Interview and Excerpt: Dewitched by EL Sarnoff
Thank you to EL Sarnoff for stopping by with a Q&A and excerpt from Dewitched. Please visit her tour page on CLP Blog Tours for more information!
**Interview**
When did you know writing was for you? I've never had one of those "aha" moments when it's come to writing. It's just something I've enjoyed doing my whole life from turning Nancy Drew novels into plays to keeping an ongoing book of poems since I was in the third grade. As I struggle with the I-want-to-pull-my-hair-out edits for my sequel UNHITCHED, I sometimes wonder if writing is for me! Aagh!
How would you describe your books? This says it all : Juicy, happily-ever-after stories.
Why did you want to write a chick lit fairy tale novel? Truthfully, I had no idea I was going to write a chick lit fairy tale novel. I actually set off to write a YA fairy tale retelling, but once I realized my heroine, Jane, aka the Evil Queen, was in her early 30's, I knew it was fiction targeted to woman 18+ (though teens, like my twin daughters, seem to like it too!) Writing in a chick lit first person voice came naturally to me --it fitted Jane's snarky personality.
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you? There are two things I find rather intimidating: 1) Waking up in the morning and fearing that I can't write another word; I'm a pantster, so I never quite know what's going to happen next and 2) Letting go and sending my book into the world. I am such a perfectionist...I'm always thinking I can find a better way of writing something.
What are your favorite genres to read? I do love chick lit; Sophie Kinsella is one of my favorite authors and my inspiration. I also like thrillers (Daniel Silva), crime/detective (James Patterson, Janet Evanovitch) and the occasional literary tear jerker. I just wish I had more time to read.
Who is your favorite Disney princess? Rapunzel from Tangled. I think she is a strong, modern role model for young girls. And, of course, I love Snow White too!
What do you want readers to take away from your story? Two things: 1) Beauty comes from within and, 2) You have the power to rewrite your life.
How important do you think social media is for authors these days? It's extremely important, and I've had to go on a fast learning curve to get on board. It's an easy, inexpensive way to get the word out about your book. However, equally or even important is good old fashioned word of mouth.
What would be your advice to aspiring writers? Read! Read! Read! Read! The more you read, the better you will write. And believe in yourself!
**Excerpt**
DEWITCHED EXCERPT: JANE, AKA THE EVIL QUEEN, IS HAVING HER SECOND THERAPY SESSION WITH HER SHRINK AT FARAWAY.
So relaxed, I’m not looking forward to my second session with Shrink, especially after all the insults she threw in my face yesterday. The nerve of her! She’ll be sorry if she pulls that stuff on me today. I’ll have her on her knees, begging for forgiveness. Then I’ll stomp on her and turn her into pixie juice. “Hello, Jane,” says Shrink in her no-nonsense voice as she flies into her office. Lying on the velvet chaise, I tilt my head up slightly and gaze at her with disdain. “Jane is an interesting name,” she begins. “It rhymes with both ‘plain’ and ‘vain.’" "Which one are you--a plain Jane or a vain Jane?” Plain Jane.The two words send a chill down my spine. It’s been so long since I’ve heard them, yet I can still hear my mother’s deprecating voice as if it were only yesterday. “You waste of human space. You’re nothing but a plain Jane.” “Well, Jane, which one are you?” Shrink’s words hurl me back to the moment. “I’m not answering that question.”
“Well, then I’ll answer it for you. You’re a vain Jane. That’s why your best friend was a mirror.” How does she know that my best friend was a mirror? Of course, she read my “admissions form.” Some enrollment application! It was just a bunch of trick questions to reveal my secrets. Sasperilla was right; they’re all spies around this place. “What did you use to ask your mirror?” “None of your business.” “Jane, that’s not what you used to say to your mirror. Now, tell me, what you really asked it.” “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest one of all?” I blurt out, unable to control myself. “And why did you ask your mirror this question?” “Because it told me I was the fairest.” “And why did you need to hear this?” “B-because…” I squirm. “Because you needed instant gratification,” steps in Shrink. “Instant gratification is a fundamental part of an addict’s personality.” “I am not an addict!” I shout, straightening up. “And what happened when your mirror told you someone else was the fairest one of all?” “I tried to kill her!” Wait! Why am I telling her all these things? What’s wrong with me? “Yes, your addiction to beauty drove you to evil.” “Stop it!” I grip the arms of the chaise. “You think you know everything about me, but you don’t!” “Jane, you are here because you have a problem. And I am here to help you overcome your problem.” “The only problem I have is that I’m stuck in this nuthouse. I didn’t ask to come here!” “You agreed to come here.” “It was all a bunch of lies! I was tricked! I thought I was being sent to a spa! I want to go back that dungeon!” “It’s too late. You can’t go back.” What! I’m stuck here? Rage crescendos inside me. “Here’s the deal,” she says to my face. “Everyday at this time for the next three weeks, you are going to talk to me about your life. I will listen with a third ear and find the underlying cause of your addiction. Then I will share this discovery with you, and we will work together toward a complete recovery.” I’m about to explode. There’s no way I’m going to spend three weeks opening up to this flying bug of a woman who has some invisible third ear. “You can’t keep me here!” I shout. “I’ll run away. Escape! In fact, I’m going to say good-bye to this dump right now.” I bolt off the chaise and head straight for the door. “Good luck,” says Shrink. “But may I remind you of the high stone wall, the locked gate, and the armed guardsman. And I almost forgot, there’s a moat.” I stop dead in my tracks. Why did she have to remind me? Rage becomes despair. I’m stuck in this madhouse! The chime sounds. “Time’s up for today, Jane. I’ll see you here tomorrow.”
Leaving a blinding trail of fairy dust, she zips out the door. I’ve got to get out of here. I’ve got to! Before that insidious bug of a woman who calls herself a therapist makes me completely insane. That also rhymes with Jane. I tremble as I put them together. Insane Jane. *********************************************************************************
Author Bio:
Ellen Levy-Sarnoff, writing under the name E. L. Sarnoff, has enjoyed a prolific career in the entertainment industry, creating, writing, and producing television series, including the original Power Rangers. She lives in Los Angeles with her Prince Charming-ish husband, twin princesses, and a bevy of pets. She’s also a not-too-evil stepmother. When she’s not writing in her PJ’s, she likes to dress up and pretend she’s Hollywood royalty.DEWITCHED: The Untold Story of the Evil Queen is Ellen's first novel. The sequel, UNHITCHED, will be available on October 29, 2012. Connect with EL Sarnoff! http://www.elsarnoff.com/http://www.facebook.com/ElSarnoffhttps://twitter.com/elsarnoffelsarnoff@gmail.com
Buy the Book!
http://www.amazon.com/Dewitched-Untold-Story-Queen-ebook/dp/B0089YA7W0http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dewitched-el-sarnoff/1112316812?ean=2940044729957http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/178067http://www.amazon.com/DEWITCHED-Untold-Story-Evil-Queen/dp/0615673163/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345914940&sr=1-6&keywords=Dewitched
**Interview**
When did you know writing was for you? I've never had one of those "aha" moments when it's come to writing. It's just something I've enjoyed doing my whole life from turning Nancy Drew novels into plays to keeping an ongoing book of poems since I was in the third grade. As I struggle with the I-want-to-pull-my-hair-out edits for my sequel UNHITCHED, I sometimes wonder if writing is for me! Aagh!
How would you describe your books? This says it all : Juicy, happily-ever-after stories.
Why did you want to write a chick lit fairy tale novel? Truthfully, I had no idea I was going to write a chick lit fairy tale novel. I actually set off to write a YA fairy tale retelling, but once I realized my heroine, Jane, aka the Evil Queen, was in her early 30's, I knew it was fiction targeted to woman 18+ (though teens, like my twin daughters, seem to like it too!) Writing in a chick lit first person voice came naturally to me --it fitted Jane's snarky personality.
What is the hardest part of the writing process for you? There are two things I find rather intimidating: 1) Waking up in the morning and fearing that I can't write another word; I'm a pantster, so I never quite know what's going to happen next and 2) Letting go and sending my book into the world. I am such a perfectionist...I'm always thinking I can find a better way of writing something.
What are your favorite genres to read? I do love chick lit; Sophie Kinsella is one of my favorite authors and my inspiration. I also like thrillers (Daniel Silva), crime/detective (James Patterson, Janet Evanovitch) and the occasional literary tear jerker. I just wish I had more time to read.
Who is your favorite Disney princess? Rapunzel from Tangled. I think she is a strong, modern role model for young girls. And, of course, I love Snow White too!
What do you want readers to take away from your story? Two things: 1) Beauty comes from within and, 2) You have the power to rewrite your life.
How important do you think social media is for authors these days? It's extremely important, and I've had to go on a fast learning curve to get on board. It's an easy, inexpensive way to get the word out about your book. However, equally or even important is good old fashioned word of mouth.
What would be your advice to aspiring writers? Read! Read! Read! Read! The more you read, the better you will write. And believe in yourself!
**Excerpt**
DEWITCHED EXCERPT: JANE, AKA THE EVIL QUEEN, IS HAVING HER SECOND THERAPY SESSION WITH HER SHRINK AT FARAWAY.
So relaxed, I’m not looking forward to my second session with Shrink, especially after all the insults she threw in my face yesterday. The nerve of her! She’ll be sorry if she pulls that stuff on me today. I’ll have her on her knees, begging for forgiveness. Then I’ll stomp on her and turn her into pixie juice. “Hello, Jane,” says Shrink in her no-nonsense voice as she flies into her office. Lying on the velvet chaise, I tilt my head up slightly and gaze at her with disdain. “Jane is an interesting name,” she begins. “It rhymes with both ‘plain’ and ‘vain.’" "Which one are you--a plain Jane or a vain Jane?” Plain Jane.The two words send a chill down my spine. It’s been so long since I’ve heard them, yet I can still hear my mother’s deprecating voice as if it were only yesterday. “You waste of human space. You’re nothing but a plain Jane.” “Well, Jane, which one are you?” Shrink’s words hurl me back to the moment. “I’m not answering that question.”
“Well, then I’ll answer it for you. You’re a vain Jane. That’s why your best friend was a mirror.” How does she know that my best friend was a mirror? Of course, she read my “admissions form.” Some enrollment application! It was just a bunch of trick questions to reveal my secrets. Sasperilla was right; they’re all spies around this place. “What did you use to ask your mirror?” “None of your business.” “Jane, that’s not what you used to say to your mirror. Now, tell me, what you really asked it.” “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest one of all?” I blurt out, unable to control myself. “And why did you ask your mirror this question?” “Because it told me I was the fairest.” “And why did you need to hear this?” “B-because…” I squirm. “Because you needed instant gratification,” steps in Shrink. “Instant gratification is a fundamental part of an addict’s personality.” “I am not an addict!” I shout, straightening up. “And what happened when your mirror told you someone else was the fairest one of all?” “I tried to kill her!” Wait! Why am I telling her all these things? What’s wrong with me? “Yes, your addiction to beauty drove you to evil.” “Stop it!” I grip the arms of the chaise. “You think you know everything about me, but you don’t!” “Jane, you are here because you have a problem. And I am here to help you overcome your problem.” “The only problem I have is that I’m stuck in this nuthouse. I didn’t ask to come here!” “You agreed to come here.” “It was all a bunch of lies! I was tricked! I thought I was being sent to a spa! I want to go back that dungeon!” “It’s too late. You can’t go back.” What! I’m stuck here? Rage crescendos inside me. “Here’s the deal,” she says to my face. “Everyday at this time for the next three weeks, you are going to talk to me about your life. I will listen with a third ear and find the underlying cause of your addiction. Then I will share this discovery with you, and we will work together toward a complete recovery.” I’m about to explode. There’s no way I’m going to spend three weeks opening up to this flying bug of a woman who has some invisible third ear. “You can’t keep me here!” I shout. “I’ll run away. Escape! In fact, I’m going to say good-bye to this dump right now.” I bolt off the chaise and head straight for the door. “Good luck,” says Shrink. “But may I remind you of the high stone wall, the locked gate, and the armed guardsman. And I almost forgot, there’s a moat.” I stop dead in my tracks. Why did she have to remind me? Rage becomes despair. I’m stuck in this madhouse! The chime sounds. “Time’s up for today, Jane. I’ll see you here tomorrow.”
Leaving a blinding trail of fairy dust, she zips out the door. I’ve got to get out of here. I’ve got to! Before that insidious bug of a woman who calls herself a therapist makes me completely insane. That also rhymes with Jane. I tremble as I put them together. Insane Jane. *********************************************************************************
Author Bio:
Ellen Levy-Sarnoff, writing under the name E. L. Sarnoff, has enjoyed a prolific career in the entertainment industry, creating, writing, and producing television series, including the original Power Rangers. She lives in Los Angeles with her Prince Charming-ish husband, twin princesses, and a bevy of pets. She’s also a not-too-evil stepmother. When she’s not writing in her PJ’s, she likes to dress up and pretend she’s Hollywood royalty.DEWITCHED: The Untold Story of the Evil Queen is Ellen's first novel. The sequel, UNHITCHED, will be available on October 29, 2012. Connect with EL Sarnoff! http://www.elsarnoff.com/http://www.facebook.com/ElSarnoffhttps://twitter.com/elsarnoffelsarnoff@gmail.com
Buy the Book!
http://www.amazon.com/Dewitched-Untold-Story-Queen-ebook/dp/B0089YA7W0http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dewitched-el-sarnoff/1112316812?ean=2940044729957http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/178067http://www.amazon.com/DEWITCHED-Untold-Story-Evil-Queen/dp/0615673163/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1345914940&sr=1-6&keywords=Dewitched
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