Sarita Day: I have some very exciting news! Today I have a special guest interview. I'm pleased to introduce, straight from New Tuscany, Juliana Russo! How are you today, Juliana? Juliana: I'm great, Sarita. Thanks for having me. Sarita Day: I'm happy you're here. Did you know that you're my first character from a story I've ever published? Juliana: Really? I'm honored. Thank you. Sarita Day: Pleasures all mine. I'm excited for my readers to get to know you a little better. So, let's get down to it. First off, how do you pronounce your name? Juliana: I get this a lot when people read my name. It's Juli-aa-naa. Sarita Day: Beautiful name. I love it. So you live in a world that's completely frozen. Snow all the time. How is it living in such a frozen world? Juliana: To be honest I don't have an answer. That's all I know. To live in a warm world seems so bizarre. Sarita Day: I can understand that. I'm from Texas so snow is practically foreign to me. Okay the, can you tell me what its like living alongside mechanical animals? Juliana: The Anichanicals are great! They are quite expensive, though. My father gave me mine for my eighth birthday. I could hardly believe it. When I say they are expensive I mean they are expensive. My father was a wealthy man but... they are expensive. Sarita Day: *laughs* I'm guessing they are expensive. *both share laughter* Tell me more about your parents. What is your relationship with them? Juliana: My parents disappeared when I was young. I still don't have a clue as to what happened to them. But I loved them. They never told me I could not do something. I loved history and the idea of animals... can you imagine a world with living animals? It is mind boggling. Most kids didn't think twice about them but I did and my parents were proud of my wonder. My father gave me books. Tons of books. I love books. Sarita Day: We share that interest. Juliana: That's great. Books are my entire life. Books about anything, but my favorite is science. Biology. History. Okay, I don't think I have a favorite. Anyway, I am grateful to have had parents who praised my curiosity, even when it got me into trouble. Sarita Day: Did you even get other kids in trouble? Juliana: Oh yes. My dear friend Nathaniel was always getting me out of trouble. Not that he didn't like helping cause the trouble. Sarita Day: Are you and he an item? Juliana: Nathaniel? Oh God no. No, he's my friend. I'm not interested in anyone. My job and hobbies keep me busy. Sarita Day: What is something most people don't know about you? Juliana: That I secretly write poetry. Sarita Day: Oh really? Juliana: Most people know I love to study and go on adventures by myself but sometimes when everyone is asleep I like to write random words down. Most of my poems don't even rhyme. I just like putting my thoughts on paper. Sarita Day: That's great. I love words. They bring me peace. Juliana: Peace and happiness. That's hard to find for me these days. I've had a good life growing up with Nathaniel and his father but it is hard not having parents. It's had not knowing what happened to them. Sarita Day: Have you even tried searching for them? Juliana: I've never seen another city outside of New Tuscany. I would love to someday travel the world but it's not easy at the moment. Sarita Day: Where would you like to travel? Juliana: I goodness, there are so many places. I'd say New Paris first. There are so many reasons why but, I mean, it's such a lovely city. Who couldn't want to visit New Paris? Sarita Day: I know I want to visit Paris. I wonder what it's like during the Freeze. Juliana: My world and your world are very different. Sarita Day: True fact, Juliana. Okay, I have to wrap things up but before you go I have a very important question for you. Juliana: I'm all ears, Sarita. Sarita Day: Here it is.... What is you favorite color? Juliana: *giggles* Oh thank you for asking that. This is investigatory work. I'd say my favorite color is green. I love green probably because the world is mostly white and the idea of rolling green hills sparks something in me. Oh yes, I love green. Sarita Day: Thank you for being here, Juliana Russo. This has been a blast. Juliana: I'm happy I was able to answer your questions for your readers. I love being a part of Sad, Brown Eyes. Sarita Day: Thank you. And thank you, readers, for tuning in and learning more about my character, Juliana. She was a joy to write and I hope you all enjoy reading her story.
0 Comments
Heart pounding. Can't breathe. Hands sweaty.
Preparing my novel, Fitzgerald, for Amazon has been a whirlwind. The emotions I've felt include: excited, terrified, anger, joy, and even sadness. Though, I must admit, it has mostly felt surreal. This has to be one of the biggest decisions I've ever made in my life. I don't want to be made a laughingstock, but I also don't want to sit on a dream when I can make it come true with the press of a button. This book is so special to me. I know all authors say that, but all authors are correct. When you create something so monumental, it sticks with you for life. These characters, both heroes and villains, will forever hold a place in my heart that no living person can. It didn't feel right leaving them inside my head. Now, in a few short weeks, complete strangers will be able to enter my fictional world. Until now, only 2 or 3 people have read Fitzgerald. I'm so thrilled that I've given people a chance to experience this place that, up to now, only I've truly seen. I'd like to express an advanced thank you to all who plan to read my novel. Yes, I've given myself the chance to make this book a reality, but without readers, it would all be for nothing. So THANK YOU for helping me make my 20 year dream a reality! Let me just stop and take this in for a moment.
It feels so good to say that!
But, here's the thing that makes this release date extra special. This is not how I imagined I would release a book. I'd always thought an agent would pick up my book, help me get it to a big publisher, and work alongside them to get it to readers. Choosing to self-publish has put me in charge of everything. It is a lot more pressure than I'd ever imagined. If one thing goes wrong, I have no one to blame but myself. But I am so thrilled to have this chance. My goal is to have readers. If money comes, that's the cherry on top. But, readers are my main goal. If I spend thousands of dollars and only make one hundred back, that will be a win! I took my dream in my own hands. Maybe my book will flop, getting hundreds of 1 star reviews, and I'll understand why so many people told me 'no'. However, my story could also bring joy to many people. I'd be thrilled to receive one 5 star review; from someone outside my family and friends. Isn't that all writers truly want? Readers. Happy readers. Stay tuned for the cover reveal! I worked with an amazing artist and I'm obsessed with how I came together! May is going to change my life, one way or another. Here's hoping it will be positive. These days, all creators and entrepreneurs take time to explain their "why". Why did they start their business? What made them become influencers? And, although no one has a wrong answer, I've noticed a pattern. More often than not, people say that their "why" is their children. This is a lovely sentiment. Our children should be a source of inspiration for us. If your children are your "why", I think that is wonderful! However, the more I saw children being the answer to this question, the more I started kicking myself for not knowing my "why". According to everyone else, it should be my children or, as a close second, my husband. But, deep down, I knew that would be a lie. I decided that I wanted to become a published author long before I met my husband and had kids. So I had to do some thinking. If my "why" wasn't my husband or children, what was?
It all came down to one simple thing. My "why" was me. I have always loved writing, ever since I was 13-years-old. When the little voice tells me to give up, to stop pretending, somehow find myself pushing forward. Because I'm worth it. I owe it to myself to carry on to publication. The 13 year old version of me would never believe I'd given up. She never had a doubt in her mind that her books would sit on bookstore shelves. They wouldn't remain hidden. I won't disappoint her. I would love to make money from book sales someday. That, for me, would be an added perk. As of now, my goal is to get my book in readers' hands. That is why I know I'm not on this journey for my husband and kids. I want to do this for me. If anything, I hope my kids see that their mother stayed focused on her goals and kept moving forward until she achieved them. So this is a love letter to my younger self. Sarita, you are my "why". Continue to write. Continue to dream. Self-publishing isn't giving up. It is a stepping stone. Big things are in store for you. Cheer me on so I don't let us down. As I write, I sometimes need a pick-me-up. The writing world can fill writers with self-doubt. At times I wonder why I continue. When I reach this low point, I seek out words of wisdom from other authors. Over the years I've saved these quotes for easy access. Now, as my novel FITZGERALD prepares to enter readers hands, I though I should share my favorite quotes with other writers. 1. "Every sentence needs a subject, verb, and an explosion." -Corinne Duyvis
2. "The first draft isn't about getting it right, it's about getting it done." -Ava Jae 3. "What is your goal today: one page, one scene, or one chapter. How does it fit into your whole project? Each day, the way to accomplishing your project will become clearer and clearer." -S.A. Gibson 4. "I want to remember that writing is not just a thing I do, but a part of my soul, woven into the very fabrics of me." -Annika Lauren 5. "No one in the world has it all figured out, even big-time authors get it wrong sometimes. What matters is that you keep doing the thing that makes you happy and write because you simply enjoy it." -Melissa Hawkes 6. "It's a good thing that you have big visions! And as you keep writing, your ability will catch up." -Victoria McCombs 7. "I am worthy. My book is worthy. And more than that, my worth is not defined by the number of rejection letters I stack up." -Grace E. Posey 8. "Storytelling is a way for us to escape and go away for awhile, and that will always be my first and foremost goal." -James Dashner 9. "To be the place where people hang out and just take a break from life, that's all I ever wanted." -Keira Cass 10. "I've come to realize that if you're not scared at least a little by what you're writing, it's probably not important enough to write." -Malinda Lo Some of these quotes are from well established authors and some are from up-and-comers. But no matter how many books have been sold, all of these people are authors. They all have amazing insight. I feel incredibly grateful for their wisdom. Each quote has helped me better my writing every day. I hope they do the same for you. November 22, 2021 will be my and my husband's seventh wedding anniversary. I thought it would be fun to interview him on what it's like being married to a writer. He was such a good sport. I wrote up some questions and was actually surprised by some of his answers. If you're a writer, ask your spouse these questions and share them with me on Instagram. I'd love to see how others answered.
Sarita: What habit do I have that screams "writer"? Jonathan: You take something little and make a story out of it. I will say one word and you suddenly have an idea. Sarita: When we were dating, what did you think when I told you I was a writer? Jonathan: Let's see. What I thought was, "That's cool She's doing something with her life instead of just standing still." Sarita: Have you ever wanted me to put you in my book? Jonathan: You know what... no. I wouldn't mind the essence of me, but not straight up me. Sarita: What's the best thing about being married to a writer? Jonathan: Creativity. You're always creative. Even when I don't need you to be. I feel so blessed to have an amazing man in my corner. He's never made me feel stupid for reaching (and reaching and reaching) for my dreams. I can't wait to publish my novel next year! Jonathan will be there every step of the way, cheering me on.
If you're a writer, chances are you've thought about word count. When I first became a serious writer, I had no idea word count was a thing. I remember talking with a fellow writer and hearing him tell me how many words his novel had. Mind you, I was in my early twenties. Even at that point I hadn't realized word count mattered. After that conversation, I did some research and saw that magic number. 80,000 words! From that day forward, I stressed about word count. My novels needed to exceed 80,000 words! I needed to write 1,000 words (or more) a day! When I failed, it ruined my day. Slowly, it started to chip away at my confidence. Even when other writers advised me not to worry, I worried. After all, they were just saying that. They were probably writing 2,000 words a day. But one thing stayed with me. One thing refused to escape my mind. Even after I tried to train this thought away it remained. That thing was page count. Page count! No one ever talked about page count. That was how I use to keep track of my progress. I got excited when I reached page 10, 50, 100! Each page brought me one step closer to my goal. I use to pick up books, flip to the last page, and see that final number. Some books ended on page 200 while others ended on page 500. I figured if my novel landed somewhere in there then I had a solid book. That's what writers should focus on. Not only is the number 200 way less intimidating than 80,000, but it feels more achievable. I've written books that have fluctuated in word count. Sometimes that number fluctuated drastically one way or another. And yet, if my page count remained between 200 and 500, I felt satisfied. That was a good book length. So, is this the wrong way? Maybe to some. But it has lowered my stress immensely! I now write without beating myself up for only writing 500 words in a day. On the days I write 2,000 words, I check my page count and sigh. The chapters pile up right before my eyes. My words become a novel. I see those page numbers and visualize a book in my hands. That makes it more real than any word count ever has. Sarita Day: Hey everyone! Welcome back to my blog! I'm here to interview a special character from the book I am going to publish next year! Stay tuned for a release date. Without further ado, here he is! He is the one... the only... Jordon Piers! Jordon Piers: Hi, Sarita. Thanks for having me. Sarita Day: You are the star right now. The leading man. Are you ready to have your story put out there? Jordon Piers: To be honest, I'm kinda worried. I've never been the type to love being the center of attention. Sarita Day: It must be hard when so many people-- girls-- want your attention. Jordon Piers: *Goes quiet* Yeah. It's tough. Sarita Day: What's your opinion of the Closet Within the Closet? Jordon Piers: It's strange. It's scary. It's beautiful. Without the Closet Queen it wouldn't be so horrible. Sarita Day: Is she really that bad?" Jordon Piers: Imagine a snake, a scorpion, and a spider. Okay, now, pick which one you find the scariest. You have it? Sarita Day: Yes. Jordon Piers: The Closet Queen is all of them combined. Sarita Day. So, she's really that bad. Jordon Piers: That's what I'm saying. Sarita Day: Gotcha. Let's move on to something less... horrifying. So, I notice that you spell your name differently than most boys with your name. What's the story behind that? Jordon Piers: Uhg! Yeah, that's annoying with spell check. *laughs* My dad's name is Gordon so he and my mom thought spelling my name with an extra "O" would be a nice connection or something. So I'm J-O-R-D-O-N. Sarita Day: There are parents who spell their kids names with worse spellings. Jordon Piers: I guess my name could've been spelled G-O-R-R-D-D-O-O-A-N-7-8-9. Sarita Day: *Laughs* Oh yes! That's how it should always be spelled! So, you've lived all over the world. Where would you say was the best city you've lived? Jordon Piers: That's hard. Top three would be Istanbul, Chicago, and Sydney. Istanbul is by far the prettiest city I've ever seen. Sarita Day: I'd love to travel. I'll put Istanbul on the list. Ah, well, our time is up. My last question to you is... what is your favorite color? Jordon Piers: Black. If you look in my closet you'd be able to guess. Sarita Day: Thank you so much, Jordon. I look forward to seeing your book in the hands of readers soon. Jordon Piers: That's the dream. Thank you, Sarita. Stay up-to-date on my upcoming novel Fitzgerald, coming soon! Visit my Instagram SaritaTheWriter for weekly snippets. Confession time! I almost never started writing my current WIP (work in progress). The reason: I was afraid of getting teased. In my mind, a story about a modern-day royal family would get mocked. Why, you ask? I'm a 30-year-old woman writing about princes and princesses. People would look down on me, laughing and calling me a child. Was I a grown adult pretending to be a princess? A teenage princess mourns the loss of her entire family. Over night, she goes from fifth in line to queen. She now must navigate ruling a country, securing her line, and stopping a coup. My thoughts were, "I can't write about royalty!" But I changed my mind. Here's why. I LOVE stories about royalty. Fictional and reality. I have read so many stories with a royal protagonist. Usually, I hide them. I have never wanted people to know that I'm reading books with that subject. But I wanted to write this story with every fiber of my being. The itch never subsided. So, one day, I started it. It was the best decision. People say to write the story you want to read. And my god, I WANT TO RAED THIS BOOK! I've taken the biggest step outside of my comfort zone with no intention of turning back. Who is ready to read my novel? It's going to be worth the wait. Stay tuned. I love listening to ambient sounds while reading and writing. This is something I've done for years, but only recently has it become a necessity. It has been a huge game changer! Think about it. Sometimes you don't always want to read in your room or on your couch, but, you can't leave your home each time you want to open your favorite book. Ambient videos help transport you to a coffee shop in Paris or a carriage ride through the forest at night. Here are my top 5 favorite ambient sound videos. # 5 Rainy Night Coffee Shop Ambience with Relaxing Jazz Music and Rain Sounds - 8 Hours # 4 Library Sounds | Study Ambience | 2 Hours # 3 NIGHT GREENHOUSE AMBIENCE: Plant Watering Sounds, Night Nature Sounds, Pages Turning, Crackling Fire # 2 Relaxing River Sounds - Peaceful Forest River - 3 Hours Long - HD 1080p - Nature Video #1 Carriage Ride Through the Woods | ASMR Ambience Try these out for yourself. Explore to find others that fit your aesthetic. There are also Harry Potter ones that could fill an entire list on their own. Read in the Great Hall or in your House common room. Some include music. Those aren't my favorite, personally, but they may be perfect for you. Give it a try and let me know how you like it in the comments. Happy reading! |