Thank you to Ann Haines, the author of Brunswick, for yet another wonderful author interview! Visit her blog
HERE
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Our interview today is with Alicia Rivoli, Author of Mere Enchantment. Alicia Rivoli is a stay at home mom, currently living in beautiful Northwest Arkansas where the weather is ever-changing! She loves to sing, write, read, spend time with her family, and travel. She also loves chocolate, and gooey caramel, together they make the perfect candy.
Welcome Alicia thanks for talking to us today and letting us have a little insight into you and your books.
Q: Tell us about Mere Enchantment (The Enchantment Series, book 1 )………………
My new book is actually a magical tale of five friends who have to fight for their freedom in a kingdom that they never really knew existed. They find that they are being tracked down by a man that betrayed the crown and knows that their presence in Mere threatens his plans to overthrow the entire kingdom. They have many challenges that they must overcome, but the biggest one is discovering who they really are, and who and what they think their friends are.
Q: What’s your genre and why did you choose it?
I choose to write for the juvenile/young adult genre, because that is what I find interesting. Nearly every book on my shelf is from these two genres. My mind is constantly dreaming up different stories that appeal to a younger audience.
Q: What’s the biggest obstacle you faced with your writing journey?
The biggest challenge I have faced is trying to find a publisher. With so many books being written, breaking into the industry is very difficult. I received my share of rejection letters, and finally decided to self publish.
Q: Where do you get your ideas and inspiration from?
My imagination is always running wild, so when the story of Mere came to me while lying in bed one night; I decided I needed to write it down. Also every time I read a new book, more and more story plots come to mind, so I have to keep reading, to keep my mind open to more ideas.
Q: Who or what are your influences?
My husband and sister have been my two biggest influences in my writing process. My sister helped me keep going when I found myself stuck, and my husband gave me the final push to become a self-published author.
Q: What was the hardest part of your self-pub journey?
Marketing!! It’s so hard to get your book noticed. There are so many good books out there, and to get people to realize that they want to read your book out of the thousands to choose from is not an easy task. It’s tough to know where to go to get the best audience for your work.
Q: What format are your books available in?
Mere Enchantment is currently available in paperback, Kindle, and Nook editions. Other versions will be available soon as well. It can be purchased online from Amazon or Barnes and Noble.
Q: How many books have you published so far?
This is my first published work.
Q: What things did you outsource, if any at all?
We found an amazing artist to do the cover art, and we also hired an editor. I highly recommend an editor before publishing. They help a lot!
Q: What’s the best bit of advice you received when starting out?
The best advice I received is to never give up. It might take a long time, but eventually the story will be heard.
Q: What advice would you offer to the future Debut Authors out there?
Keep writing!! Things are never easy, but as long as you keep trying, you can never fail.
Q: What’s next for you? Any projects in the pipeline for us to look forward to?
I am currently working on the 2nd installment in The Enchantment Series. I hope to have it available to readers by the fall of 2012.
Q: Any favourite Author that you are a fan of and would recommend?
That’s a tough one, I have many authors that I recommend, some of my favorites are Nicholas Sparks, Brandon Mull, Stephenie Meyer, Rick Riordan, Richard Paul Evans, JK Rowling, and Donita K. Paul. There are a lot more, but that’s a good start.
Q: Give us one of your favourite quotes……………….
“I never said it would be easy, only that it would be worth it!” (Jesus Christ)
Q: And finally tell us something random about yourself to make us chuckle………………………….
I have an extreme fear of spiders! It doesn’t matter how big or small, they creep me out. Even if I see them on television, they give me the chills.
Thanks for taking time out for us Alicia, it was lovely chatting with you. Good luck with everything.
I think of the day when my life ended so quickly, I remember it well and think of it often. I was sitting in school, as my teacher was speaking when she instantly pushed me and shoved me to hide. I woke up in heaven, staring down at my family, all had tears in their eyes and my heart filled with sorrow. Jesus approached me, his arms open wide. " Fear not, you are with me and your family will miss you, but they will be filled with comfort and peace. Your time on earth was brief, and sadness fills the air, but all will be well." I watched as my family laid me to rest, their goodbyes were heartfelt and joy filled my soul. I know that I left you, I know you are sad, but fear not He is with you, and time will go quickly, for I'll be waiting with my arms open wide when the day finally comes when we're together again.
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