Jill, I’m delighted to be a guest author on your turf. You have a knack for probing a writer’s mind and delving between the lines of his or her latest book.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?
My imagination nudged me at the age of twelve. I pounded the keys on my girly-pink Tom Thumb typewriter to compose several mysteries and serial spy thrillers under the auspices of a fictitious organization I named N.T.R.I.G.U.E. Who knew I had a leg up on the popular Sixties TV series, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.!
What do you think makes a good story?
For me, it’s the blurred lines of distinction between fact and fiction by infusing and overlapping both so they’re indistinguishable.
Give us an insight into your main character, Augusta, whom you want potential readers to know.
Augusta—my kind of gal! Over forty, flawed and feisty—she’s mastered the art of “cover-up” and engages in morally reckless behavior she blames on maternal abandonment. As readers get to know Augusta, they’ll see so much more below the tough exterior of a femme fatale.
How much research do you do?
I’ve invested a considerable amount of time to provide accurate and authentic information homogenized in my novel. Without disclosing areas of research that would divulge too much, I’ll cite: The weather forecasts for the undisclosed year An Enlightening Quiche takes place. Historic forays into the Industrial Revolution, World War II, and the Mid-East conflicts. There’s The Eighties which wends its way through Augusta’s backstories. I delved into various jobs performed at a bookbinding factory so my fictitious Brulé Bookbinding Co. could operate smoothly.
Do you ever get in your own way as a writer? Refusing to give up on characters or plotlines?
I don’t get in my own way as a writer. I pave the way for my characters to advance along the plotlines. How? Before I even begin to write my full-length novel, I’ve formulated a workable script in my mind where I envision the beginning, middle, and end. The final outcome is subject to change depending upon where my characters lead me. Rather than give up on my characters, they’re in charge of enriching and advancing the plot.
What was the hardest thing at writing your lateboust book?
First off, due to life’s hairpin turns, the hardest thing during the course of 8 years it took from starting to finishing this 562-page novel, was finding the time, energy, and motivation.
The most challenging aspects writing the book were formulating distinct voices and personalities for my alternating first-person narratives from the perspectives of Augusta, the town siren, and Lindsay, the historian-in-residence.
Book covers are important and they sometimes help to sell books. How did you choose yours, or did you?
I’m proud to say I designed every aspect of the layout for my own coverbased on a stock image I chose to enhance the title.
How do you market your books?
Good question! At the onset of publishing my second novel, I intend to diversify by engaging social media, book promotion sites, author interviews, and guest spots.
What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?
An author can’t get enough reviews to rise from the ashes of obscurity to visibility. As for bad reviews, which I’ll assume refer to mean-spirited rants, it’s best to take the high road rather than mud wrestle.
What advice do you have for others who want to be writers?
Unless the sole purpose in writing and publishing your book is to provide copies to friends and family—you’ve only just begun the fight! If you’re like me, and strive to get a print or electronic copy in the hands of readers, you’ve got to hit the ground running in as many directions as you can to fulfill this goal.
What genre do you consider your books? Have you considered writing in another genre?
My novels fall into the category of Contemporary Women’s I haven’t considered writing in any other genre because these are the books I prefer to read. Therefore, I’d like to think I’m in good company with other noteworthy Women’s Fiction novelists by crafting plausible plotlines and creating unsung heroines most women can identify with.
What would the main character in your book have to say about you?
While portrayed as dysfunctional and morally askew, and not pardoned for her transgressions, I’ve also allowed Augusta to behave in ways that reveal her redeeming qualities. Not one to gush or blush, she’d look me squarely in the eye, and say, “Eva, you’ve done right by me!”
Web site: Amazon: to/AnEQuiche
Blog: http://www.authorsden.com/evapasco
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/author.evapasco/
Jill Brock 
An enlightening interview. Good marketing Eva, and thanks to Jill for the exposure. Writers need support from their peers.
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