Can you give us a brief overview of your latest book? Is it part of a series?
Theodora “Teddi” Donovan and Calvin Wynne have
always hated each other. They didn't have a choice after Teddi's bootlegger
father killed Calvin's and left them both orphaned. The scandal has fueled
gossip in quiet, quaint Brookhurst, New York, for over a decade. When a
friendship develops between them as teenagers, they are ridiculed and shunned
by the strict society that dictates life in their town. As they grow older,
friendship turns into love, and Teddi and Calvin have to choose between their
future and the specter of their past. Spanning continents and decades, Forget
Me Not is a coming-of-age story about truth, self-reliance, and the freeing
power of love.
Do you
have a favorite character?
I will always say Teddi, Calvin and Teddi’s sister, Liza.
They are definitely my favorites.
Have you
ever had a minor character evolve into a major one? Did that change the
direction of the novel at all?
Not in my novel writing, but my writing partner are
currently adapting Forget Me Not into
a TV pilot and at least two minor characters from the novel are getting major
roles in the storyline. It’s changing it a lot. The story’s central focus,
though still about the love story of Teddi and Calvin, will be on the town and
its secrets. That simple change basically made the B story in the A story.
Did you
try the traditional route to publishing, i.e. querying agents/publishers?
Not really. I did find two small presses to work with me,
but I did not go for agents or big publishing houses. I think I just did not
have the patience and wanted a hands-on experience. Never say never, though. I
may try that route several years down the line. At this point, I am very happy
and excited to be working with my new publisher, Captive Quill Press. We’ll be
launching new editions of my books in the fall.
How long
before you got your offer of representation/your first contract? Was it for
your first novel?
The hunting process took me about six months. Yes, it was
for my first novel.
What
factors influenced your decision to go with a particular agent or publisher?
My current publisher has a lot of hands-on experience with
authors. The president is an author herself and writes in the same genres that
I do. She also has a lot of heart and motivation to do excellent things. I’m
excited to be working with her.
Are you
currently under a traditional publishing contract for future books or do you
have manuscripts that you will self-publish? Are you doing both?
I am between publishers, so Forget Me Not will spend the
summer self-published until its relaunch this fall. My other book, The Lost
Heir will not be available until its relaunch in the fall.
If you
used a graphic designer/publisher’s designer, how involved were you during the
creative process for your cover?
I gave her my ideas for a concept. She gave me some shots.
We decided what would look nice. Then I gave her an idea of what I’d like to
see and what I wanted to convey. She did the rest. I was much more involved
with the cover for my other book than for Forget Me Not. Both were done by
Amalia Chitulescu. She’s incredibly talented.
Do you belong
to a critique group?
Have they helped improve your writing? I did have one when I
was in graduate school. They helped a bit. I also have my writing partners, and
we share our work. It’s very helpful.
Do you
outline your story or just go where your muse takes you?
Both. I outline then let the story talk. It sometimes fits
the outline; it sometimes does not. I’m more about sticking to character arc
goals and them than anything else.
Did you
hire an editor to review your manuscript before publishing?
My publishing company provided an editor. I also hired a
proofreader before submitting to publishers.
What have
you’ve learned during your self-publishing journey?
I haven’t done this yet. I will just be doing it for a few
months this summer. But I will say that my journey is not that different than
self-published authors. I am in the indie world with small press, so I am doing
author take-overs and joining communities with other indie authors in order to
help each other with promotion and such. It’s been a lot of fun.
What kinds
of marketing [twitter, facebook, blog, forums] are you involved with for
promoting your book(s)?
Twitter and Facebook are my primary platforms. I also have
done book tours and other types of promotion.
Do you
find it difficult to juggle your time between marketing your current book and
writing your next book?
Yes. It’s tough. I’m currently working on a pilot and a
novella.
What
advice would you give a new author just entering into the self-publishing
arena? I’m probably not the best person to ask this. But I think I’d
say ask for help or get a mentor.
Besides
writing, do you have any other passions?
Sadly, story is my life. I tend to love the movies and
television, which is also driven by story. I think traveling is a lot of fun,
too. Of course, I’m storytelling in my head while doing it, so there you go.
Some fun
facts about you, which do you prefer – dogs or cats? Chocolate or vanilla?
Coffee or Tea? Talk or Text? Day or Night?
I love both dogs and cats. Vanilla, thank you very much.
Green tea. Text for the most part. Night.
What’s
next for you?
Applying to a lot of fellowships and contests for
screenwriting and finishing up my next book. It’s a YA fantasy novel about a
girl who travels into a place called the Time Realm.
Book &
Author Details:
Forget Me Not by Allison Whitmore
Publication date: September 14th 2015
Genres: Historical, Romance, Young Adult
Publication date: September 14th 2015
Genres: Historical, Romance, Young Adult
Synopsis:
Theodora “Teddi” Donovan and Calvin Wynne have always
hated each other. They didn’t have a choice after Teddi’s bootlegger father
killed Calvin’s and left them both orphaned. The scandal has fueled gossip in
quiet, quaint Brookhurst, New York, for over a decade. When a friendship
develops between them as teenagers, they are ridiculed and shunned by the
strict society that dictates life in their town. As they grow older, friendship
turns into love, and Teddi and Calvin have to choose between their future and
the scepter of their past. Spanning continents and decades, Forget Me Not is a
coming-of-age story about truth, self-reliance, and the freeing power of love.
Purchase:
(The book changed publishers, so it was pulled from Amazon
and will be re-listed shortly and found at that link!)
AUTHOR
BIO:
Allison Whitmore started her first novel, Forget Me Not, one
icy morning in her dorm room in Southampton, NY. After many years of
teaching high school English, she came back to the novel to rewrite
it. Allison comes from a family who loves history and enjoyed immersing
herself in the research that brought Teddi and Calvin’s world to
life. She lives in her hometown, Los Angeles, California. You can find her
on Twitter @alli_whitmore and her website: allisonwhitmore.com.
Author Links:
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