Recently I did a series of radio interviews to chat about my latest novel “Under your Skin”. I managed to get slots on BBC Radio Ulster, Cambridgeshire, West Midlands, Leicester and Hereford & Worcester – as well as a slot on Dublin City FM.
Here are 5 things I learned from doing those interviews:
1. Nerves are good!
Some people can’t imagine going on air for fear that the nerves
would overtake them. They have negative fantasies that they would clam up or worse,
stumble over their words and appear flustered. But I have found that it’s good
to embrace that nervous feeling! Nerves are just a rush of adrenaline; nervous
energy that perks you up and gives you the ‘oomph’ and motivation to stay alert
for the interview. Imagine if you had no nerves at all; if you felt so bored
and lethargic and really didn’t care about how you came across – that would be
terrible!
Embrace that nervous energy – have a listen to one of the
presenter’s previous programs so that you can get a feel for his/ her
interview style. When they play music, have a little dance around your room –
burn off some of that energy! Try some relaxation tips that actors use; force
yourself to do some big yawns – that tricks your body into thinking that you
are relaxed. It works!
Tell yourself that when the interview is over, you can do
something nice for yourself – something relaxing. What you will find, is that
all that nervous energy will turn into euphoric relief afterwards and you’ll be
buzzing! You’ll be so pleased with yourself for facing your fears and doing it
anyway. And you might find you enjoyed it!
2. Focus on the presenter
Every single presenter I have chatted to was friendly, chatty
and welcoming. Funny that, they are paid to talk – that is their forte! They
have asked you to come on the show, therefore they think you have something of
importance to add to their program. They want you to talk. They will ask open
questions to get a conversation going.
Imagine that they’re sitting opposite you. Imagine it’s a friend
or acquaintance who has a genuine interest in your book and wants to know more
about it. Chat away to that presenter as you would to anybody.
3. You know your stuff!
Remember that you know your stuff. Have confidence that there
is no-one more equipped to answer those questions than you. They’re asking
about your book – the book that has taken you months to write and has lived in your
head for all that time. It’s unlikely that there’d be any question that you’d
be unable to answer. So have confidence that you know your subject!
4. Be tech ready
The only slight panic I had was with a technical issue. Radio
presenters generally prefer to phone you on a landline. My landline however, is
rarely in use. It is also a handheld device that nestles in a cradle. For some
bizarre reason, halfway through the interview, my phone completely died! How strange
is that? When does a landline ever die? I think it was something to do with the
handheld set.
Anyway, I quickly phoned the presenter back from my mobile
and she was the ultimate professional. Without any fuss or drama, she simply
picked up the interview where we left off and carried on. Thankfully it was a
prerecorded interview but I learned my lesson – always make sure you’re tech ready!
It’s also important to make sure you’ll have complete quiet; that any other phones are muted and that the pets are in another room with the
door closed so they can’t walk in and miaow halfway through! Also any
potential visitors should be told to keep away and not ring the doorbell!
5. One click links
Here’s the bad news: radio interviews might not equal sales.
Think about it: If you heard someone chatting away on the radio
about a book that sounds really interesting, would you think to yourself “Oooh,
I must remember that author’s name and the title of the book so that I can go
home, open my computer, look her up on Amazon and order the book.” Of course
not.
That’s why it’s important to have one-click links advertisements
on social media. Make it easy for your reader to have access to your book’s home.
Like here:
Hey Sarah! Thanks so much for joining me on my blog today! I'm really excited to hear about your writing process and about the inspiration behind your new book!
Can you give us the first line of your new novel and a little blurb as
to what it’s about?
"The buzzing beneath eighteen-year-old Penny Osborn’s skin started
while she spoke to the officer."
In one sentence it's a story about a twenty-year-old moving to northern
Alaska for a job. More importantly it's about how she deals with life's
challenges, moving on with grief and survivor's guilt. It's about man's vilest
predator is ultimately man...whether by evil deeds or by the cage of our
minds.
What inspired you to write this novel?
I was daydreaming during a long drive about a veterinarian and her twin
daughters moving from sunny southern California to the northern most
reaches of Alaska. What circumstance could lead to such a move?
From there, the
twin telepathy entered the story and I considered what might the psychological
effects be when the connection is lost (such as with distance, i.e. moving, or
some other circumstances).
Can you tell me about that moment when you decided to sit down and write
your first novel? How did you get over any hurdles of fear or doubt?
I learned about NANOWRIMO, an ongoing writing competition, that during
November challenges a writer to write 50,000 words. I failed that challenge but
pushed on. My family encouraged me to put it to paper, and so I did. Fear and
doubt are constant companions, but no matter what, I am proud of my story and
of what I have learned along the journey.
Please can you tell me about your writing routine – how do you settle
yourself down to write?
I put on noise cancelling ear phones (thanks honey!) and turn on music
that fits with the mood. Sometimes I have to hide in my office or bedroom, and
more often than not I'm scribbling notes and paragraphs for scenes to work on
when time permits.
Do you have any tips for aspiring authors who would love to write but
don’t know where to start?
You start by writing/typing one word and follow it with another, and so
on. You don't have to start at the beginning of the story. Write a scene. Write
about a character. It's not scary, the writing process. It's sharing with
someone who will give you honest, constructive feedback that's scary.
What do you love doing when not writing?
Spending down time with my family (usually we are working but card
games, movies, vacations), reading, playing with my dog.
Can you tell us about a funny/ embarrassing memory?
Absolutely not. 😉 Okay, so I grew up in a very small town in a German
family. Took German in high school. While studying dog anatomy in vet school, I
asked my study partners what a cha-hua-hua was. Well dunderhead, a chihuahua is
a type of dog. I was very embarrassed but yet told my family. My grandpa
gave me a singing chihuahua stuffed toy for a present...so I wouldn't forget
what one was.
Ever met anyone famous? What were they like?
A few... I’m actually related to a horse jockey, Dean Kutz, may he rest
in peace. He was an amazing guy from an amazing family. I’ve also met an
actress who played possessed child. She was very personable and funny. There
was a rapper...he smelled like pot. Three country music singers…all very
nice. As a veterinarian, I have worked with a few famous animals,
too!
I didn’t think they’d let me inside the church but they did.
I was early, as usual. I could never be fashionably late like
some people.
I sat in one of the pews at the back. I recognised some
faces.
Covid meant that some pews were cordoned off to make sure people
sat apart but I was grateful I was allowed to sit inside.
A soft music was playing in the background. The altar was huge and
impressive.
Hushed voices offered condolences to others. People tip-toed around
quietly.
I hadn’t expected the tears to come so quickly but they did.
When I had gotten the phone-call to tell me your news, I hadn’t
cried. After all, we had expected it for a long time.
But as soon as I sat there, in that sacred space, with that
beautiful music, the tears came.
I was embarrassed and tried to hold myself together.
People I knew came to talk to me. I brushed away my tears but they were sympathetic. They said that maybe it was time to let
the tears out.
At ten o’clock, I swivelled my head around to look outside
the church. I saw the hearse. And I saw the coffin. I knew you had arrived. I
prepared myself to say goodbye.
Four men in black suits began to carry you up the aisle. We
all stood to mark your arrival.
I saw you going past. The coffin seemed so small. My face
crumpled with tears as I imagined you in there.
They took you to the front and set you in the middle. It was
your party. We were all here for you.
The music was beautiful. You always did have good taste. I
remember so many times you gave me lifts and we’d have a singalong in the car.
You’d turn the volume up high and we’d belt the tunes out, raising our voices,
letting go. You had made a playlist for your car and every song was fantastic.
I could imagine you sitting down and planning what songs you
wanted played today.
“Here I am Lord,” the lady sang and I knew why you had chosen
that. I remember you told me about the time that you made that decision.
The decision that you were going to try to serve God and help others. That you
would dedicate your life to trying to be of service.
And serve you did. You were always trying to be of help. Always trying to have a kind word and a listening
ear.
The number of times you gave me lifts; helped me move house and took mum and I to hospital
when Dad was was sick with cancer. The number of times you took me to Tesco late
at night where we’d do our food shop. You always produced a little gift for me
– chocolate or some other treat. And I’d have always bought something for you
too. It was a pointless exercise – we could have just bought something for
ourselves, but it became a tradition.
Your brother gets up to say a few words about you. I could
tell it was your brother before anyone even introduced him. He’s your absolute
double.
He said about how much you helped others, how the last twenty
years of your life were dedicated to being of service. He talked about all your
travels and how much you loved life. And he talked about the cancer, and how
you fought it head on, never indulging in self-pity.
And then they played it. “Make me a channel of your peace”.
And again, my face crumpled inwards with tears. I suddenly remembered the time
that this song had come on. Years and years ago. And you announced “I want this
song played at my funeral”. It wasn’t a morbid statement, just a casual
observation and I had said, “Oh really? Nice song. I want Ave Maria played at
mine.” And that was that, the subject was dropped and we went on to talk about
something else. But now here I was, listening to this song at your funeral, knowing
it was what you had picked.
I looked at you sitting up there in front of us. I could
almost see your cheeky grin. I could almost imagine your pride that all the
great music you had picked was being played. That you were getting the proper
send-off that you deserved. That the church was packed despite Covid.
Afterwards when we were all standing outside, I got to speak
to your brother. “That was lovely, what you said about Colin,” I said.
He immediately broke into stories about you, regaling me of
funny incidents, telling me tales of your escapades together. He even told me
dirty jokes that he said he couldn’t tell from the pulpit. It was like looking
at a carbon copy of you. You look the same, you have the same sense of humour; it was as though you were there.
After some time of chatting to people and of getting to hug
Jude, who had nursed you so well in the last few years, I stepped aside to
phone a taxi. I was over on my own and I happened to be standing right next to
the hearse, in which you were inside. I felt your presence very strongly beside
me. I noticed the car tyres of the hearse said “Mercedes Benz” along them. It
seemed like you were standing there beside me with your cheeky grin, saying, “Look
Rose, I’m going out in style. Look what they’re driving me off in.”
Thank you, Colin, for being such a good friend, for adding to
my life and never expecting anything in return. May you rest in peace. And may
I try to have an ounce of the compassion and kindness you had.
I am delighted to have the talented Val Penny on my blog today. She is the author of the bestselling "Hunters" crime series which is set in Edinburgh. She is here to tell me about the fifth book in the series coming soon. Val, over to you! :)
Thank you for inviting me to your blog today. I am
thrilled to be launching my new novel. Detective Inspector Hunter Wilson is the main protagonist
of my new crime novel 'Hunter's Secret' that is to be published by Darkstroke
on 08.08.2020.
Hunter’s Secret is the fifth novel in The Edinburgh
Crime Mysteries series. Although the books form a series they can easily be
read and enjoyed as standalone novels.
Throughout the series, the readers have come to trust the
main character, DI Hunter Wilson, but in this book, it is clear that he is
holding something back and hiding his actions from his partner Dr. Meera
Sharma. It seems out of character but perhaps his feelings towards her have
changed.
When Hunter is called to the scene of a murder, all is
not as it seems.Two members of his
team, DCs Tim Myerscough and Bear Zewedu found a corpse when they were training
in an Edinburgh Park, but when Hunter arrives the body has disappeared.
Hunter recalls the disappearance of a body thirty
years earlier. The Major Incident Team is called in but their officer in charge,
DCI Arthur Inglis, dismisses any possibility of an association between the two
cases. He thinks the earlier murder was too long ago for a connection to be
made. However, Hunter is determined to consider the possibility and investigate
the past and present murders with the benefit of modern DNA testing.
Tim has other problems in his life. His father, Sir
Peter Myerscough, has been released from jail. He, too, remembers the earlier
murder. There is no love lost between Hunter and Sir Peter but Hunter may have
to accept help from his nemesis to catch a killer.
Hunter’s own secret is exciting and crucial to his
future. He knows it could change his life. He also knows he must not allow it
to take up too much of his time because he must stop a murderer to keep
Edinburgh’s citizens safe once more.
I very much hope your readers will enjoy the new book
and join Hunter while he investigates this next, important case.
Thank you Val! It sounds fascinating! I love that photo of Edinburgh - how nice would it be to be lying on that grass reading your book!
Blurb for Hunter’s Secret
Hunter has a past. Hunter has a
secret. Can he unravel his past, keep his secret and keep Edinburgh safe today?
Detective
Inspector Hunter Wilson is called to the scene of a murder. Tim and Bear found
a corpse but when Hunter arrives it has disappeared, and all is not as it
seems.
Hunter
recalls the disappearance of a corpse thirty years earlier. The Major Incident
Team is called in but sees no connection - it is too long ago. Hunter is
determined to investigate the past and the present with the benefit of modern
DNA testing.
Tim has
other issues in his life. His father, Sir Peter, is released from jail. He,
too, remembers the earlier murder. There is no love lost between Hunter and Sir
Peter. Will Hunter accept help from his nemesis to catch a killer?
Hunter also
has a secret. His secret is exciting and crucial to his future. Can he keep his
secret safe? Will it change his life? Can he keep Edinburgh safe?
To contact Val or to buy her books, please click on the links below:
Val Penny is an American author
living in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters of whom she is justly proud
and lives with her husband and two cats. She has a Law degree from Edinburgh
University and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including
hairdresser, waitress, lawyer, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer. However, she
has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or
owning a candy store. Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to
writing poetry, short stories and novels.
Her crime novels, 'Hunter's Chase'
Hunter's Revenge, Hunter's Force and Hunter’s Blood form the bestselling series
The Edinburgh Crime Mysteries. They are set in Edinburgh, Scotland, published
by Crooked Cat Books. The fifth novel in the series, Hunter's Secret, is published
by Darkstroke. Her first non-fiction book, Let’s Get Published is available now.
It seems as
though I’m in the queue for the pearly gates. The sun is shining down on us. In
the far-off distance, I can see luscious green mountaintops. The air is still
and quiet. It’s so peaceful.
The queue
feels orderly and calm. There’s quite a few ahead of me and quite a few behind
me. We all stand, one at a time, a bit of space apart.
Some people
don’t look too happy to be in the queue for the pearly gates. One woman looks
anxious and paranoid. She’s wearing a face mask and her eyes keep darting
around as if worried someone will jump on her.
A man is
talking manically to someone on his mobile phone, desperately trying
to fill the time.
Another man
is engrossed in his phone trying to distract himself with emails or
news bulletins.
It’s as if they
can’t bear this waiting time, as though they’re wanting to hurry through life
and get through those pearly gates as soon as possible.
I decide to
just stand there, soaking up the sun, trying to think of nothing. They call it
mindfulness these days. The ability to clear the mind of any chaotic thoughts
and just sit peacefully. Like you’re next to a calm lake with nothing to do but
watch your fishing pole and see if the fish take the bait.
I let the sun soak onto my pasty white arms, let the Vitamin D pour into
my cells.
I put the morning
behind me – the work that I did at my desk before I came out. Instead I just
stand, trying to think of nothing, breathing.
A doorman to
the pearly gates walks down along the queue. He has a walkie-talkie and he
wears a high-vis jacket. “Any over-65’s?” he bellows. “Over 65’s can skip the
queue.”
Well that
makes sense, I think. The man who has been chatting on his phone stops
mid-track and smiles wryly. It is a smile of compassion, of understanding. We
don’t mind that the over 65’s skip the queue. We are glad to let them. I make a
mental note that I have another 20 years before I join the 65’s. What am I
going to do with those 20 years, while I wait in this queue of life?
The over 65’s
pass me, slowly. One has a walking stick. The other is so hunched over her
zimmer frame that her body has taken on a sort of ‘L’ shape, rather than being
upright.
65 is not
old these days, I think. My parents are in their 70’s and they still seem
sprightly to me. There was that one time my dad was really sick and he clung on
to my hand in the hospital. I thought it was his last hour; it was terrifying.
But he made a full recovery. 5 years in remission and out cycling daily.
I think of
all the lovely things there will be inside. Delicious fresh fruits, luxurious desserts,
rows and rows of chocolate – anything we want to pick.
But I’m
happy to just wait here for now, to bask in the sunlight and enjoy the moment
of mindfulness.
I look up to
see a huge sign towering over us. You can’t miss it. Anyone could see it for
miles. It must be at least 6 feet tall. Yes, if I was to stand next to it, it
would tower over me. I guess they don’t want anyone to miss this place. I guess
we’ll all have to come here eventually.
The queue
inches forward again. I’m getting closer now.
I can see a
nurse in uniform. Anyone working closely with sick people are at a greater risk.
They’re allowed to skip the queue too.
Again the
queue nudges forward. It’s a slow moving queue but it’s persistent. It does
keep moving. Eventually we will get there.
The doorman
with the walkie-talkie and the high vis jacket gives me the nod.
It is my
time.
My time has
come.
I’ve reached
my destination.
I give him a
smile of thanks, pop my pound in the trolley, whizz it through the sanitising
station and I’m in.
