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Author Meeting Place Interviews Author Laura Rittenhouse of NSW/Australia
Bio: I'm an Australian/American ex-IT professional who now spends her time writing and traveling. Though I was raised in the US, I have made Australia my home.
Since late 2006 I've completed three novels and have made a good start on my fourth. I've also written several short stories. One short story was published in 2008 and my first book was published in October of 2009.
How many book/s have you written?:
I've written 3 books, one of which has been published this year.
Please share with us your book titles:
My published book is called "Starting Over". Book 2 is called "Life's Journeys", the title of book 3 is "Confessions of an Ageing Adulterer" and my unfinished book is, as yet, untitled.
What genre/s would you like to write in?: mainstream fiction
Please share with us who or what encourages you to write and why?:
I write for pleasure. It's not exactly a need or drive that I've heard many authors explain, with me it is more a passion. I find my mind turns to the story I'm working on whenever it isn't busy with something else. When I sit in front of my laptop, I get a real sense of fulfillment when the characters play out their lives in front of me. Not much else has given me the same sense of achievement that completing a story does.
How long did it take for you to write your book/s?:
I finished the first draft of my published novel in 1 month. It took about another 6 months to get a clean version to submit to publishers.
How long did it take for you to publish your book/s?:
It took two years for me to get my book published.
Who did you publish with and why?:
I published with Wings Press because they offer both ebooks and print versions. I wanted a publisher that would take on a first-time author and provide them an editor and cover artist and help them through the publication process. To be honest, I would love one of the big international publishing houses to take on my work, but I'm realistic that it is very difficult as a new author to break into that league.
Please share with us how you prefer to market your book/s?:
How to market my book is still problematic for me because I'm new to this game. Obviously I would prefer if someone else did all the marketing for me, signs in bookshops and billboards at airports. But I'm pragmatic so I'm trying to work word-of-mouth through friends and such. I am putting my name out on sites like Author Meeting Place and other online spots where I hope authors and readers can find each other. I'm also planning to approach my local library to do an author talk and my local newspaper about an interview.
Please share with us any event/s that you have planned in marketing your book/s:
I don't have any marketing events planned so far. I've just been published and I'm in the middle of a long driving vacation around Australia so book signings or author talks just haven't been possible for me yet.
Do you wish to share any additional information with our readers?:
If you want to find out more about me or my published work, go to www.laurarittenhouse.com.
Backcover Description: Though she doesn’t understand exactly why, Maria isn’t content with her lot. The prospect of exchanging dependence on her family for dependence on a husband doesn’t sit well with this young woman growing up in late 19th Century Germany. Three generations later, on the other side of the Atlantic, Eva struggles with a similar restlessness; she’s generally happy but never quite satisfied.
This book follows Maria and her great-granddaughter Eva as they face surprisingly similar choices in dramatically different decades: how to keep a roof over your head, when to abandon independence and commit to a lover, where to draw a line in the sand. The choices they make take them to new countries, open them up to heartache and leave them wondering what is enough.
Email to share: laura.rittenhouse@yahoo.com
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