Renee interviews author Patti Brassard Jefferson

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author, Book Expo. author, books, children, inspiration, Religion, writing

Patti Brassard Jefferson divides her time between Ft. Myers and Islamorada, Florida. In her spare time, she is a sunset expert, crayon sniffer and amateur tiara model who happily admits she doesn’t own a single pair of socks.

 

Tell me about your background. Where you grew up, where you live now, education, work experience? Share some interesting things about yourself that we should know about.
I was born in upstate New York, raised in Virginia and now live in Florida. I’m running out of space to move south! I’ve always been involved with artistic endeavors. My degree is Media Arts Advertising and I have owned a graphic design company, a paint-it-yourself pottery studio, art gallery and now a bookstore & my own publishing company. I love working with creative people! What to talk about Game of Thrones? Never saw it. Want to talk about the font that is used for GoT? You are my kind of weirdo! (It’s Trajan Pro, by the way.)

What inspired you to write this book? What is the story behind the story?
My first two books were children’s books (How Long Will You Love Me and Stu’s Big Party) and book #4, due out in January, is a return to that. My third book, however, was my first foray into non-fiction. 365 Bright Ideas for Marketing Your Indie Books was an idea that I had after being involved with so many independent authors either through my bookstore, PJ Boox, or through my association with the Florida Authors and Publishers Association (I have been on the FAPA Board of Directors since 2014 and am the current President-Elect). The most common challenge that most authors face is marketing. I figured out a way that I felt authors could understand the challenges of branding and marketing and work on it a little bit at a time every day. I even made it so that the author could pick and choose tasks based on the time it took to complete or the costs that may be involved. Overall, it has been very well received and has won a few awards along the way. I love speaking to writers and authors groups and getting such great feedback. I am working on another one in the 365 series which I hope to have done in the summer of 2019.

What has been your biggest challenge or obstacle?
Just like so many authors, I think my biggest challenge is the juggle of home life, day job, social obligations, creative life, and continuing education. We need to learn to prioritize and set very realistic goals and schedules. When you have so much going on, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and scattered. I listen to marketing videos on YouTube while on my 20-minute drive to and from work. I try to keep my day job during regular business hours and not take too much work home with me. I make lists and set rewards for my progress. When I’m facing a deadline, I try to go to bed no later than 2:30 and just set an alarm to get up a little earlier to wrap it up. Otherwise my day job suffers. Everyone’s situation is different but the juggle is real!

What has been your biggest “aha” moment or success?
I was at Book Expo America one year and Orna Ross (who is the founder of the Alliance of Independent Authors) was there at the Alli booth. I had been trying to meet her for 2 days. Finally, she was alone and I walked over, said hi, and told her I owned a bookstore for indie authors in Florida. She looked at me and said, “Are you Patti Jefferson?” I was floored. That is the sort of thing that counts as success for me: validation of people I admire or others in the industry, helping a new author get a book out, or receiving a photo of a Mom with her child in her lap reading one of my books and telling me that it’s become a nightly ritual to read that book together. Not that making money or winning awards isn’t a good thing, too! The “aha” moment comes when you realize that profit doesn’t outweigh purpose.

What authors do you like to read? What books have had a strong influence on you or your writing?
Since I own a bookstore that sells only independently or small-press published authors, I am always discovering new authors! I enjoy mysteries and thrillers when I am reading for pleasure; Patricia Gussin, Bill Powers, and Bill Thomason are some authors I have read lately. As for books that influence my writing? I live for the giggle moments when kids read my children’s books so obviously, Suess and Silverstein are an influence.

Do you write every single day? Any writing rituals?
Unfortunately, I don’t write every day – it just doesn’t fit into my schedule. I do have a stack of book ideas or half-started manuscripts. When I AM writing, I generally do it late at night or very early morning when my house is quiet. I drink a lot of Chai tea, put on my headphones and listen to a loop of white noise (usually a box fan) from YouTube. I really have to drown out the world or I get too distracted. I’m a “squirrel!” kind of girl so I try to be cognizant of that – my phone has to be in the other room and on vibrate.

What are your interests outside of writing?
In my copious spare time, I like to read (go figure!) and create art. A lump of clay or a pile of broken tile puts me in my happy place. I am also somewhat of a sunset aficionado so I like to travel to places that have great ocean views and gorgeous sunsets.

Share some tips for other Authors or Aspiring Authors: What would you do differently? What would you do the same? Please share anything you think would be beneficial to those reading this.
The one thing I would do differently is to change my branding strategy. I wrote the first book and set up all of my social platforms in the book name rather than my own name. When the second book came out, I had 2 websites, 2 Facebook pages, etc. Ugh! I felt like I lost a bit of traction when I first started promoting ME rather than my titles. The funny thing with writing is that you can’t even begin to know where you are heading. I wrote children’s books and then added a completely different genre. Now it all fits under the “pbjauthor” umbrella but I wish I had thought of that in the beginning!
My advice to aspiring authors is to get started with educating yourself on how the industry works while you are still writing – don’t wait to finish your first book before you try to figure out your publishing strategy. Whether you choose traditional, indie or hybrid publishing, you should learn the jargon, the standards, and the processes involved so you can make the best decisions for your writing business. It will help you treat your book, not as “your baby”, but as a creative, well-produced product that you can get out into the world. Your readers have been waiting for your book and you owe it to them to make it the best that it can be.

 

Renee Garrison is the award-winning author of The Anchor Clankers. To suggest an author interview, email her at rgarrison@bestversionmedia.com.

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Renee interviews author Lee Ann Mancini

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author, books, children, Family, inspiration, Life, Religion, writing

Award-winning Christian children’s author Lee Ann Mancini writes whimsical stories, with characters who pray to Jesus, giving thanks or asking Him for guidance. She hopes that her books, including A Servant Like Jesus: Adventures of the Sea Kids , I’m Not Afraid!: Adventures of the Sea Kids, What a Bragger!, and Fast Freddy: Adventures of the Sea Kids will help children learn to be loving, kind, and Christ-like.

Tell me about your background. Where you grew up, where you live now, education, work experience? Share some interesting things about yourself that we should know about.

I grew up in Aurora, Ohio, a small suburb of Cleveland, Ohio. I now live in Boca Raton, Florida with my husband of 30-years and I have two grown children. I met my husband when I was a rental manager at Kelly Tractor. I rented my husband earth-moving equipment! I started out as a receptionist, and after seven years I was the rental manager. After we were married, I sold real estate for a while until the birth of my son. After that, I was a full-time mom and volunteer for their schools and a few outside organizations. I have an AS degree-paralegal, a BA in Religious Studies, and three Masters in Biblical Studies. I received my BA and Masters in my late 40’s and early 50’s! It’s never too late. I started my publishing company and writing my books in my 50’s as well. A few of my children’s stories I wrote when my children were little, but always had a desire to have them published.

What inspired you to write these books? What is the story behind the story?
I wanted books that helped children see how to be loving and kind to others, and to pray to Jesus asking guidance or giving thanks during a difficult situation. I could not find any of this type of book when my children were little. It is my mission to create products for children under seven that help them to build a strong foundation in Jesus and to learn how to be loving, compassionate and kind to others.

What has been your biggest challenge or obstacle?
Learning how to become a successful writer and publisher. I knew nothing about the industry. The biggest obstacle is finding the time to do it all. I am an Adjunct Professor at South Florida Bible College and Theological Seminary, and I volunteer on a few other boards.

What has been your biggest “aha” moment or success?
Receiving my first award from IBPA and since then receiving over 25 awards for the series. Also, I sent out a questionnaire to the local Christian elementary school teachers with a galley of my book to get their opinion if they thought this was a book that should be published and/or any suggestions that they may have. It was an excellent conformation that what I was doing was the will of God. They were so kind to make some great suggestions and told me they, and the children loved the book and hoped I would publish it and write more like it!

What authors do you like to read? What books have had a strong influence on you or your writing?
I love Max Lucado and anything that deals with Christian Theology. I have a vast amount of children’s books in my collection, some from when my children were young and also many from recent authors.

Do you write every single day? Any writing rituals?
I write every day for many different reasons (blogs, magazine articles, my new book). My ritual is to pray often and always before I write!

What are your interests outside of writing?

Jogging, teaching, going to my lake house and reading. I am currently working on a book for parents that will help them raise little ones to love Jesus like they love Mommy and Daddy.

Share some tips for other Authors or Aspiring Authors: What would you do differently? What would you do the same? Please share anything you think would be beneficial to those reading this.
I think the biggest thing is to know your audience and your competition, but most importantly, write from the heart because you love it. Don’t expect to become wealthy or have your book turned into the next movie. Understand the industry and connect with other organizations like the Florida Authors and Publishers Asso. If you decide to self-publish, educate yourself! Double check everything! Learn the business! And pray often!

 

Renee Garrison is the award-winning author of The Anchor Clankers. To suggest an author interview, email her: rgarrison@bestversionmedia.com

Heartbreaking

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inspiration, Life, Memories, New York Fashion Week, Religion, Sept. 11, terrorist attacks, travel, World Trade Center

Charles Dickens was right: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

Some of the worst occurred as I walked along New York City sidewalks, which were plastered with pictures of missing people. I struggled to maintain my composure as I looked at thousands of faces taped to every available inch of fence, lamp post, mailbox and store window. “HAVE YOU SEEN…” was emblazoned across the top of each poster by relatives or friends desperate for news. The never-ending gallery was heartbreaking.

Late in the afternoon my friend cruised past police barricades to photograph Ground Zero. I walked home with her daughter, Shane, when suddenly the unmistakable hum of an airplane engine buzzed overhead. Without thinking, I pushed the child up against a building and shielded her, while staring upward. People around us on the street also stood frozen with fear…each one thinking, “No, not again.” It turned out to be a military plane, our military, but the incident left us shaking and anxious. The horror was still too fresh.

That evening, I joined Barbara and her daughter at a prayer service in their synagogue. I might have been raised as a Roman Catholic, but that night, I understood Hebrew.

When we returned to their apartment, I made the first of many calls to US Airways to see about retrieving my suitcase, which had been impounded at La Guardia. After hours on hold, an airline employee asked for a description of my bag in order to locate it.

“It’s black,” I began.

“And I bet it has wheels and a pull-up handle,” she said.

This didn’t look promising.

She tried another approach. “Okay, if I open your suitcase, what will I see that tells me it’s yours?”

“Well, I have a pair of black slacks, a black turtleneck…um, a black skirt.”

I was in New York for Fashion Week, for God’s sake. Editors wear black, not Hawaiian prints. But I learned a valuable lesson: Something in your luggage must be easy to identify.

Miraculously, the airline found my black-wheeled-suitcase-with-handle in the impounded baggage. However, when I returned to Michigan, I marched into “Frederick’s of Hollywood” and bought the loudest leopard bikini panties – with a strategically placed red heart – that I could find. For many years, they were the final item I packed on every trip. I wanted to be sure that if another airline employee ever asked, ‘If I open your suitcase, what will I see?’ I’d have a much better answer.

 

 

Renee Garrison is the award-winning author of The Anchor Clankers.