Pump Up Your Book Chats with Rie Sheridan Rose

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Rie Sheridan Rose has been writing professionally for the last ten years or so — though she has just added the “Rose” on the end. After putting up with her for the last eight years, she figured her husband deserved the recognition. Prior to last year, her work appeared under “Rie Sheridan.”

In that decade, she has published 4 novels, 1 short story collection, 2 chapbooks of collected stories, and five poetry collections as well as contributing to several anthologies.

Her stories have also been published in The Eternal Night, ShadowKeep and Verge ezines, as well as the EOTU and Planet Relish websites.

Her poetry appeared in the print magazines Mythic Circle, Dreams of Decadence, and Abandoned Towers as well as the Electric Wine and Tapestry ezines.

The Half-Price Books 1999 “Say Good-Night to Illiteracy” Anthology contained her children’s story “Bedtime for Benny”.

Both her short story anthology RieVisions and poetry collection Dancing on the Edge were finalists in the 2003 EPPIE awards. Poetry collection Straying from the Path and Young Adult novel The Right Hand of Velachaz were finalists in the 2004 EPPIE awards.

Her most popular stories to date are the Adventures of Bruce and Roxanne, humorous horror shorts several of which have been collected into two print chapbooks by Yard Dog Press.

She has also written the lyrics to several songs for Marc Gunn. Their “Don’t Go Drinking With Hobbits” CD is due out in August.

Her latest book is The Luckless Prince, published by Zumaya Otherworlds.

Rie lives in Texas with her husband Newell and several cats, all spoiled rotten.

You can visit her website at www.riewriter.com.

“Like” Rie at Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/riesheridanrose.

Q: Thank you for this interview, Rie. Can you tell us why you wrote your book?

This particular book was written because I wanted to expand a world I had already visited, but felt I hadn’t done justice to. It is a new beginning for an old set of friends.

Q: Which part of the book was the hardest to write?

The hardest part of the book to write…probably the injuries scattered throughout the story, because I could only speculate on what the consequences would be in those situations, never having actually suffered them myself. 🙂

Q: Does your book have an underlying message that readers should know about?

I think the underlying message is grow from experiences. If you stay the same, and don’t learn as you go through life, you will never reach your full potential.

Q: Do you remember when the writing bug hit?

Not precisely, because I don’t remember it ever not being there. When I was in the third grade I was writing poetry and puppet plays. My mother still has bits of paper with poems and things that she hands me now and then. When I was a kid, I always added “and a writer” to whatever other answer I gave to “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Q: Besides books, what else do you write? Do you write for publications?

I write poetry, short stories, articles, reviews, lyrics…pretty much you name it. I don’t write for any specific publication at this time, though I have had columns on writing and art in the past.

Q: Do you have a writing tip you’d like to share?

Always carry a notebook. I’ve rather gotten out of the habit, and I need to get back into it, because you never know when you will hear a bit of dialogue to use later, or think up a new plot bunny, or hear a song that you want to jot down the title for. A notebook should be part of every writer’s daily wardrobe. How big is up to you. I like a small size that will slip in pocket or purse.

Q: Would you like to tell us about your home life? Where you live? Family? Pets?

I live in Austin, Texas with my wonderful, supportive husband Newell and three spoiled rotten cats.

Q: Can you tell us a little about your childhood?

I grew up in Texas with three younger sisters and a big imagination. We used to play pirates and pioneers in the playhouse my architect father built us in the backyard.

Q: Where’s your favorite place to write at home?

Although I have a study…my favorite place to write is usually in front of the TV in the living room where I can put something on Netflix in the background. I can’t work well in a vaccuum of silence.

Q: What do you do to get away from it all?

It sounds weird, but I go and sit in the car in my husband’s office parking garage…lol. It’s where I am now on my laptop. This way we get to go to lunch together, and I don’t have as many distractions. The cars going by on the road in front of the building provide the white noise I need, and I get to take some cool photographs of the flora and fauna.

Q: What was the first thing you did as far as promoting your book?

Gosh…for this one, probably started posting about it on Facebook before I even sent it to the beta readers. Then built a page on my website. Talk about it wherever I go, and have postcards to pass out at conventions and in bookstores.

Q: Are you familiar with the social networks and do you actively participate?

I am a member of Facebook, Goodreads, and LinkedIn, but probably don’t participate on the latter two as much as I should. I post to the Amazon forums occasionally too. But I am sure there is always more I could be doing. Marketing and branding are the hardest, most time-consuming pieces of the writing pie to me.

Q: How do you think book promotion has changed over the years?

Before the advent of the Internet, book promotion was much more “hands on”. You had to physically go on a book tour or at least visit the stores to get your books stocked and visible. Conventions were even more important, because they were one of the few opportunities for a reader to connect with a favorite author. I think the social media have had a huge effect on bringing writers and readers closer together. That doesn’t mean that the old ways should be abandoned, just that there are new ways to be explored as well.

Q: What is the most frustrating part of being an author?

Rejection. You think that you have created a masterpiece, and then someone you’ve never even met, and may never see, tells you it isn’t worth their effort. That can be heart-breaking. But you can’t let it get to you. You have to dust yourself off, see if the piece needs tweaking, and send it out again.

Q: What is the most rewarding?

Holding the finished work in your hands. It never gets old. I love getting a new piece back from the publisher or printer for the first time. That first copy always goes on my bookshelf with the rest of my published works.

Q: How do you think book publishing has changed over the years?

It has exploded for one thing. There are so many small and independent presses now — which I think is a good thing in a majority of cases. The industry no longer relies on four or five large companies with the power to make or break a writer. It broadens the field for many authors who may not write to the mainstream model but are still wonderful writers. (Or at least like to think of ourselves that way. ;)) The Internet has also added a hitherto unheard of dimension to the mix with the advent of electronic books — the availability of reading material has skyrocketed. It is much easier to find the new volume from your favorite author when you can look in a central location like Amazon. And the “Do-It-Yourself” authors have become a force that can no longer be ignored, because they are just as visible as everyone else. It is an interesting time to be a writer. I look forward to seeing the next evolutionary step.

Q: If you had one wish, what would that be?

Real life or writing? If I could have one wish in the world, it would be to have a child to share the wonders of life with. Since that is unlikely to happen at this point, my writing wish would be for someone to decide to make a film of one of my books, because I would love to see the story from my head come to life on the big screen. I am a huge movie buff, and that would be so totally awesome.

Q: If you could be anywhere in the world other than where you are right now, where would that place be?

London. From there I could get to almost anywhere else I’ve ever wanted to visit a lot easier and cheaper. I’ve been an Anglophile practically since birth.

Q: Your book has just been awarded a Pulitzer. Who would you thank?

My husband, Newell, and parents, William and Kathalee Holmans, before anyone, and my writing partner, Jim Reader, who probably bullied me into making changes that made the award possible. I didn’t know how much I did wrong before he showed me. And if it were The Luckless Prince in particular, my wonderful editor, Elizabeth Burton, who polished my faceted jewel into a shiny perfection.

Q: Thank you so much for this interview, Rie. Do you have any final words?

Thanks for letting me rattle on. And please come visit me on Facebook or at www .riewriter .com — I love company. And email, so you can write me at riewriter @gmail .com if you have any further questions.

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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