Interviewing Indie Author Groovy Lee
Hi, everybody! I'm back to doing weekly interviews again. My first one to top off the new year is the awesome Groovy Lee. Give this great author a shout out. Please like and share.
1. Hi, Groovy Lee! Tell us a little about yourself and your latest novel.
A. I live in Nashville, TN with my daughter who is also my best friend. Besides writing, I love to crochet, garden, listen to music, and most of all, sit in front of my 65” TV during the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. Oh, and I’m addicted to bottled tea.
My latest novel is titled, A Body Resurrected. It’s a Romantic/Suspense that begins in early Egypt and ends in present-day America. A serial killer has crashed landed on Earth and it takes two generations of strong female protagonists to end his terror.
2. What inspired you to be a writer and to get into indie publishing? How long have you been writing? How long have you been published as an indie author?
A. What inspired me to become a serious author was my Harlequin Romance phase in the 80’s. Those romance novels had a big effect on me, and I thoroughly enjoyed the journey they took me on. I knew then I wanted to write stories that would have that same effect on others.
I became an Indie author because I grew tired of the sitting for hours rummaging through reference books looking for that elusive agent when I could be my own boss making all of the decisions. Even with traditional publishing, 99% of the marketing is up to you.
I’ve been writing since elementary school, but I’ve only been published for seven years.
3. Who are your writing mentors/authors? What genres do you enjoy writing and what genres do you like to read? Are you an avid reader/reviewer of other authors?
A. Romance authors like Janet Dailey, Violet Winspear, and Charlotte Lamb were my favorite authors I looked up to. They’re partly the reason I started writing romance and suspense.
I love reading about true love that involves more than just romance. My novels are more than just about embraces and kissing. They’re about finding that one true love you’re blessed to spend the rest of your life with. And it makes the story even more exciting when you add a splash of suspense.
When I’m not working on my next book, I read other Indie authors’ works and I do review them honestly. Reviews are important to us as Indie writers, so I definitely do my part to contribute.
4. Have you ever co-wrote or consider collaborating or co-writing with anyone on a writing project?
A. No. And believe me, I would be doing them a favor if I never do.
5. What are your dreams and aspirations that could drive you forward on this writing and publication journey?
A. I know it sounds cliché, but I’m not looking for fame or fortune. It means more to me to have a huge fan base who understands me as an author, and can’t wait for my next book to come out. The only reason I would love to be on the bestseller’s list is because that means I have reached millions of readers around the world, and I can finally live off of my earnings.
6. Do you prefer to do marketing and promotion yourself for your works or would you rather have someone else control that spectrum? What are some of the things you have done to promote and market yourself?
A. I would love to just write and leave the marketing to someone who would be more successful at it. I’m not very good in that area at all. But like all authors, any opportunity that shows up where I can talk about my books, I will take it. I use social media, car signs, T shirts, and whatever else will help give my books exposure.
7. What is your greatest accomplishment as an author?
A. That would be when my book, ‘Cause She’s A Good Girl, appeared on a local TV talk show here in Nashville and given a highly recommended by Bookwoman; or when a young mother who was dealing with her sick daughter dying of cancer said that same book helped her to escape from all the pain and stress she had to deal with. I think those two are my proudest achievements.
8. What's the next writing project(s) you're working on?
A. I’m working on my next Romantic/Suspense about inheriting a billion-dollar family dynasty. In order to gain control of that dynasty, each family member must go on a scavenger hunt to find the heirloom that will give them complete control. While they’re killing one another off to achieve that end, the protagonist has no idea that it’s in her possession—but the killer does. I hope to release it in Spring 2018.
9. Have you ever been traditional published? Would you consider it? Or feel like a sell out if you took a traditional deal and abandoned indie publishing? Have you ever thought about being a hybrid, part indie, part traditional published? How would you feel about such an opportunity, if both or either of these things happened?
A. I have never been traditionally published, but I might consider it. I think traditional publishing can open doors for your book and get it in places that self-publishing could not. If a successful agent approached me and offered to take me on, I would accept in a heartbeat. And I wouldn’t mind being a hybrid author.
11. What other creative talents do you have? Do you draw, sketch, paint, etc.?
A. The only other talent I have time to concentrate on right now are my Sweetwrap baby blankets that I crochet, and sell online.
12. What advice would you give other aspiring authors?
A. Never give up. Writing is the easy part. It’s the promoting that’s the hardest. After you sharpen your skills by reading reference books and/or taking creative writing classes, create your stories your way, not what you think readers expect. Not everyone is going to like what you write, and that’s okay. Enjoy the journey.
Describe yourself in a one-sentence epithet.
A. I can’t. I always leave that up to those who like reading my books.
14. Paying it forward. What things do you do in your community/ and other communities to help others?
A. I’m active in my community by helping others to understand why the world is in the shape it’s in, and helping them find hope despite it.
More About Groovy Lee here:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
https://www.amazon.com/Groovy-Lee/e/B...
https://www.facebook.com/Groovy-lee-2...
http://www.groovylee.com/
https://www.amazon.com/BODY-RESURRECT...
Thank-you for this opportunity, Angel.
1. Hi, Groovy Lee! Tell us a little about yourself and your latest novel.
A. I live in Nashville, TN with my daughter who is also my best friend. Besides writing, I love to crochet, garden, listen to music, and most of all, sit in front of my 65” TV during the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. Oh, and I’m addicted to bottled tea.
My latest novel is titled, A Body Resurrected. It’s a Romantic/Suspense that begins in early Egypt and ends in present-day America. A serial killer has crashed landed on Earth and it takes two generations of strong female protagonists to end his terror.
2. What inspired you to be a writer and to get into indie publishing? How long have you been writing? How long have you been published as an indie author?
A. What inspired me to become a serious author was my Harlequin Romance phase in the 80’s. Those romance novels had a big effect on me, and I thoroughly enjoyed the journey they took me on. I knew then I wanted to write stories that would have that same effect on others.
I became an Indie author because I grew tired of the sitting for hours rummaging through reference books looking for that elusive agent when I could be my own boss making all of the decisions. Even with traditional publishing, 99% of the marketing is up to you.
I’ve been writing since elementary school, but I’ve only been published for seven years.
3. Who are your writing mentors/authors? What genres do you enjoy writing and what genres do you like to read? Are you an avid reader/reviewer of other authors?
A. Romance authors like Janet Dailey, Violet Winspear, and Charlotte Lamb were my favorite authors I looked up to. They’re partly the reason I started writing romance and suspense.
I love reading about true love that involves more than just romance. My novels are more than just about embraces and kissing. They’re about finding that one true love you’re blessed to spend the rest of your life with. And it makes the story even more exciting when you add a splash of suspense.
When I’m not working on my next book, I read other Indie authors’ works and I do review them honestly. Reviews are important to us as Indie writers, so I definitely do my part to contribute.
4. Have you ever co-wrote or consider collaborating or co-writing with anyone on a writing project?
A. No. And believe me, I would be doing them a favor if I never do.
5. What are your dreams and aspirations that could drive you forward on this writing and publication journey?
A. I know it sounds cliché, but I’m not looking for fame or fortune. It means more to me to have a huge fan base who understands me as an author, and can’t wait for my next book to come out. The only reason I would love to be on the bestseller’s list is because that means I have reached millions of readers around the world, and I can finally live off of my earnings.
6. Do you prefer to do marketing and promotion yourself for your works or would you rather have someone else control that spectrum? What are some of the things you have done to promote and market yourself?
A. I would love to just write and leave the marketing to someone who would be more successful at it. I’m not very good in that area at all. But like all authors, any opportunity that shows up where I can talk about my books, I will take it. I use social media, car signs, T shirts, and whatever else will help give my books exposure.
7. What is your greatest accomplishment as an author?
A. That would be when my book, ‘Cause She’s A Good Girl, appeared on a local TV talk show here in Nashville and given a highly recommended by Bookwoman; or when a young mother who was dealing with her sick daughter dying of cancer said that same book helped her to escape from all the pain and stress she had to deal with. I think those two are my proudest achievements.
8. What's the next writing project(s) you're working on?
A. I’m working on my next Romantic/Suspense about inheriting a billion-dollar family dynasty. In order to gain control of that dynasty, each family member must go on a scavenger hunt to find the heirloom that will give them complete control. While they’re killing one another off to achieve that end, the protagonist has no idea that it’s in her possession—but the killer does. I hope to release it in Spring 2018.
9. Have you ever been traditional published? Would you consider it? Or feel like a sell out if you took a traditional deal and abandoned indie publishing? Have you ever thought about being a hybrid, part indie, part traditional published? How would you feel about such an opportunity, if both or either of these things happened?
A. I have never been traditionally published, but I might consider it. I think traditional publishing can open doors for your book and get it in places that self-publishing could not. If a successful agent approached me and offered to take me on, I would accept in a heartbeat. And I wouldn’t mind being a hybrid author.
11. What other creative talents do you have? Do you draw, sketch, paint, etc.?
A. The only other talent I have time to concentrate on right now are my Sweetwrap baby blankets that I crochet, and sell online.
12. What advice would you give other aspiring authors?
A. Never give up. Writing is the easy part. It’s the promoting that’s the hardest. After you sharpen your skills by reading reference books and/or taking creative writing classes, create your stories your way, not what you think readers expect. Not everyone is going to like what you write, and that’s okay. Enjoy the journey.
Describe yourself in a one-sentence epithet.
A. I can’t. I always leave that up to those who like reading my books.
14. Paying it forward. What things do you do in your community/ and other communities to help others?
A. I’m active in my community by helping others to understand why the world is in the shape it’s in, and helping them find hope despite it.
More About Groovy Lee here:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
https://www.amazon.com/Groovy-Lee/e/B...
https://www.facebook.com/Groovy-lee-2...
http://www.groovylee.com/
https://www.amazon.com/BODY-RESURRECT...
Thank-you for this opportunity, Angel.
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Anna
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Jan 31, 2018 06:55AM
Great interview, Groovy.
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Very nice! And cogratulations on your success thus far. Love the part about the value you place on touching a reader in important ways.
