A MOMENT TO SHARE with Sara Rose Salih
Today I’m truly grateful to have Sara Rose Salih as a Guest Author for this week’s blog to interview. She is the author of the new juvenile fiction series, Life As We Note It. This November Sara celebrated the official release of the first book of the series, Tales of a Sevie.
Born and raised in Texas, writing has always been Sara’s passion. She enjoys writing books, short stories, novels, poetry, and anything teen. In her free time Sara enjoys music, photography, and baseball.
Sara Rose Salih
Hi Sara Rose Salih, thank you for agreeing to this interview.
Tell me a little about yourself and your background? What were you like at school? Were you good at English? What are your ambitions for your writing career? Which writers inspire you?
In school I was definitely a rebel. I was good at English, Creative Writing, Art, and that was about it. From a very young age I loved to write, whether it was songs about homeless people on the street or stories about the boys I had crushes on, it was safe to say that from a very young age I was a writer. A few of my favorite writers are S.E. Hinton, George Eliot, and Reinaldo Arenas.
What was your life like before becoming an author?
Honestly? Not much different than life now. J You’d think one might be able to sleep better after publishing a book. Not so much. My mind is always racing on the next big thing, the next idea for a book or script.
I have had a lot of old friends and acquaintances come out of the blue though since I’ve published, which has actually been quite nice.
Which comes first? The character’s story or the idea for the novel?
For me, the characters almost always come first. Once I’m familiar with who they are, I can base a story around them and figure out the kind of shenanigans they’re going to get into.
When did you decide to become a writer?
I can’t truly remember a moment where I “decided” it; it’s just always been what I’ve done. I guess when I decided to do it for “real” was after college.
Why do you write?
Because I love it. I need it. It’s how express myself, and it’s how I say the things I feel I can’t always say out loud.
So, what have you written?
My first book I’ve officially had published (besides my silly poetry in high school) is Tales of a Sevie, a lighthearted tale of the highs and lows of junior high told through a series of handwritten notes.
Where people can buy or see them?
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Sevie-Life-As-Note/dp/0985346604/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384465135&sr=8-1&keywords=tales+of+a+sevie
CreateSpace: https://www.createspace.com/4191695
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tales-of-a-sevie-sara-rose-salih/1117533329?ean=9780985346607
Give me an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?
Well this book, since it is told through a series of notes, is very different.
The main character is Summer, and she receives all the notes.
In this first book of the Life As We Note It series, we don’t get to hear from our main character.
We have to learn about her strictly from what others say to her in the notes.
What sparked the idea for your book?
My first book Tales of a Sevie was inspired by a lot of the notes my friends and I wrote to each other during our own years of junior high.
Many years ago I discovered an old box of notes from my first year of middle school. After reading through about 10 of them, I was crying I was laughing so hard.
The content of the notes was ridiculous, but something about the set up intrigued me. I felt writing from the point of view of twin girls in the form of notes to tell a real story could be fascinating. That’s how it all began.
How do you market your book?
As a self-published author, I’ve had many challenges…
I try to market online, through social media as much as I can, but I’ve found appearing in person at local schools, bookstores, and having books signings have had a great impact on my sales.
Do you have any advice for other authors on how to market their books?
Sara’s Facebook Page!
The internet is great for groundwork, to establish yourself through a website and social media, but I personally believe nothing is better than making a true connection in person when it comes to marketing your books.
It’s better to just show up at a store or company and show them what you’re all about instead of trying to send it in an email.
What do you do to get book reviews?
I’ve sent a lot of free copies of my books to promising sources.
What advice do you have for someone who would like to become a published writer?
In this day and age it’s very easy! Just be very careful who you sign with and really take your time to research literary agents, publishing companies, and especially self-publishing “print on demand” companies.
Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included?
Thank you Meglena for the amazing opportunity to present my work, my story and my journey.
How can readers discover more about you and your work?
Website: http://sararosesalih.com/
Blog: http://sararosesalih.com/my-blog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaraRoseSalih
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SaraRoseSalih
Lnkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=207748528&goback=%2Enmp_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1_*1&trk=spm_pic
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Sara-Rose-Salih/e/B00GOADOJ4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
It was a great privilege for me to get to interview Sara Rose Salih, who has inspired me in many different ways. Thank you Sara!!! Good Luck with everything!
