Pump Up Your Book Chats with Mystery/Romantic Elements Author Misa Ramirez

Misa Ramirez will be right in this very spot live on Thursday, February 4 from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m., answering any questions you may have about her mystery/romantic elements novel, Hasta la Vista, Lola! (St. Martin’s Press). Leave a question or comment (along with your email address) between now and 11 p.m. on February 19 and you may win a free set of recipe cards!

The lucky winner will be announced on February 22.

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!

Misa Ramirez is the author of the Lola Cruz mystery series: Living the Vida Lola (January ’09) and Hasta la Vista, Lola! (2010) from St. Martin’s Minotaur. A former middle and high school teacher, and current CEO and CFO for La Familia Ramirez, this blonde-haired, green-eyed, proud to be Latina-by-Marriage girl loves following Lola on her many adventures. Whether it’s contemplating belly button piercings or visiting nudist resorts, she’s always up for the challenge. Misa is hard at work on a new women’s fiction novel, a middle grade series, is published in Woman’s World Magazine and Romance Writers Report, and has a children’s book published.

http://misaramirez.com

http://chasingheroes.com

http://thestilettogang.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/misaramirez

http://twitter.com/chasingheroes

http://facebook.com/misaramirez

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lola-Cruz-Mystery-Series/

Thank you for this interview, Misa.  Do you remember writing stories as a child or did the writing bug come later?  Do you remember your first published piece?

Good question!  I have always loved reading, but writing came later.  I began in college, wrote a story about my friend who stole her boyfriend’s car (they were fighting), and the teaching assistant wrote on my paper to only write about what I know.  It turned me off of writing for quite a while, but then my Shakespeare professor commented on a paper of mine that I had a wonderful style.  He said, “Don’t ever change it.”  That also stuck with me, and overtook my disappointment in that teacher’s assistant.

My first published work was a children’s book entitled The Flight of the Sunflower, from All About Kids Publishing.  It’s out of print now, but it was the first stepping stone on my journey.

What do you consider as the most frustrating side of becoming a published author and what has been the most rewarding?

The most frustrating part of the writing journey is the lack of control you have as a writer.  You can write the best book ever, but beyond that, it’s all in the hands of other people.  Even the promotion and marketing part of a writing career is so contingent upon making connections with people, knowing people, good karma, etc.  I wish is was a stronger economy and books were more desirable to everyone!

The most rewarding part of writing is the creative part, the joy of spending time with characters you love, and of ultimately sharing them with readers.

Are you married or single and how do you combine the writing life with home life?  Do you have support?

I’ve been married for 19 years now, and we have 5 children.  My family is very supportive of my writing (so much so that we moved from California to Texas, in part so that I could stop teaching, be home with the kids, and write full time).

Life is busy, always, but we balance our activities.  I write while the kids are at school.  We have a routine and it works most of the time.

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 am really a homebody.  I love reading, sewing, crafting, and things that center around the house.  A vacation for me is painting a room, or redoing my kitchen cabinets.

We don’t generally have the luxury of taking really nice vacations, but my husband and I did go on a cruise with several friends a few years ago and it was a blast!

Hasta la Vista, Lola! by Misa Ramirez (click on cover to order at Amazon)

If you could be anywhere in the world for one hour right now, where would that place be and why?

California visiting my friends and sister in law.

Who is your biggest fan?

My mom!  And then my husband, kids, and dad.

Where’s your favorite place to write at home?

I have an office just outside the house.  It’s a little building we had built and it’s all mine!  I love, love, love it.  It’s where I am right now as I respond to these questions.

What’s your favorite library and why?

Hmmm, we live in the country so don’t have a library nearby, so I guess I’d say my kids’ school library!

What’s your favorite bookstore and why?

Barnes and Nobel in Denton, Texas because they are SO nice, work hard to build relationships with authors and readers, and are always friendly.  I also like The Book Carriage in Roanoke because it is so quaint.

Do you have any pets?

2 boxers, Trinity and Jazz.  Love them!

What are you reading right now?

I’m reading The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry.  I just started it (just finished A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray).

Tell us a secret no one else knows.

I’m pretty much a wide open book!  Let’s see, I guess my secret would be that I know I won’t live in Texas forever.  New England is calling me.

What’s the first thing you notice when you meet someone?

I always notice how much a person smiles, if they seem happy, and if they don’t, I worry about them!

Have you ever won anything?

I won a goodie basket at a conference once, and also dinner with Jennie Crusie, which was fun.  I think those are the only things I’ve ever won!

What’s on your to do list today?

Go meet with a local shop owner about my books, do a few blog posts, write  scene, figure out what to make for dinner, fold some clothes, pick up kids from school, go see Nine (may not do that, but it’s on my list until I do see it!).  That’ll do it, probably.

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?

I want to gain the most exposure for Hasta la Vista, Lola! as possible, and online is the way to go.  You have so much potential for reaching your target audience when you work online, and that’s what I hope to do with Pump up Your Book Promotion.

Thank you for this interview, Misa Good luck on your virtual book tour!

Thank you!!!

If you’d like to find out where Misa is touring, click here!