Interview with Karen Magill, Author of LET US PLAY

I have always lived in a fantasy world and sometimes I manage to put pieces of that world down on paper for others to read. My latest work is the self-published book ‘Let Us Play, A Rock ‘n Roll Love Story’ and it can be purchased at www.lulu.com/karenmagill. My first book, ‘The Bond, A Paranormal Love Story’, can also be found there. My website is www.karenmagill.com and there is a link to my blog there where you find my unique views on the strange world of publishing and on life.

INTERVIEW WITH KAREN MAGILL

When did your passion for writing begin?

I come from a family of writers and creative people so I guess it is safe to safe that my passion for writing began at an early age. It was nurtured by the fact that I was a lonely child. I grew up in small towns and was not popular with the other children so my imagination was my escape and my best friend.

Can you tell us what your typical 'writing' day is like?

Typically I wake up in the later morning hours and check my email. I eat my cereal by the computer and take care of whatever business I have to. The day time is for doing errands and the business end. Evening, nighttime and late night is when I get creative. I tend to be undisciplined and some days I can write pages upon pages while others I won’t write at all. It is a bad habit, I know but I have never been able to focus properly.

Do you write full time?

Since I live on disability, I am able to write full time. Right now, I am promoting ‘Let Us Play’ but in a few weeks I hope to be writing a new novel.

Can you tell us a little bit about your book?

In an uncertain time in the future, rock and roll music has been banned. Kaya More uses second sight to lead a group of rebels to bring it back. Their quest leads them from the streets of New York City to the peaks of the Canadian Rockies to the beaches of California. The pursuit heats up as combatants switch sides and the world joins forces as the rebels find adventure, music and love.

Who published your book and how has your experience with them been?

My book was published with Lulu Press Inc. This is the second book I have published with them and I am happy with them. The quality is good and the staff is professional and helpful. I find the prices to be reasonable. Being that Lulu is a POD publisher, I am responsible for everything but I was aware of that to begin with.

Can you tell us the inspiration behind your book?

Although ‘Let Us Play’ focuses on the loss of rock ‘n roll music, it is about losing the right to freedom of choice. Our society lately seems to be dictating the way we are all supposed to be thinking. I look at everyone and so many people seem to be copies of each other. I wonder where the individuality is going and I wonder if George Orwell’s 1984 was perhaps 100 years too soon? I think it is very possible for the powers to be to start taking things away from us. But then again, this is just a book.

Can you tell us ways you are promoting your book? Have they been successful?

I am just starting with promotion but right now. I have been requesting ebook reviews and looking for interviews. I am on myspace – www.myspace.com/thebondbykarenmagill - and I will be approaching everyone I know on there; I have notified everyone on my email list; I have a newsletter through my website where I also have the occasional draw; I intend on approaching Internet radio shows; I will be writing press releases which is my weakness; I have fridge magnets that I distribute and lots of other things. It is too early to know if anything is working, all I can do is hope.

Do you have a mentor?

I don’t really have a mentor but I do have heroes and I guess my biggest is Terry Fox. If you don’t know his story, at the age of 18 Terry got cancer of the bone and had to have his leg amputated. He decided to do something about this horrible disease so at 21 he started the Marathon of Hope. In 1980, he dipped his artificial leg into the Atlantic Ocean in Newfoundland, Canada and started to run back to British Columbia. His goal? He was going to run across Canada and collect a dollar from every Canadian for people with cancer. He was picky too. He would mark where he stopped every night and that’s where he would start the next day. He made it to Thunder Bay, Ontario when the cancer returned. This time it had spread to his lungs. He flew back to British Columbia for treatment but later died. Terry ran 3,339 miles and managed to raise a dollar for every Canadian. To this day people still run in his name and raise money for people dealing with cancer: he inspired a nation. In 2005, to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary, the Royal Canadian Mint created a loonie (a dollar coin) with an engraving of Terry running.

What future projects do you have in the works?

I was going to change genres and have been trying to write a thriller but I don’t think I am ready for that. So I am little lost right now and am going to be trying to get my mind around another paranormal romance.

Can you give aspiring authors words of advice towards getting published?

There are so many to be published now. A former NY executive did tell me recently that any form of self-publishing is vanity publishing BUT that isn’t bad because if you can make it sell that you can get the big boys interested. So for aspiring authors, decide how much work you want to put into your project because if you go the self-publishing route, none of the traditional methods of sale are likely to be open to you. So you are going to have to use your imagination and you will have to deal with those who don’t know what they are talking about telling you that you have ruined your career. Because you can always keep waiting for that big contract. Decide what you what you want to do and how you want to do it.

What’s one thing about your life that you think is important, but nobody asks?

What have I learned about life that I figure is really important but no one asks? That being a drama queen is a waste of time and energy. It is much more fun to be eccentric and wild.

Thank you for the interview, Karen, and many sales to you!

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