Pump Up Your Book Chats with Mystery Author Angela Henry
Author Interviews, Featured — By Dorothy Thompson on January 26, 2010 at 1:30 am
Angela Henry will be right in this very spot live on Monday, February 1 from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m., answering any questions you may have about her mystery novel, Schooled in Lies (Boulevard Press). Leave a question or comment (along with your email address) between now and 11 p.m. on February 1 and you may win a free electronic copy of Schooled in Lies!
The lucky winner will be announced on February 2.
ONLY THOSE LEAVING EMAIL ADDRESSES ARE ELIGIBLE. YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS WILL ONLY BE USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS CONTEST.
Thank you and good luck!
Angela Henry was once told that her past life careers included spy, researcher, and investigator. She stuck with what she knew because today she’s a mystery writing librarian, who loves to people watch and eavesdrop on conversations. She’s the author of four mysteries featuring equally nosy amateur sleuth Kendra Clayton, and is also the founder of the award-winning MystNoir website, which promotes African-American mystery writers, and was named a “Hot Site” by USA Today.com. When she’s not working, writing, or practicing her stealth, she loves to travel, is connoisseur of B horror movies, and an admitted anime addict. She lives in Ohio and is currently hard at work trying to meet her next deadline. You can visit Angela online at http://www.angelahenry.com.
Thank you for this interview, Angela. Do you remember writing stories as a child or did the writing bug come later? Do you remember your first published piece?
No. I didn’t write as a child. I was too busy reading. I started writing short stories in high school. My first published piece was a short story called Trick Dice that was published in an anthology called Proverbs for the People published by Kensington in 2003.
What do you consider as the most frustrating side of becoming a published author and what has been the most rewarding?
I think the most frustrating thing about being published is that once you’ve signed that contract the real stress begins. Suddenly, you have deadlines to meet, an editor to work with, and the opinions of reviewers and readers to deal with. In short, it’s not just you and your characters anymore. But holding that book in your hands with your name on the cover is so worth it.
Are you married or single and how do you combine the writing life with home life? Do you have support?
I’m happily single. So I can write when and where I want. I’m pretty much a loner when it comes to my writing but my friends and family are supportive.
What do you like to do for fun when you’re not writing? Where do you like to vacation? Can you tell us briefly about this?
I enjoy reading when I’m not writing. I’ve been to a lot of places on vacation but I’d have to say Paris is my favorite. I went there for the first time a few years ago and have been in love ever since.
Schooled in Lies by Angela Henry (click on cover to purchase at Amazon)
If you could be anywhere in the world for one hour right now, where would that place be and why?
At the Café Angelina in Paris having some of their decadent hot chocolate l’Africain! Did I mention how much I love Paris?
Who is your biggest fan?
If you mean my biggest fan on personal level, that would be my mom. But I have no idea who the biggest fan of my writing is.
Where’s your favorite place to write at home?
In my bedroom at my writing desk.
What’s your favorite library and why?
Probably the Clark County Public Library in my hometown. I used to work there and I still know a lot of people.
What’s your favorite bookstore and why?
Books & Company. They have two locations and I love them both. It’s simply a very cool indie bookstore. The staff is always nice and helpful and they have a huge selection.
Do you have any pets?
No.
What are you reading right now?
At Her Majesty’s Request: An African Princess in Victorian England By Walter Dean Myers. It’s the true story of an orphaned African princess who became Queen Victoria’s Goddaughter.
Tell us a secret no one else knows.
I used to want to be a flight attendant until I discovered I didn’t really like flying.
What’s the first thing you notice when you meet someone?
Oddly enough their teeth. I don’t know why that is.
Have you ever won anything?
I won $1,000 Honorable Mention in Ebony Magazine’s Gertrude Johnson William’s Writing Contest. I also won $2,000 on a slot machine.
What’s on your to do list today?
Writing, of course.
I understand that you are touring with Pump Up Your Book Promotion in February via a virtual book tour. Can you tell us all why you chose a virtual book tour to promote your book online?
When my first book came out book promotion mainly consisted of trying to get featured and reviewed in traditional print media. Today those outlets have dried up considerably. Many of the print publications in which my first book was featured don’t even exist anymore. Everything has changed and in order to reach readers you have to go where they are, and that’s online.
Thank you for this interview, Angela. Good luck on your virtual book tour!
Thank you!
You can visit Angela’s official tour page here!
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31 Comments
Welcome, welcome, Angela! I’m going to start off the questions before everyone gets over here. That cover has to be the most beautiful and eye-catching cover. Can you tell us the story behind that?
Hi Angela,
Your book sounds great! I love amateur sleuths, and now that I have my Kindle, eBooks are grand.
Did you draw on any of your high school experiences for Kendra or did you have a much better time in high school than she did?
Thanks for answering my question.
Cheryl
cg20pm00@gmail.com
Thank you, Dorothy! My main character, Kendra, is a teacher and I really wanted a cover that reflected that. But I also wanted one that would be kind of atmospheric and mysterious. When I was searching for an image for the cover and came across that black and white image of a young woman holding an apple. I instantly fell in love with it. I love the way the color of the apple really pops! It’s my favorite cover in the series so far. I’m so happy you like it ; ).
Hi, Cheryl! Thanks for the kind words. And yes, I did have a better time in high school than Kendra. But not by much. LOL! I was a nerd, too. Still am! But I was much more of a nonentity than Kendra. No one bothered me…much
Hi Angela,
Sounds like a great book. Is there a book that you have read recently that you would recommend, or an author that you look up to? Take care!
Hi, Tracee! Thanks! Right now I’m reading an urban fantasy novel by author Seressia Glass called Shadow Blade. I’m really loving it so far.
When I glanced at the cover I naturally assumed it was another non-fiction book about someones’ terrible time in school with their teachers and the lies that are mythical in education. It’s so refreshing that it’s a mystery book. Good luck with your tour.
I so agree with you about the apple popping! Love the color on top of black and white…must keep this in the back of my head when my future books come out. You say you tried traditional media for book coverage…what kind? Newspapers? Magazines?
Thank you, Rebecca!
Dorothy,
The first three books in the series were featured in numerous magazines and newspapers. However, it’s been almost three years since I’ve had a book out and many of those publications are now either gone or have significantly cut back on their book coverage . For Schooled In Lies I decided to do the majority of my book promotion online.
Angela,
Are you finding it harder to promote since there has been a three-year gap between the last book and this one? Are the other books still available online?
Thanks.
Cheryl
Hi Angela! I just have to say that Schooled in Lies sounds fantastic! I am really itching to read it and will keep my fingers and toes crossed that I win a copy, lol! I love to read on my Blackberry, so ebooks are so wonderful.
My question for you is: Is there a particular genre that you would love to write in, or are you happy with the one that you are writing in now? Do you see yourself trying out different genres in the future?
I also want to wish you oodles of grand success in not only this book, but all future works!
April
ajpohren@iowatelecom.net
Cheryl,
Yes, it has been a bit of a challenge reconnecting with my readers after all this time. But most have been thrilled to hear there is a new book out. The long hiatus wasn’t intentional. My former publisher stopped publishing mysteries and the series has been in limbo since 2007. Bks 1- 3 are available in print format from The Book Depository.com and Bks 2 and 3 are available in ebook format from Amazon and other ebook retailers.
Hi, April!
Thank you! As for other genres, I’d love to spread my wings and branch out to some other genres. I’m working on an urban fantasy novel now. I also wrote an adventure/thriller set in Paris during the hiatus of my series. I hope to find a home for that book very soon.
Hey Kendra, if you could sit down and write a letter to Kendra, what would you say? Gotcha thinking, didn’t i?
Okay so the first three books were featured in magazines, etc…what kind of sales derived from this if I may ask? There’s a point to all this, lol. I had an author tour with us a year ago and he was on all the major talk show circuits – well a few anyway – and do you know that’s why he took a virtual book tour after the fact because he basically sold no books that way? I would think, this is the author in me talking, that TV would be the first thing that would sell books. Maybe it has to be the right book or maybe it has to get a lot of press beforehand but I’m curious in your case how well the books sold using these magazines for promotion?
Dorothy,
Wow. That’s a good one. If I wrote a letter to Kendra, I’d probably praise her for her loyalty to her friends and family, scold her for her impulsive risk taking. Then I’d ask her if we could meet so we can have her favorite dessert: hot fudge cake from Frisch’s Big Boy so we can talk about her man problems! LOL!
Dorothy,
I don’t have any hard sales data from my print media placements but honestly don’t think it impacted my sales much. I can say that many of my readers have discovered my books online and through word of mouth. And from a reader’s perspective, I get all my book recommendations from online sources.
Hey Dorothy! I had an idea to do something like that on Cafe – ask authors to write to one of their characters. Don’t you think that would be fun? A bit of a different twist on guest posting.
YUM – hot fudge cake!!! Can I come, Angela?! lol
April, that would be LOADS of fun and different! Next time someone needs a guest post for your blog, that’ll be it!
April,
Yes! The more the merrier!
Wow, thanks so much Angela! When I hear these things, it only reassures me that online is the way to go.
I have one! I have one! Angela, it says in your bio, you like to travel. Where do you travel? I’m a traveling chick, I tell you…I can’t sit still for the life of me!
Dorothy,
I love Vegas, Niagara on the Lake, Chicago, New Orleans, and LA. But my all time favorite place is…Paris! I cannot wait to go back! I loved it so much I wrote a thriller set in Paris ; ).
Wow…you do have the traveling bug! Never ever been to either of those places although I did come close. Vegas and Paris…now there’s two I’d love to go to. Which thriller was it that’s set in Paris?
Dorothy,
Everyone needs to go to Vegas and Paris at least once. You won’t be sorry! Well…at least I hope you won’t. LOL! I have a thriller set in Paris that is currently making the rounds with publishers. I’m hoping to find a home for it by this spring. Keep your fingers crossed for me ; ).
I have another for you, Angela. I always love to hear what others are reading. What are some of your favorite books and authors. If you were going on a year long vacation and could only pack 5 books, what would they be?
April,
Darn it! That is a tough one for me ; ). There are so many authors I love. But I guess if I could only bring 5 books to last me a year. I’d probably bring the first 5 Harry Potter books. I can read those over and over again. Plus, they’re pretty thick! LOL!
Congratulations goes to April for winning a free electronic copy of Angela’s book, Schooled in Lies! Congratulations, April!