

A plus-size office worker at an evil weight loss company becomes embroiled in corporate drama when their next big product disappears.

THE VERDICT:

Slimmit is a profit-obsessed weight loss company more interested in pushing their products and supplements than promoting a healthy lifestyle. Emmy is a believable protagonist who feels crippled by self-loathing and refuses to take any risks until she loses The Weight. She gets mixed up with vapid, half-starved "slimming specialists," an evil wannabe CEO, and a slightly chubby B-list celebrity.

This is a fun novel with surprisingly complex characters. Each one is flawed, interesting and sympathetic in their own way. The toxic relationships between people with long histories form the core of the novel. Their interactions are funny and sometimes extreme, and they give vivacity to the complex plot. I particularly enjoyed the expertly handled public meltdown scenes throughout the story.

Catherine Ryan Howard's writing style is like her blog: chatty, entertaining and unapologetic. Each time I thought the plot or characters might spin out of control, she brought them back together in a clever web of strained connections and thwarted ambitions. This is a page-turning novel that makes a great subway read.

THE LINK:

Catherine Ryan Howard: I like to read Catherine's blog. You should check it out.

THE COST:

$0.99 for the Kindle edition

THE QUESTION:

Are you more interested in plot-driven or character-driven novels?

CONSUMPTION: A NOVEL by G. S. Johnston (with an interview)

THE GIST:


A long-term friendship deteriorates as one party becomes obsessed with money, possessions, and the Hong Kong high life.


THE VERDICT:


This novel is set in Hong Kong and Sydney and explores the diverging lifestyles of two old friends. Martin is a successful interior designer who becomes increasingly intoxicated by the money-driven atmosphere of Hong Kong. His friend Sara lives a simpler life in Australia, but remains tied to her childhood friend even as he becomes more and more manipulative. Martin's increasingly erratic and needy behavior puts a strain on Sara's more healthy relationships, but it is difficult for her to cut ties with him. The relationship between the two highlights the complicated nature of friendships that last over a long period of time as well as a long distance.


Johnston captures the type of expatriate lifestyle that sometimes seems like an alternate reality. Martin has a live-in helper (a common occurrence here) and easy access to designer shoes, designer cars and designer drugs. He seems to have no contact at all with locals and he is riding a wave of success that appears to be endless. He is primarily concerned with the business of spending money, rather than making it, and this takes a toll on his ability to trust others and function in a normal friendship. He weaves a web of truth and lies that keeps the momentum going throughout the book. He is a fascinating character who demands that you pay attention to him. 


The descriptions of Hong Kong and Sydney were evocative and insightful, and the characters were well-developed and intriguing. The dialogue was sometimes unrealistic and awkward, which made it harder to focus on the dynamics of the relationships in the book. This is a self-published e-book, but it is mostly free from typos and grammatical errors. I did notice little mistakes such as the use of "all right" when "alright" is appropriate and misplaced quotation marks, but the manuscript is in much better shape than many e-books I have seen. This is a good read if you are interested in the effects of materialism and in watching the trajectory of an uncommon friendship.


THE LINK:


Greg Johnston's website


THE COST:


I paid $2.99 for the e-book, but last time I checked it was on sale for $0.99


THE QUESTION:


Have you experienced a rift in a friendship due to a drastic change in the level of consumption by one party? Why do you think material things can affect relationships?


THE INTERVIEW:

Greg Johnston has kindly agreed to answer a few questions about his new novel. He has a friendly, funny voice and I hope you enjoy what he has to say about his work.

CONSUMPTION: A NOVEL by G. S. Johnston

Thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions about your new novel at A Kindle in Hong Kong.

1) What is the gist of your story in one sentence? 

One sentence?  I'm a writer.  I've said five thousand words before I get out of bed in the morning. 

What happens when a good friendship goes bad. 

or

The film Beaches on cocaine. 

2) Why did you choose to write about the theme of consumption in this novel? 

The rise and rise of consumer culture is disturbing.  We are only the artifacts we possess.  I wanted to write about what happen when this idea blows out and someone takes that kind of construction of personality and persona to the nth degree.  But I wanted to make this exploration fun and funny, rather than a dire thesis.  Martin is funny, although he does lurch towards the melodramatic. 

3) You explore the nature of long-term friendships in this story. Why do Sara and Martin remain close for so long, despite their diverging paths? 

It's pretty easy to stop a casual friendship.  You don't return calls or e-mails, don't make appointments, just generally remain evasive until the other person stops.  But with a sibling, it needs a huge argument to destroy the relationship. 

Martin and Sara are kind of half-way between these two types of relationships.  They're not siblings but they were linked by the death of their parents at a young age and the understanding of how each other felt.  This created a bond which was beyond the casual contrivances of life. 

But arguably during the course of the novel, they aren't that close.  When Sara first arrives in Hong Kong, she knows he's changed well beyond having opened a business and having his teeth capped.  But she hopes they'll still have respect for one another's differences and can remain close.  When this begins to unravel, she clings to the past, as does he.  She doesn't really have a family, in a familiar sense, someone who's been through all the hard times.  Martin is the one who knows the history, even though Peggy offers her much more consistent love and support.  Until she really sees that he's damaging her, she can't let that go.  And she still does see glimpses of the old Martin, like buying the pug dog.  Whilst its a very pretentious buying trip, Martin's half taking the piss out of it, literally rubbing people's noses in it. 

4) Can you tell me about your experiences in Hong Kong? Have you lived here before?

I've never lived in Hong Kong.  I've been there a few times on the way to Europe.  The first time was in 1989, a few days after Tiananmen Square and I remember all the protests and horror, a sea of people passing the Hilton Hotel Coffee Shop.  I don't think that's there anymore. 

Each time I went back to Hong Kong approaching 1997, I noticed things had changed a little.  Simple things like the amount of billboards in English and the level of violence had increased. 

But the streets of Hong Kong always make me laugh.  There's a story Martin tells of seeing old Chinese men on the street seemingly arguing and then erupting into great mirth.  It's a great place to be a watcher, someone on the fringe.  As I don't speak Cantonese, a traveler remains somewhat excluded.  Even when you're buying a two thousand buck tailored suit, you can haggle and have fun while spending far too much money.  I used to love the whole "back room" to buy the fake watches and stuff.  I bought a bodacious Bvlgari watch (fake) and an expensive red Jean Paul Gaultier shirt (real) which were such a hit in the nightclubs in Europe. 

But so quickly the allure of all that high-end crap wore off for me.  Consumption in Hong Kong is entertaining, as long as you go home at the end of it and read a good novel. :)

5) Expatriates typically enjoy a high standard of living in Hong Kong, often higher than they could afford in their home countries. Do you think the level of obsession that Martin develops with material possessions is unique to HK elites and/or people in similar circumstances?

No.  It's everywhere now.  As high-end designer labels have had to expand their businesses to increase profit, all their products have had to reach bigger and bigger markets.  And everybody knows all the names of the big labels.  Hungry television and magazine lenses have taken us further and further into these worlds, increasing our desire to consume.  Most people try to have what's slightly out of their reach.  And people are so ready to become moving, free, billboards for these companies with some logo branded across their chest or along the arm of their sunglasses.  We've all bought the idea that we can express our individually through the consumption of mass-produced goods.  But really, less is more. 

The expat experience can make the equation more open ended both in the accessibility and desire for the new.  When someone like Martin ramps up this competition, it's only the bizarre that has currency. 

6) Can you tell me a little bit about your publishing journey?

Long and hard.  I've written a few novels prior to this and have had a few near misses with publishers.  I finished CONSUMPTION, oddly, at the beginning of the Global financial crisis and the evolution of e-publishing.  Agents in Manhattan all seemed to be sitting on their hands waiting to see what the hell was going to happen.  I love having books in a room but I also really enjoy my Kindle.  And it's allowed so many people to publish great novels.  Instead of a few publishing companies controlling what you read, now there are hundreds of thousands of niche publishers.  Sure there's some dross and some that need a good edit but you can download a few chapters for free.  Now you, the reader, are the master or mistress of the publisher's slush pile and can decide what to read, not some pimply faced teenager who answers the phones and assess manuscripts in their free time. 

7) Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Write and then write and then write some more.  Find a good editor who IS like a sock on the jaw, who'll praise your work and then rip it apart.  Friends can't do this.  Lose your ego and find something worthwhile in every well-intended criticism.  And when you've written something you're really happy with, publish it through the new e-pub forms. 

8) Is there anything else potential readers need to know about CONSUMPTION?

Just that I would love it if they would indulge me and buy it, read it and then send me a note via my website - www.gsjohnston.com. 

And if you're in Hong Kong, say hello to Lan Kwai Fong for me and the old lady who sells long-stem roses late into the night, if she's still there. 

Thank you again and best of luck as you continue to promote your work, Greg. I hope that a few extra readers will find their way to you after reading this interview.

STILL LIFE WITH SIERRA by Peggy Sijswerda (with an interview!)

THE GIST:

A family travels around Europe in an effort to find healing after the tragic death of their two-year-old daughter.

THE VERDICT:

This is a beautiful account of one family's journey through grief and acceptance. When two-year-old Sierra Sijswerda drowned in a neighbor's swimming pool, she left behind her parents, Peggy and Peter, and two brothers. They decided to leave everything behind to move to the Netherlands, only to find that the sadness followed them there. Finally, Peggy and Peter packed the kids into a camper and traveled around Europe for six months, searching for home and healing. Peggy shares her struggles with guilt, anger and sadness in this rich and well written memoir.

This true tale deals with loss in a raw and honest way. Peggy describes the darkest moments in her marriage, her anger and numbness, and the fleeting, beautiful memories of her daughter with equal candor. Her journey of healing is also the story of her relationship with her husband and her sons, showing the communal and private sides of grieving. One of the strongest aspects of this memoir is when Peggy talks about her interactions throughout her travels with other people who had lost children. Even when she only shared a few words in common with them, they bonded over their shared grief. 

Peggy's writing style is filled with vivid imagery and elegant descriptions. The story is about 150 pages long, and there were times when I hoped for more details, especially about the family's travels in Europe. Some of those sections seemed rushed and could have been a bit longer. The sections of the memoir that described the grief and immediate aftermath of Sierra's accident were fully developed and poignant. Although there was room for expansion, the emotional impact of Peggy's story was not reduced by the length of the text. This is a moving book that left me wanting more.

THE LINK:

Peggy Sijswerda's website

THE COST:

I received an electronic copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

The Kindle edition is listed for $11.99.

THE QUESTION:

Do you think that grief and healing must happen privately after a tragedy, or do you think that they can be experienced with other people?

THE INTERVIEW:

(Note: I don't usually post author interviews, but Peggy sent me this one and it made me cry, so I decided to share it)

Interview with Peggy Sijswerda

Author of Still Life with Sierra

Peggy Sijswerda lives in Virginia with her Dutch husband, Peter. They’ve been married 26 years and have three sons, ages 15, 21 & 25. Peggy has worked as a teacher, writer, editor, and publisher. She loves to travel and learn about other cultures, hike in the woods, cook and eat, and practice yoga.

Q

Tell me about your book. What is it about? Can you describe it in just a few sentences? 

A

Still Life with Sierra is a travel memoir but also focuses on family. It chronicles my family’s journey back to happiness after the death of my two-year-old daughter in a drowning accident. The journey took us to the Netherlands, my husband’s native land, as we attempted to run away from our sadness. The universal themes in the book resonate with anyone who’s had a loss but also include the searching process we all go though as individuals no matter where we live: the search for home.

Q

Why did you write it?

A

The truth is I tried not to write it. I enrolled in an MFA creative writing program, and this story kept creeping out of its hiding place. I really didn’t want to go through the emotional upheaval I knew would be necessary for me to write this book, But in the end I’m glad I wrote it.

Q

Why do you think your book needed to be written? What will your book do for other people?

A

In one sense, writing Still Life with Sierra was therapeutic for me and enabled me to come to a better understanding of why my daughter was a part of my life for such a short time. I learned lessons in the process of writing this book, ones I think will resonate with others.

Q

Who do you think will read your book? What made you think that there was a market for it? 

A

I think anyone who is dealing with a loss will gain from reading Still Life with Sierra, which by the way is not a sad book. It’s about how normal people who find themselves thrown into a very abnormal situation pick up the pieces and carry on. I think many people face challenges in life. Some are better at coping than others. This book might help people who are a little stuck in their grief work. One perfect example is a story a friend of mine told me. Walter is sailing around the world with his girlfriend and bought my book when he came home for Thanksgiving. When he returned, his girlfriend read the book and decided to go visit the family of an old boyfriend who died suddenly right before she met Walter. Walter said she had been “dodging” her grief and could see her going through an emotional upheaval while reading my book. He’s certain the book prompted her to go back and deal with her unfinished grief work.

Q

It does not matter how good a book is, or how good your writing is if no one knows about it. What steps have you taken or do you plan to take to promote your book? 

A

I publish a women’s magazine in the Va. Beach/Norfolk area called Tidewater Women. I serialized Still Life with Sierra in my magazine as an experiment to see how it was received. The response was overwhelming. Readers said they couldn’t wait for the next installment. They also lined up to buy the book when it came out. Now I face the challenge of marketing my book beyond my supportive circle of my readers. I am preparing to do presentations about the topic of grief and will speak to a wide variety of groups. I have a Facebook page for my book, but I am not on Twitter yet. I’ve send out a few press releases and review copies, but have not had results yet. It’s a numbers game, I know, but I think having a platform and giving talks about grief and death will make a difference in book sales. That would be my advice to authors everywhere. Find a platform that ties into your book and promote yourself as an expert. The whole process is time-consuming, but no one ever said being a successful author is easy.

Q

How did you publish your book? Did you find an agent, a publisher or did you publish it yourself? Please describe your process and tell us how you found the experience.

A

I worked with agents in the early stages of my book. One in particular spent a few months helping me shape my manuscript. But she kept saying she wanted more. I couldn’t quite figure out what she meant so we parted ways. More recently, I sent it to an agent, who liked it, but wanted it to be longer. I felt the book was fine as it was: lean, stark and powerful. Sure, I could have dredged up more sad memories or added more details about our time abroad, but I honestly felt the book was finished, so I decided to self publish. I used CreateSpace, a print-on-demand service affiliated with Amazon. The process was smooth, although I went through about six proofs, agonizing over commas and word choice. They say writers can never stop writing and re-writing their books. But I was finally pleased with it enough to let it loose. I would just add that I’m pretty familiar with page layout software so designing the book wasn’t difficult. There are services available for authors who don’t feel comfortable with laying out the book. By the way, give a lot of thought to creating a beautiful cover. First impressions are important, and you want your book to be compelling in its appearance

Q

Self-belief can be a big problem for writers. How did you manage to stay confident in your ability and remember that you were good enough to write your book? How did you cope with the days when you thought you could not do it and that it was rubbish?

A

I felt my story was unique and powerful enough to be meaningful to others. Also my work in the MFA creative writing program at Old Dominion University helped affirm my belief in the project. I had excellent feedback and support from my professors and fellow students. When I did feel discouraged, I generally put the manuscript away for a while. Sometimes writers need a little perspective. Plus if the story is powerful and compelling enough, it will draw you back to it, like a magnet. That’s what happened to me.

Q

It’s easy to procrastinate, to blame writers’ block and to put off finishing your project. How did you keep yourself motivated? And how long did it take you to write it? What was your routine?

A

I did go through periods when I wouldn’t work on the manuscript for as long as a year. In its first iteration, Still Life with Sierra was my thesis for my MFA degree, which I received in 2005. The book is a lot different now. In the ensuing years, I changed the structure and made a tense shift. Up until late 2009 when I finally was happy with the manuscript and began serializing it, I worked in spells, all the while applying improvements that came to me from conferences I attended, people I met, and life experiences.

Q

What was your biggest challenge regarding the writing of your book? How have you overcome that?

A

There are two that come to mind. The first was believing that I could write the book and understanding that it was important for me to write it. Second, marketing the book is tough, especially when you self publish. People look down their noses at you, assuming your book is not worthy of their consideration. It’s a shame because the publishing paradigm is shifting, and people need to recognize that good books can be delivered in a variety of ways. For example, Still Life with Sierra is available on Amazon as both a print book and an eBook.

Q

If you were to give advice to someone else who is thinking about writing a book, what would be your number one tip?

A

My advice would be write like crazy, pour your heart into it, and then edit, edit, edit. Remove unnecessary words. Be lean rather than verbose. One of my writing teachers told me not to tell people how to feel, to let the scenes and the action of the book evoke meaning. I tried really hard to do that with Still Life with Sierra. The result can be very powerful. As one reader wrote, the book is “…so exacting in stripping off the BS, to reveal the raw reality… I felt like I was spying. I’ve never read another memoir that made me feel that way. Peggy Sijswerda bravely walks you through the hardest days a parent can ever face and proves that it’s possible to survive the worst while keeping enough of oneself to share it with the people who matter most. I inhaled this book. I hope some of the author’s persistence and wisdom stays with me.”