Firsts Fridays: Author, Alberta Ross

When I began researching Alberta Ross, my next Firsts Fridays interview I was instantly intruiged by the books she has out now called the Sefuty Chronicles. Who knew through her interview I would learn of her battle with cancer, her strength endurance and that you are never to old to make your dreams a reality. Now it’s your turn. Take a dive into the life of Alberta Ross...
 I spent the first part of my adult life travelling the world, the middle years studying  and now have settled down to write.  From the first part I have endless photographs, memories and friends.  From the second I have a BSc Hons, an MA and friends.  Now in this part everything comes together.

Over the years my interests have expanded, as has my book and music collection.  A short list would include reading (almost anything) science, opera, folk, gardening, philosophy, crazy patchwork, freeform crochet, ethics, social history, cooking (and eating of course) gardening, anthropology, climate change and sustainability.

My parents gave me, apart from a love of reading and music, an interest and curiosity in everything which in itself has become a total inability to be bored and for this I am always grateful.

DB: Alberta, thanks so much for joining us for Firsts Fridays!

You are just closing your first ever virtual tour for your books, the Sefuty Chronicles.  Can you tell us a little about the ins and outs of a virtual tour and if you feel it has helped you?

AR: It is probably too soon to tell if it has helped sales at all and I don’t believe that is the sole purpose of a tour. It is really about getting your name and that of the book or books recognised in a very busy place.  I hope the Sefuty Chronicles are a little more familiar now than they were a month ago.

I do know that although it has been quite hard work it has also been such fun to do and I will certainly be taking my publications on tour again.

I began putting feelers out about the end of June and am really pleased I allowed so much time to find my tour dates.  It takes time to search, make contact and arrange times, dates and subjects.

A couple of things were not strictly according to plan due to the vagaries of e-mails, time zones and misunderstandings but all that meant was the tour started early, four weeks instead of three, and that a couple of days were unexpectedly empty but others were amazingly full.  Next time I might check up more often before each date to be sure we’re in the same place but, considering I am not known for my organisational skills, it all panned out just fine!

DB: I agree the most important part is getting your name and book out there. I’m glad it’s working out for youJ For those interested in getting your little hands on her books, she is having a giveaway on her site. I will have more details after the interview.

You are an indie author with three books under your belt.  Can you tell us why you decided to go this route and the pros and cons you have experienced so far?

AR: Well I had started the traditional route but then was diagnosed with cancer and suddenly felt very vulnerable. 

DB: I’m very sorry to hear this.

AR: After the operation I got to thinking that maybe my life was too short to wait the traditional wait for publication so went indie instead.  I had a book and I wanted it published.  As it turns out I had the third all clear last month so maybe I did have time!

It was hard work as I had very limited computer skills and I have struggled with putting up websites and blogs, with joining places, finding places, there is so much ‘stuff’ up here!  I have enjoyed learning all the new skills I’ve accumulated and this year am feeling more at home up here.  From the isolation of being a writer now I have a huge amount of support and goodwill as we all struggle together.  It’s great up here.

DB: I love how you say “up here” when referring to the gathering place of us writersJ

Do you see yourself continuing down the indie road or ever shooting for the traditional one?

AR: Oh no, definitely indie for me.  I like the complete control I have and I have never been happy with others telling me what to do.

DB: The Sefuty Chronicles sound really interesting!  How did you come up with this futuristic idea?

AR: They were an exercise in short story writing which went slightly wrong!  They are fed by my interest in climate change and genetics, in fact by so many of my interests right down to felting, a hobby of mine.

I have worried about the effects we are having on our planet for a couple of decades now and although I think the worst case scenarios won't happen in my lifetime, lets face it there’s not so much of that anyway, I do worry over the coming generations.

The Chronicles are a vision of my worst fears and also because I have great faith in humanity and feel it will survive; the Chronicles are a vision of my hope.

DB: This is so very inspirational...except the part that you don’t have much life in you. You sound to me to be going for the long haul.

Are there more books to this series?

AR: Jack’s Tale, out this month, is the third of the series and then I take a break and prepare my second collection of short stories, these are for my ‘friend from forever/editor’ who prefers them to the Chronicles.

In NaNo next month, which I try for the first time, I am trying a new genre.

However, I have at least two more Sefuty Chronicles planned in great detail in my head.

DB: I must say, you have me very eager to read your books and I love a long series!

Last question and this is just for fun...

Tell me anything.

AR: I learnt to read before I was five.  Thought it would be nice to write a book.  I have devoured thousands of books in the six decades since.  I lived inside those books, brought the characters inside my head and imagined new exploits with them; I was the one wandering around lips moving – you know the one, the oddball having a conversation with herself!

DB: Oh yea! I was that odd ball and now my daughter does it tooJ

AR: I belonged to countless libraries around the world, spent most of any money I ever had on buying more books, hoarding as well a squirrel.  Thinking it would be nice to write a book.  My new abode is crammed to the rafters and removal men hate moving me!

I scribbled a few stories in my early teens but, despite those silly dreams of one day becoming an author, continued on my alternative paths.  Now in my mid 60s I am here.  I am an author.  My books are in the county library.  A little late in the day but here and enjoying every minute of it.

The moral of the tale:  everything happens in its correct time so never give up on  silly dreams and catch yourself a ‘friend from forever/editor’ to help you!

DB: You gave me cold chills!

Thanks for being here Alberta! Good luck to you as you finish out your book tour.

AR: Thank you.

DB: And finally for those interested in The Sefuty Chronicles, Alberta, can you give us the details of your giveaway?

AR: I am running a give away during the tour.

2 winners of draw will win an e-book edition of

The first two books of the Sefuty Chronicles

Ellen's Tale and The Storyteller's Tale

3 runners up will win an e-book edition of

Ellen's Tale

 (unless already read in which case The Storyteller's Tale)

How to win

A comment on each visited host site gives you one chance to win, also on my sites on those days I am posting there during the tour

an extra entry will be given if you mention the post on Twitter or Facebook

an extra entry will be given for a mention of the post/tour on your own blog

Let me know where you have spread the word

DB: And if you want more of Alberta you can find her:

 http://www.albertaross.co.uk

Alberta’s official website where detail of her books, extracts, readers comments and contact details can be found

http://sefutychronicles-albertaross.blogspot.com

where Alberta blogs about writing and self publishing

http://www.didyoueverkissafrog.typepad.com

blogging about anything she fancies

http://sefuty.livejournal.com/

a blog about books and reading

Alberta can be followed on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/albertaross

Until next time...

Keep writing. Keep learning.

Author S.B. Niccum's Veiled Tour

UPDATE: We have a winner for the copy of Veiled. Thanks to all those who commented but...
ANGIE COTHRAN...you take the prize!

Today is an exciting day for me! I get to be the first stop in SB Niccum's book tour. She is the author of Veiled and if you haven't read this book yet, you should!

If you haven't, you are going to have an opportunity to win your very own copy today. After the interview, if you comment below you will be entered to win Veiled!

So let's get started shall we!

Silvina, thanks so much for letting me pick your brain today!

DB: Tell us a little about yourself and your book Veiled.              

SBN: Thanks for having me! Well, the first thing that comes to mind when I start talking about myself is the fact that I’m South American. I was born and raised in Argentina, my parents and grandparents as well.  So in spite of the fact that I don’t look it, I am Hispanic.  My family moved to the U.S. when I was fourteen years old and I spoke no English at that time.  It took me two years to learn it, so as you can imagine, high school was different for me.  I had to look up every word in the dictionary in order to do my homework. 

I ended up going to the University of Utah and studying Spanish Lit. mostly because I felt like a traitor to “La Raza” if I studied English Lit. 

Writing has been part of me since I was a little girl, and not having many friends in High School gave ample time to read a lot. 

I’ve always written things in English and Spanish.  But two years ago the idea for Veiled exploded in my head.  It was the first idea that came complete.  In the end I ended up using some of my earlier characters and ideas into Veiled. 

Veiled is the story of a soul (Tess) who is an un-embodied spirit who waits and trains for her mortality.  She has many apprehensions about mortality; she has watched other mortals and knows that life comes with many uncertainties—the main one being the Veil.  Once she crosses the veil into mortality she will lose all her memories of her pre-mortal life and naturally she wonders who she will be and how she will find her soul mate, Alex.  She is also very gifted; she has the gift of discernment that allows her to read auras and interpret thoughts or intentions.  She is chosen for an important mission in life, one that she must train carefully for.  A Seraph named Dayspring is assigned as her personal trainer and the action begins!

DB: I can’t imagine adding anything more challenging to high school (like a language barrier) than it already was. That must have been difficult, but the knowledge you’ve gained from it, I’m sure it was worth itJ

I know you have a second book in the works. Is there anything you can tell us about it and will there be more after it?

SBN: Living Soul is the sequel to Veiled and I’m currently finishing it up.  While Veiled is more of a fantasy, Living Soul is more of a Supernatural/ Paranormal story. 

Tess is now alive and trying to make sense of all the paranormal phenomena that surrounds her. She is also growing up in foster care and has no memory of her early childhood.  At school she meets a boy that she can swear she’s met before, but he also happens to be the most popular guy in school and half the student body likes him too!

While the theme for Veiled centered on preparation for having a good life; Living Soul focuses on the quest that mortals have for finding themselves (that person that we used to be, the person we wanted to be and we know we were).  I love the quote, “Life is not about finding yourself.  It’s about creating yourself.”  This is the message of Living Soul, intertwined with a lot of fun Supernatural and Paranormal YA stuff!

Endless will complete this series and it covers life after death.  Redemption, and dealing with the aftermath or our choices while alive. 

As a whole, with this series I hope to bring awareness to the blessing of life and the importance of how we spend it.

DB: This book sounds fantastic! I can’t wait!

Since the majority of my readers are writers themselves, I’d love to pick your brain about your writing as well as your mode of getting your book published.

Are you a plotter or a pantster when it comes to writing your stories?

SBN: I have to say that with Veiled, the story just bloomed in my head one day.  I had to fill in the gaps a lot, and I did that mostly by writing and re-writing.  I did find a way of working though, that I like.  I wake up early and write while the house is dark and quiet.  Then I plot the next scene while I clean the house or fold laundry.  But I am an outline freak, so I make a tentative chapter by chapter outline.  However if the story deviates, I’m okay with it.  I just correct my outline.  Having one makes me feel less paniky.

DB: I am an early morning writer too. I love getting up and having it done right at the start of the day.

About how long did it take you to write Veiled?

SBN: It took me a year from start to finish, then another six months to edit and another six months until it was published.

DB: Do you have a critique group or betas and what is your take on them?

SBN: I do now!  Back when I was still writing Veiled, I felt like I had to pull teeth to get people to read it!  No one (but my mother) wanted to take time off their busy schedule to read a manuscript of 138,000 words! Yikes!  I had to cut it down quite a bit.  Then I became friends with another writer mom, and we exchanged WIP’s.  It was great to have her opinion.  After that I posted a part of my book that I took out on my blog and a homeschooling mom (like me) from one of my yahoo groups asked to beta read the book.  I gladly let her do it and she was also very helpful. 

Once I got a publisher, two more people agreed to beta read and since the book has been out I have people (anxious people) wanting to beta read!  I feel very humbled every time someone says they liked my book. 

DB: It really is a great bookJ

Can you tell us why you chose to go the route of the small publisher and in the future will you stick with that or go another direction?

SBN: I started out by querying agents, and one of them told me that Speculative Christian Fiction was not “traditionally” published for the most part.  He steered me in the direction of a small press and told me to learn more about those. 

The press that he told me to query was bogged down with queries (big surprise!) and they were not taking any more.  During that time, my brother (who self published a non-fiction specific for his industry) told me to read a book that explained all the different types of publishing options available. 

I read up on the trends of the book industry and what Amazon’s e-publishing and Smashwords were doing to it.  I also read about traditional publishers and the realities of working with them, and of course the small press publishing houses that were popping up everywhere. 

I already knew that my chances for a traditional publisher were slim because of my genre, but I also knew that the traditional publisher’s demands on my time were not realistic for me.  I have kids that I homeschool and thankfully I don’t need a job.  I wanted to write and publish, but I didn’t want to leave my family to do so.  I wanted my life as it was + a published book. 

That pretty much left the small publishers and self-publishing available.  The idea of self-publishing was daunting, so I started looking into small publishers.  Luckily a friend of a friend patched me through to Linda Boulanger from TreasureLine Books & Publishing and one month later I was signing a contract. 

DB: Sounds like you did your homework. Linda is AWESOME by the way, for those looking for small publishersJ

Can you tell us a bit about the workings of getting your book published from start to finish with a small publisher?

SBN: Working with a small publisher has been very painless and easy.  The contract is simple; you split the royalties as you negotiate it.  They edit, typeset, form a cover, give you an ISBN and list your book through online booksellers such as Amazon, B&N.com and Smashwords.com and promote you on their web site and blogs. 

You get to work closely with the cover designer and do your own marketing.  If you want to be in an actual B & N bookstore, they will fill out all the paperwork for you.  Some of my fellow authors from TreasureLine have done so.  But to be honest, I don’t care for that.  I only have so much time in a day and I try not to get sucked into this world too much, or it’s no longer fun!  

DB: How much did you have to do with things like your cover art (which is beautiful!), editing, advertisement, etc?

SBN: Cover:  I actually blogged about this so you can go see how it was done!  http://spiritualsupernaturalparanormal.blogspot.com/2011/01/creating-book-cover.html

Editing:  After the last edit, I had two very meticulous friends comb through it one last time.  When I felt that  it was ready we got a proof ordered.

Advertising:  That’s pretty much my territory.  It’s been challenging and fun and sometimes frustrating.  But it is what it is!

DB: Last question and this one is just for fun…

Will you tell us something that we absolutely have to know about you?

I’m a foodie freak.  I went to culinary school and I’m obsessed with how things are processed.  For example:  who first tasted an olive and thought, “mm… I think I will soak this in a brine of lye and see what happens.”   Or, “I bet that if I squeeze this sour foul tasting thing between two rocks, awesome cooking oil will come out!”

So what you must know about me is: I will write about food in the future, and it will not be a cook book!  …not in the traditional way.

DB: Hmmm, now that is interesting. A book about food that is not a cook book. Can’t wait!

Silvina, thanks again for letting me be your first stop along this wild book journey of yours!

Readers, this book is such a fun, feel good read. You’ve got to pick one up you get a chance.

Also, if you have any questions for Silvina, ask away, she will be around today to answer any questions you may haveJ

And if you are interested in buying this book you can get it for $3.99 for your Kindle HERE and the actual book is $14.95 on Amazon HERE J