Tag: author interviews

Author Interview with Iris Blobel

~ Sharon Clayton ~ 10 Comments

I’m excited to present Iris Blobel , author of Journey to Her Dreams.  My book review is on my home page.

Biography:   Iris Blobel was born and raised in Germany and only immigrated to Australia in the late 1990s. Having had the travel bug most of her life, Iris spent quite some time living in Scotland, London as well as Canada where she actually had met her future husband. Her love for putting her stories onto paper has only recently emerged, but now her laptop is a constant companion.

Iris resides west of Melbourne with her husband and her beautiful two daughters as well as her dog. She works at private school in town, but also presents a German as well as a Community Program at the local Community Radio.

What is Journey to Her Dreams about?

Journey to Her Dreams is set in Australia and Ireland and follows a young woman who is haunted by a recurring dream that eventually takes her to Dublin. This is where she meets Sam – and the following events have life-changing consequences for both.

Who was your hardest character to write?

Sam’s husband. His flaw is the alcohol, though he’s not a bad person at heart.

 Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?

I try to distance myself from saying I wanted to get a message out there, because I mainly  write to entertain the reader and let them be taken away from reality for a little while.  However, there are issues in the story which are close to my heart, like dreams or  the idea of “perfect” is not always good for you. So, in a way, I do  hope the readers will have a good think about it even after they’ve finished the book.

 What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?

I think writing “love scenes” or “cuddling”, “kissing” that kind of stuff is my favourite. It’s kind of what romance is really all about – the feel good effect! LOL

What is the best piece of advice as a writer that you’ve been given and what is the worst piece of advice as a writer that you’ve been given?

The worst one would definitely be “don’t bother!” … The best, amongst so many others, “don’t give up, keep persisting” and “write for yourself, then the reader and never for fame or money!”

Who is your favorite author and why?

Tricky question – I like reading books by Jill Shalvis, Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Cecelia Ahern. They are must reads for me. But amongst my favourite books are those like “Effie Briest” (Theodore Fontane) or  “84 Charing Cross Road” (Helene Hanff).

What do you do when you are not writing?

I work at a private School part time, but also present two programmes at the local Radio Station VoiceFM. Add a husband and two beautiful girls to all that and there’s not much time for anything else!

What is your best writing snack?

Don’t tell anyone, but my addiction is a nice can of Coke J.  And some good music …. and the fingers are just typing away!

What are your current projects?

I’m about to prepare my third novel for submission. It’s my favourite one so far, with a young man becoming a father of a six-year-old girl literally overnight. I’ve also started my next project “New Beginnings” – about two sisters having a second chance in life.

Where can readers learn more about you and your book?

I assume this is where I’m supposed to say …. MY BLOG … but truth is, you won’t find much information about me there, because for me it feels odd to write about myself. So my best tip:  Google “Iris Blobel” under blogs and check them out. There are quite a few guest blogs around nowadays!

Of course my blog has some information about my books and projects, but mainly reviews. So if that tickles your fancy, please do come over and have a browse – perhaps even leave a comment or two! I’d love to hear from as many readers as possible.  Iris’s blog is at http://iris-b.blogspot.com/

Links for Journey to Her Dreams at:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Smashwords

Author Interview with Stephan Labossiere

~ Sharon Clayton ~ Leave a comment

Welcome to my first author interview.  I’m thrilled to present Stephan Labossiere, author of the intriguing How to Get a Married Woman to Have Sex With You…If You’re Her Husband.  A title sure to catch everyone’s eye.  My book review is on my home page.

Biography: Stephan Labossiere is a man on a mission to help men and women experience more successful and authentic relationships. He knows firsthand how challenging the male and female dynamic can be and strives to bridge the gap of communication between the sexes. The only male in a family of three older sisters, one of whom is his twin, Stephan has learned early on to take the time to understand and embrace the inner workings of a woman’s mind.

Stephan grew up in Miami, Fl before moving to and settling in Atlanta, Ga. He has worked as an entrepreneur for the past ten years and, most recently, has served as a Life Coach as well as a relationship consultant to married and dating couples. In addition, Stephan is a motivational speaker conducting speaking engagements with topics such as personal and spiritual growth, financial stability and relationships. “How To Get A Married Woman To Have Sex With You…If You’re Her Husband” is his first book in a series aimed to break down the barriers and turn the battle of the sexes into nothing more than a pillow fight with a mutually pleasing ending. You can visit Stephan Labossiere’s website at http://www.StephanL.com/

What is your book about?

My book is about closing the communication gap between men and women, and therefore helping both sides have more satisfying and fulfilling relationships. Its also about helping men understand their women better and assist in decreasing the issue of a lack of sex that many married men complain about. A lot of women do not want to have to tell their partners what they need to do, they feel you should have figured it out by now or just know. Unfortunately, men are still left in the dark about some of the real reasons they aren’t getting the amount of sex they want. This book will help in eliminating this issue.

How long does it take you to research a book like this?

Honestly, I didn’t do a lot of formal research. It was based on my dealings and many conversations with people about their relationships. Really, most of us have heard enough jokes about lack of sexual activity after marriage to know that it really does exist, and is far from funny when you or someone you know is dealing with the problem. I think we take it too lightly and some act (mainly women lol) like it isn’t a big deal, but it really is.

What was your most interesting finding?

To me, one of the most interesting things I came across in the process of putting this together was the fact that so many men do not grasp or believe in the concept of a connection outside the bedroom having anything to do with what is happening in it. I mean I had a group of men just laugh at me and give me “this guy is ridiculous” looks when I tried to point that concept out. It just goes to show how different the thinking of men and women are.

Can you tell us a bit about what made you decide to share this guide with the world?

I just simply want to see more people in happy fulfilling relatiionships. GOD inspired and directed me to write this book, because marriage is so important to society and it needs help. We have created such a negative view on it, when in reality marriage is very beautiful and rewarding. We as people just need to take the time to learn and implement the things that can allow us to give and recieve what we deserve, need, and desire from our unions, So i wanted to do my part in making this possible.

It says in your bio that you are doing a series of books.  Can you share a little of your current work with us?

Yes, I am currently working on part 2 of this series which will address what women need to understand when it comes to there men and how to get more out of there marriages. I also plan to release a book aimed at helping single / unmarried women address what I believe are their issues, and what is holding them back from having a successful relationship.

When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

It wasn’t really about wanting to be a writer. I just felt that I had a message that I wanted to get out, and that I believed could help many people. In school I despised writing lol and till this day I struggle with it. My focus is to get as many people to hear what I believe needs be said, and hope that it can contribute to improving there lives. So if the question was “when did you decide you wanted to be heard” then I would say it was when I realized that helping people was my purpose, and that GOD blessed me with a good understanding of men, women, and relationships.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Just getting it all down on paper, and staying focused long enough to complete the piece I was writing on any given day. I am more of a speaker, and I constantly question if what I am writing is coming across effective enough. I just had to trust in my product, and trust GOD to lead me in putting the words together.

Since there are probably some aspiring authors that will read this, can you tell us a bit about your road to publication?

Well I started off focused on going the self published route. After talking to my brother-in-law fellow author Braxton Cosby I decided to take a shot at finding a literary agent. I figured I have nothing to lose, and if all fails I will simply self publish. So I did my research and sent out about 8-10 query letters (not much). I recieved only a couple responses, but none were willing to take on a book with my angle. While waiting for that process, a friend told me about an associate that owned a publishing company. So I went ahead and submitted a query letter to them (Firefly Publishing) and she liked the idea and agreed to work with me. So there you have it, that is the path I had to take and I am grateful for the things I learned in the process of exploring all of my options.

Where can readers learn more about you and your book?

For more information on me and my book you can visit http://www.StephanL.com/.

What was the worst summer job you’ve ever had?

Hmmm fortunately I haven’t really had any bad jobs lol. If I had to choose one, I would have to say it was being a Jr. Accountant at a high end jewelry store in Miami Beach, FL. What made it so bad was that my boss was a tyrant. I mean seriously, he would chew you up and I have seen him make countless employees cry after ripping them to shreds. Being young I was constantly nervous and scared to feel his wrath. It wasn’t the most comfortable situation, but I will say it was a necessary experience. He was a good guy at his core, and I learned a lot about life and myself by being there. So though it was terrifying working there, I can honestly say it helped me evolve into the man I am today.