Promotional Interview With Patricia Guthrie

1. Where you are from and where are you now?

Hi all. I’m from Lynbrook and Smithtown, New York. I’m now live in

Park Forest, Illinois.

2. How did you get started writing?

I guess it had to come sooner or later. I worked in the theater (opera) where I translated (from many languages) and in interpreted many operas to perform. It was only a manner of time and a summer break (from teaching to start writing my own stories)

3. What do you do when you are not writing?

I love to ride my horse, play with my dogs (collies) surf the net, read and watch television (History and biography channels, CNN, Fox, and History International. Occasionally there will be a decent movie, but I do have other things to do too.

4. What would readers like to know about you?

Oh dear. About me? I used to be an opera singer. I sang in Europe for several years and I taught in a day treatment center for emotional disturbed children. Something interesting thing I do occasionally with my dogs is therapy/social work with people with schizophrenic disabilities. That was interesting watching people who wouldn’t speak at first, to now being more gregarious including playing cards with us. They love the dogs.

5. What inspired your first book?

A friend and I were having lunch in a small, fairly empty restaurant talking about a friend we though might be abused by her husband. The idea of an abused woman who kills her husband came to mind. I decided to write the story. You understand I’d never written before--knew nothing about craft issues. Well, the story was written on an old computer 250 (or something) then when I transferred to a new Asti computer, I realized I didn’t know how to transfer properly. Hmm. Lost the whole ms. (yes I took it to a professions) It was just as well. I rewrote the story, but still it sits. It’s okay. It needs to. LOL

6 How many books have you written?

Lets see: Matt’s Murder, Guardian Angel, Legacy of Danger, Romeo vs Juliet, In the Arms of the Enemy, Waterlillies Over my Grave. That makes six. Arms has been published by Light Sword Publishing, Waterlillies Over My Grave will come out in the Fall 2008. I’m working on Legacy that is in the fourth rewrite. It’s my inspiration. Everytime I work on it, another idea comes to mind and up pops another story.

7. What are the titles of your books and what genres are they?

See above for titles. Matt’s Murder was mystery with romantic elements, Waterlillies is a paranormal romance, the rest are romantic suspense.

8. How do you decide on that topic or genre?

I grew up on Agatha Christie, Nancy Drew, Dorothy Sayers. I love mysteries, especially cozies. Then I started to read romantic suspense, those novels whose romance and suspense are intricately tied in with each other. I was hooked.

9. How do you manage to keep yourself focused and on track?

That’s my hardest challenge. Keeping myself focused is hard for me. I try to work project by project. And I have friends who keep my prodded. I can force myself, but when I do I have a tendency to force the writing as well. I do believe , though if you force it, you can change the text easier than if it were a blank page. LOL

10. Do you write to make money or for the love of writing?

I have spoken to enough people in the publishing business, including authors, to realize it will take many years before I can expect to make money. So, at the moment, money isn’t coming into the equations. (at least money coming in)

11. What are some traditional methods of marketing you have used?

Traditional marketing methods I’ve used have included blitz sending out flyers, setting up book stores, websites www.patriciaanneguthrie.com, www.paguthrie.blogspot.com, and www.myspace.com/paguthrie and www.authorsisland.com and www.authorsden.com

12. Non traditional marketing methods I’ve used are: book signings at horse barns, dog obedience seminars, restaurants, The Texas Book Festival and Essence of Motown, Blog Tour with Nikki Leigh (which is starting to become traditional) radio spots on the internet.

13. Do you sell through a website? If so, what’s the address? If not, why not?

I sell through my publisher: Lightswordpublishing (www.lightswordpublishing.com)

www.amazon.com, www.borders.com Barnes and Noble, Waldenbooks, and most online bookstores.

Most of the websites will click you into LightSwordPublishing.

14. Where can people order your books?

See above for websites. You can also order them in major books stores and the books are in some of the stores.

15. What format are your books – e-book, print, audio etc?

My books are in trade paper back.

16. Will you write more books?

Yes. I have one in the fourth (and hopefully last) stages and one that’s been outlined. So there are two. There are other ideas.

17. What do you have in the works now?

Legacy of Danger (to be named later) has been in the works since the late 1990’s. It’s a story that has never left me. Won’t go away. So I’ll finished that. Paranormal. And the next one is (at the present) Crossing the Line another stories involving romance, deceipt, murder and horses. I love writing about horses. I’ve seen situations where I’d love to have the horses be the heroes. So, not sure exactly where I’m going, but you might see that.

18. Well, I hope my books find another home. Like our kids, off to college then off to jobs and their OWN homes. I’d like my books to have a job on the shelves of bookstores and become dear companions of millions. (LOL)

19. What was the most successful thing you did to promote your books?

Hard to say. It takes a while to judge the success of a specific activity. I’m hoping our blog tour will be one of them. I also sold a lot of books at a “vet worming day” at our barn. Sold ten books.

20. What was the least successful thing you did to promote your books?

I suppose the days I did nothing. Again, you never know. Some of the book signings didn’t generate many immediate sales, but who knows down the line?

These were great questions. I really enjoyed talking to all of you. Any questions:

Patguth@aol.com Please email me.
For more information about Patricia's virtual book tour - visit her tour home page http://inspiredauthor.com/promotion/Patricia+Guthrie

To order your copy, visit http://www.amazon.com/Arms-Enemy-Patricia-Guthrie/dp/0979203082

Interview by Nikki Leigh, author of the Book Promo 101 Series. www.nikkileigh.com/promo.htm