Pump Up Your Book Chats with Maria Lucia author of Liberation: Book One of the Andrusian Chronicles

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About the Author:

Born in Havana, Cuba, Maria Lucia immigrated to the United States in 1960. A University of Memphis education graduate and a professional musician and vocalist, she moved deeply into the study of music and launched a very successful musical career. She spent many years in private practice, facilitating her own seminars and counseling on creativity. Her experience includes programs for gifted children in the public school system and creativity seminars for musicians at the university level. She has been a musical director for church programs, a composer of music, and a producer of concerts. She has traveled nationally, performing and delivering seminars for more than twenty years. Lucia has just moved to Mesa, AZ.

www.andrusianchronicles.com

http://www.andrusianchronicles.com/blog.html

https://www.facebook.com/MariaLuciaLiberation?v=wall&ref=ts

Liberation Book Tour

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

A: I was a writer of songs first. I began when I was seven and learned to play the guitar with my dad. Ever since I can remember I have crafted melodies in my heart and just sang them. I resisted every kind of traditional music lessons and just loved to sit at the piano or grab the guitar and just sing. Even the ballads were a form of storytelling. But the writing of books has come much later. All of the tools I learned in my music career have helped me though. I just transfer them over to storytelling.

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

A: The most frustrating part has without a doubt been the promotion and marketing aspects after the book is finished and of course the making of the book itself. The reward is in the amazing feeling of accomplishment that inevitably follows the grounding of a creative project.

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

A: I have a common law marriage so to speak, and have been with my beloved twelve years now. What makes us strong is that our center is within ourselves and not in each other. Therefore our balance comes from addressing all aspects of who we are as individuals and that brings enrichment to the relationship. I am a writer besides being a lover, a partner, a friend to others, a spiritual teacher, a daughter, and a mom to my pets. As I partake in all of these things that make me who I am as an individual it automatically combines all of my life into one big pie with lots of pieces. I have to include it all to be fulfilled.

My beloved is an amazing and naturally supportive person. Without him I wouldn’t have gotten this far with the first installment of the trilogy. He is the anchor and core of all of my support. When an author jumps out into the unknown with a creative piece there is a lot going on behind the scenes that help that person keep going. There are the right words that come when nothing is moving forward. There are the bills that pile up and have to be addressed. There is the continuous verbal reminding of what a great work of art you have out in the world. There are the opportunities that you wouldn’t have gotten if an understanding friend or blogger, or promoter, or newspaper, or publicist had not stepped in and made happened. The support comes in many forms and I haven’t missed it at all. I’m so grateful for all that has come my way.

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?

A: I love great films and part of what I do for fun is to go to them as often as I can. I love doing that at home as well and hanging out with my other half. I also love animals and I love nature so I get involved in either playing with my new pup or teaching her how to swim. She is three and a half months old and a riot. I haven’t gone on a vacation in a really long time. I have personally changed so much in this last year that I don’t know where I would like to go! Moving to Arizona has changed everything and has been an amazing experience. Having a pool in my back yard has come as close to the feeling of a vacation as I’ve had in the last few years. I guess I better take a look at that huh?

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

A: I would be at the nation’s capitol watching the fireworks with my beloved. He says the energy is amazing there right now for the fourth. I love it when we celebrate who we are like that and all of the fighting stops between us.

Who is your biggest fan?

A: My biggest fan is my partner after twelve years he still feels that I’m great and that what I create is great.

Where’s your favorite place to write at home?

A: In my den looking out to the backyard. It inspires me to look at the landscape and the water and the fountain. I love the sound of it in the back ground. Sometimes I can see a hummingbird diving into one of my flowers or doves drinking in the early morning. It’s so nice.

Do you have any pets?

A: 3 kitties and a baby greyhound!

Tell us a secret no one else knows.

A: I’ve lost 40 pounds in the last six months on the Ideal Protein diet! I’m 5 pounds away from my goal!

What’s on your to do list today?

A: To get totally involved in the tour which begins tomorrow, to finish sending out the invitations to the launching of this revised edition of Liberation at Changing Hands, to take my pup for a run before it’s too late in the evening, to make a bid on the treadmill I saw in the paper that I want to purchase, and to make time to watch the fireworks tonight on the television.

Now I’ve got a couple of fun questions for you. If Tom Hanks, in the movie Cast Away, unearthed a copy of your book, how would that help him find a way off the island?

A: Well the book would naturally begin to instill in Tom the idea that spirits were real. Tom would begin to believe this as he was reading the novel and he would have to believe without any doubt that he could contact one of them there on the island. He would then tell the spirit to go get help and not to come back until someone had heard his plea and come to save him on the island.

You have a chance to appear on the hit talent show for authors, American Book Idol, with judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Kara Dioguardi and the newest addition, Ellen DeGeneres, to determine whether your book will make it to Hollywood and become a big screenplay where you’d make millions of dollars. What would impress them more – your book cover, an excerpt or your author photo – and why?

A: The book cover. There is something grabbing about this cover that has pulled many people to the novel. There have been book shows were folks would just stand in front of it staring and tell me that they would by it just for the cover. It makes you want to know more about the work and the character on the front. It entices you to ask questions. It lures your curiosity.

You just got word that your book has received the 2010 NY Times Bestselling Book Award and you have to attend the ceremony to give an acceptance speech. Anyone who’s anyone will be there and it’s your shot for stardom. What would you say and who would you thank?

A: “I am so grateful for all of the support and persistence on the part of so many that have brought me to this place today. I am honored that you have chosen me for this award and that you have empowered my work on this level. I truly hope that this story propels great things to happen within the readers as well as in our nation and planet. I thank the many of you that are shinning the light on it tonight. I am not a beginner at life and know that this is a moment to be treasured in the most humble of ways.

For this moment let me say thank you to my beloved Ashford Chancelor, to my friends that stood beside me, to Changing Hands Bookstore in the Phoenix metro area for giving me a chance when I was an unknown and new in the area, I would like to thank the editors Judy Worman of The Professor’s Pen, Cecilia Sepp of CS Association Services and Michele DeFilippo of 1106 Design, my publicist Karen Villanueva of Author Services, the reviewers Midwest Book Review, Reader Views, The Paranormal Romance Guild, New Spirit Journal, Karen and Chuck Robison of What if it Really Works, Monique Muro of Book Bum, Star Shadow from Starshadowblog.com, Ernie Haycraft, Arun Sardana, Aeron Goldheart, and Suzanne Monte for taking the time to read and assess my work. I would like to thank Thomas Bland for lovingly guiding me at the Copyright office and Cindy Freland for her support. I would like to thank The Bowie Business Journal and The Gazette for allowing Liberation to be part of their news media. I would like to thank Dr, Richard Kaplan, Stewart Lindt, and Dr Alison Key for not letting me quit and Stephanie Renea and Randy Perez for giving me a lift at production. Finally I would like to thanks Mr. Cornelis F. Dutoit for his astronomical contributions. As you can see I did not get here on my own.”

I understand that you are touring with Pump Up Your Book Promotion in (July) via a virtual book tour. Can you tell us all why you chose a virtual book tour to promote your book online?

A: I feel like there are so many powerful book blogs out there that help so many along the way. To me the virtual aspect is equal to any other in getting your work out there and sometimes even more important. You can reach so many people this way. I have become a part of it because I love visiting all of the sites that support great storytelling and take part in making sure it is heard throughout the world. There are really no limits this way.

Thank you for this interview, Maria Lucia. Good luck on your virtual book tour!

A: You’re welcome. I’m looking forward to it!

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Question of the Day

How do you make sales happen for you?

A lot of hard work! I sponsor a lot of on line parties, festivals and contests. Book sales don’t magically happen, believe me. An author has to work hard to earn her readers. And then she has to work hard to keep them by giving them something they’ll enjoy reading. I try hard to make my books worth a reader’s time.

-- Sheila Roberts, Author of Winter at the Beach