Interview with Gemma Parkes
When did you first start writing?
I have written all my life one
way or another. It started as small poems or short stories as a child and
developed into a hobby that I had little control over! I first started writing
to sell around 2010.
What's the story behind your latest
book?
Fevered kisses started life as
a series of short stories hidden away in a folder marked antho’ subs. These
were stories that I had written at various times throughout the past year
hoping that a submission call would come up that would be suited to one or more
of them. You know how it is, a story pops into your head and you just have to
roll with it. At the end you think ‘What am I going to do with that now?’ Over
time they have been growing in size and gathering dust in the dubious folder
which forms part of my WIP section. There are a mixture of stories included in
the anthology written with a variety of themes and first and third narrative.
Sometimes I write in first person because it’s easier to express my emotions
that way, these stories can be exceptionally sensuous, written straight from
the heart and encouraging the reader to share in the experience with me.
What motivated you to become an indie
author?
I'm not exclusively an indie
author as I do have work published with various publishers all of whom I would
heartily recommend. I do enjoy being free to choose the time and subject of my
writing though and I enjoy the process of self-publishing from start to finish.
There are benefits in both and I wouldn't choose one over the other.
How has Smashwords contributed to
your success?
Smashwords has given a
platform and 'shopfront' for my self-published work. It's easy to keep track of
sales and change things like book covers if they are proving unpopular.
What are you working on next?
I have several anthologies
that I would like to submit to, whether or not I make the deadlines remains to
be seen! I also have a few stories to complete that are sitting in my wip
folder. It may be a long summer!
Who are your favorite authors?
Charles Dickens, Anais Nin,
Philippa Gregory and D.H. Lawrence (what a mixture!)
How do you discover the ebooks you
read?
Usually through
recommendations on sites such as 'Goodreads'.
How do you approach cover design?
Choosing covers is extremely
difficult and I often wish that I could paint one for myself. I like stylish
covers but realise that covers (especially as thumbnails) need to stand out. I
also think that this genre demands a certain type of cover, designed to reflect
the content.
What do you read for pleasure?
Classics, biographies and
Anais Nin!
What book marketing techniques have
been most effective for you?
Blog sharing, obviously these
wouldn't be possible without the might of Facebook and Twitter, but blogs give
you the freedom to sell your wares through examples, excerpts and special
features.
Fancy a free book in exchange
for a review? Contact me and let me know which book you would most like to
read!
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