Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Interview With Author of The Priest, Monica La Porta


Hello and welcome to The Authors Spotlight.  This is where you will have the opportunity to meet new authors and perhaps even read things about your favorite author you never knew.  Please refrain from stalking.  Thank you. 

I remember the rush I felt when I did my very first interview.  It is my goal to not only be successful
myself but to help great authors and writers alike, to aspire towards fullfilling their own dreams. 

Do you ever wonder who is on the other side of the computer or in our case, on the other side of the book? 

Who is that author? 

What makes them tick? 

What do they do besides spend a listless day clicking away on their keyboards? 


Please join me in finding out, through a journey of questions that takes us into the life and mind of Monica La Porta, Author of The Priest. (I'm clapping internally) 

I know the suspense is killing you, but hey, its what I do.  Before I release Monica's incredible interview, I'd just like to say a few things about her.  She's one of the most intriguing and unique authors that I have had the privilege of coming to know and working with.

So, without further delay...... Please Welcome Monica La Porta.  (I can hear the
mental applause now!)




Getting To Know The Author

Monica, how long have you been writing?

Hi, Shaunna. First of all, thank you for having me. It’s always a pleasure to interact with other authors, since writing can be a lonesome profession.

"Hello Monica, and thank you for taking the time to be a part of this Spotlight Author Interview today.  It has been an absolute pleasure talking with you and I look forward to seeing you grow in your writing and success as a published author."


I’ve been writing since I was a kid, but only three years ago I decided to do it professionally. I had one of those moments everybody experiences in life, I asked myself, “If not today, when?” I started writing that same day and never stopped. Never been happier.

 

Have you always wanted to write?
Yes, as far as I can remember. When I was a kid, I used to write detailed scripts for my cartoons.

 

What genre really inspires you?
Science fiction and fantasy. I love to escape reality and navigate through uncharted seas.

 

Do you remember some of the authors/book titles you read as a child?

The very first book I read was The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, I was six years old and I found my mother’s battered, old copy lying around the house. I was hooked at the first page and discovered I loved reading. One of the next books I read was I, Robot by Isaac Asimov. For my tenth birthday, my father gave me Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury.

 

Does anyone in your life encourage you to write your heart out?
I have an incredibly supportive husband who helps me writing full time by simplifying the outside world for me. I can honestly say that without him, my first book wouldn’t have been published.

 

What advice would you have for a newbie writer that wants to break into the world of fiction/non-fiction?
Write! There will be days when you are tired and everything seems bleak, but don’t despair, keep writing. If creating stories and characters is in your blood, go for it and never look back. Don’t listen to the ones who’ll try to put you down. Simply keep writing. And remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. It could be years before you see any result at all. But, if you need writing as much as you need oxygen, it won’t matter.

 

To date, what is YOUR favorite story that you have written?

It’s always the last one! The more I write, the more I feel confident about my craft. For now, the three books in The Ginecean Chronicles are my favorites. They touch social issues topics I feel strongly about and it’s not a coincidence that The Priest, the first in the series, is also the first book I published out of the seven I already wrote.

 

Who/what gets your creative blood pumping?
Whenever I’m able to express a difficult concept in a tight, clean prose, I feel I could write for days without sleeping. Good writing is my high. Go figure.

 

 

 




The Lighter Side Of Writing



If you weren't writing, what would you be doing?

Not sure. It seems I spent a lifetime preparing to do so that I can’t contemplate any other reality.

 

Do you have pets, and if so, what kind?

I have the sweetest tricolor beagle, Nero. He’s my loyal assistant and sits by me to give me pet therapy any time plots and characters are not behaving.

 

What do you do for fun (I.e. Hobbies, leisure time, etc.)
I read, constantly; I don’t go anywhere without my Kindle. When I’m not reading, I like to paint on my Wacom tablet and modeling with cold porcelain clay. I used to build dollhouses, but I haven’t in a while. Whenever the sun comes out, I go for long walks with Nero. At night, I love playing board games with my husband and our friends. I’m a huge fan of the game Settlers of Catan.

Growing up, what did you always aspire to be?
A movie director. I didn’t go far on that one.

If you had one wish, what would you wish for?
I’d ask for health and peace of mind for the people suffering.

If someone were to begin to dictate your writing, how would you feel about that?

Livid. Writing is where I express myself.

If you were told you could no longer write about the things that moved you, would you be able to adapt and move onto a different genre or would this force your hand to stop writing?
Tough question. I love writing and I like different genres, but it wouldn’t be the same and I would try to sneak in the things I want to talk about. I’d fight.

How do you handle adversity when it comes to your writing?
When I started writing The Ginecean Chronicles, I knew the three books were going to be seen as controversial, but I felt strongly about this project and decided to go ahead. I’ve been asked why I wrote them, and my short answer is, “Because I wanted to.” If I can’t be free in my own writing, then I’m no free at all.

Regarding technical adversities like the dreaded writer’s block, I write through it. My goal is to reach at least one thousand words per day. I sit down and tap on the keyboard until I’m done. My best ideas came from those tour de forces.

How important are reviews to you, as a writer?

They are important, but I try to keep in mind that they aren’t meant for me, but for the reader. If someone bought my book, read it, and even took the time to leave a comment about it, I’ll be grateful regardless of the content of the review.

Have you ever written a bad review for anyone else? If so, why?

Never. As a matter of fact, I don’t write lots of reviews, and if I do they’re about books I loved.

How important is editing to you? Do you ever edit your book before it goes to the editor?
I edit my books several times before they reach the editor’s desk. And I’m glad I found an
editor who lets me revise chapters multiple times, until I’m completely satisfied with my work.

What about book covers inspires you? How do you go about selecting yours?
I have an exceptional cover artist working on my covers. And, as for the editing process, the covers for my books go through several layouts before I give the okay. The final cover for The Priest, if I remember correctly, was the fifteenth. It was also the first time
Alessandro Fiorini and I worked together and it took some time to find our common ground. I had a general idea of what I wanted in terms of colors and atmosphere, but we went back and forth with the model’s face until he was haunted the way I wanted him to be. On the other hand, the cover for Pax in the Land of Women took only a few try.

How do you write? Are you able to listen to music to inspire you or does it have to be quiet?
I normally write while listening to music. Each one of my books has its own playlist. While I was writing The Priest, my husband played the whole game of Red Dead Redemption, and that soundtrack became the book’s official music. Recently, I started writing a fantasy novel and Amelie’s soundtrack by Yann Tiersen is playing in the background. Listening to it now.

Where do you choose to write? Do you have an office or do you surround yourself in places that pertain to your writing?
I don’t have an office and I miss it greatly. I wander through the house looking for the perfect spot. I usually end up on the couch or at the kitchen table.

If you were asked to appear on a talk show of your choice, which one would it be and why?
It would be Ellen DeGeneres’. My writing reflects my opinion regarding the inequity of how human beings are treated when they don’t conform to society. She is an excellent example that life can get better if you fight for your rights.





Lets Talk Books




Tell me about the first book that you wrote. What inspired you to write it? Can you give me a brief overview for the plot and characters?
The first book I wrote hasn’t been published yet. It’s a YA novel about a normal girl who falls in love with an alien. It takes place between Athens, Seattle and several locations in Italy. I was in a romantic mood and I wanted to write a sweet story. It was three years ago, and I’ve been editing it ever since. I like the atmosphere the story conveys, but when I wrote it, it was meant to be a story spanning several books, and now I’ve changed my mind. So, any time I have a free moment, I go back to it to work on the ending.

What can you tell me about any new materials or books that you have recently published? When did you publish, how did you publish them, why did you choose to publish them the way that you did and what is the title to the book and plot summary?



I’m brand new to the publishing arena. The Priest, my first published title has been out for only three months. I chose to go completely digital and joined the ranks of Indies authors on February the fourth, 2012. A sort of birthday for me. I decided to self-publish because given the nature of The Priest, a dystopian novel touching social issues, I would have had problems finding anyone willing to represent me and my book.

“Mauricio is a slave. Like any man born on Ginecea, he is but a number for the pure breed women who rule over him with cruel hands. Imprisoned inside the Temple since birth, Mauricio has never been outside, never felt the warmth of the sun on his skin. He lives a life devoid of hopes and desires. Then one day, he hears Rosie sing. He risks everything for one look at her and his life is changed, forever. An impossible friendship blossoms into affection deemed sinful and perverted in a society where the only rightful union is between women. Love is born where only hate has roots and leads Mauricio to uncover a truth that could destroy Ginecea.”

 

Do you have a new book that you are working on now that you’d care to talk about? If so, what is the title and a brief summary of the plot and characters, please.
Right now, I’m going through the final editing passes of Pax in the Land of Women, the second in The Ginecean Chronicles, which should be out during the summer. I’ve also finished writing the third and final chapter in the same series, Prince of War. Pax in the Land of Women narrates the story of Mauricio’s granddaughter, Pax, and how she falls in love with Prince, a worker she runs away with, while the Ginecean society is on the verge of an upheaval. Prince of War follows Prince’s struggle to be reunited with Pax and his search for peace when every hope seems to be lost.

Do you typically self-publish or do you use a publisher? Which would you recommend, based on your experiences in publishing, to someone who was new and needed guidance in a general direction?
I self-publish. Three years ago, when I finished writing my first book, I tried to find a literary agent, but truth to be told my work wasn’t ready. I stopped looking for an agent and I kept writing. Now, the publishing world has gone through drastic changes, and I don’t feel I need a name behind mine to validate my craft. My books are read and critiqued by my beta readers, then I edit them until I feel they are ready to be seen by a professional editor. Lastly, a proofreader gives the seal of approval. Meanwhile, my cover artist works on the cover. I don’t publish anything that I’m not proud of. Said so, self-publishing is not for everybody. You must do everything by yourself and find a team of people you can rely on. If you don’t have a budget ready to cover the expenses, I strongly suggest you to join a critique group. When I was starting, I had great help from the generous people orbiting around the

Writers’ Cafe, one of the many forums on Kindle Boards. The Writers’ Café is the place to go to gather useful information.



What do you see for your future as a writer, and published author as far as your books go? Will you continue on this same path or do you feel as though you will branch out into other areas of writing?

My projects go from dystopian science fiction, to fantasy, to YA. Who knows what I’ll fancy to write one year from now.

As a successfully published author, how do you help other authors in promoting their books?
In general, if I liked a book, I’ll talk about it, a lot. I also love tweeting about other authors’ works.

 

Location, Location, Location:


Finally, can you please tell readers what available titles you have published?
The Priest,
first book in The Ginecean Chronicles trilogy.




Where can readers find these publications?
The Priest is on sale in digital format on Amazon

http://bit.ly/monica_thepriest

Do you have any free books available?

Where can people find you on a social level? Do you have an available Facebook

page, Twitter or other social media that you use?

This is the Facebook page for The Ginecean Chronicles:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/ginecea

This is the Goodreads page:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13494933-the-priest

This is my blog, where I talk about anything I feel to, mostly about my hobbies, and sometimes even about my writing.

http://monicalaporta.com/

Finally, this is my Twitter handle:

https://twitter.com/#!/momilp

 


To The Author


Thank you Monica, so much for taking the time to answer my questions today. Being a writer and the feel of freedom that comes with that is such an incredible sensation but to be published and to have your work available for others to enjoy is purely satisfactory. I appreciate you taking the time to branch out with both myself and the readers and giving us insight into your thinking process, available works and life in general. I know that we will all see great things from you in the future as I have seen news worthy, review worthy and captivating brilliance from you in the present. Thank you again, I wish you the best in all of your future publications and endeavors.

Thank you, Shaunna. It has been a great pleasure answering your thoughtful questions.

 

 

3 comments:

  1. Thank you Monica, for taking the time to answer the interview questions and for allowing me to feature you on my blog. I trust that your incredible writing talents will take you far! I look forward to may followup interviews with you as you release more books and launch your career.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Monica, what a wonderful interview! I'm excited to see the release of Pax in the Land of Women! Please don't ever stop writing, I would seriously cry. You have a great feel, and your books are just simply amazing!!

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  3. The young man on the cover is "hot" says my daughter's friend Angie!!! He is a cutie.
    I love your interview Monica!!!
    :-D

    ReplyDelete