Today Teresa Thorne talks about her book, Noah’s Wife, her writing process, and generating reader “buzz”. Join me!

Noah’s Wife is Na’amah, a beautiful young girl with Asperger Syndrome, a mild form of autism. She wishes only to be a shepherdess on her beloved hills in ancient Turkey, a desire shattered by the hatred of her powerful brother, the love of two men, and a looming disaster that threatens her world. The Biblical account of Noah’s wife only gives us a nameless woman who bears Noah’s children and is with him in the ark.  T.K. Thorne, an award-winning author, has filled in the story with her imagination based on geological and archeological evidence of a great flood in the Black Sea region 7,000 years ago.

Welcome, Teresa! Noah’s Wife has received accolades including ForeWord Review’s “Book of the Year for Historical Fiction” award. Tell us in your own words what the novel is about.

Any novel worth its salt works on multiple levels.   NW is about Na’amah, a young girl whose mind is different from the “normal;” her unique perspective of the world of 5500 BCE; and how her limitations become her strengths.  On another level, the story challenges the paternalistic interpretation of Biblical literature by setting the tale in the culture that archeology suggests actually existed at that time.  Perhaps, it may also attempt a spiritual awareness of the sacred feminine that is a forgotten part of the heritage of the world’s three dominant religions.  But primarily, it is a literary/historical fiction/adventure novel with a dash of romance and a small sprinkle of fantasy.

What made you decide you wanted to create and tell 15-year old Na ‘amah’s story?

I was looking for a project with a larger scope and impact than previous works.  When I heard a poem inspired by the fact that the Bible only mentioned Noah’s wife briefly and left her nameless, I was also inspired to rectify that situation or, at least explore the possibility of doing so.  I began to hunt for evidence of a significant flood in the Middle East and discovered information about a cataclysmic geological event in 5500 BCE that transformed a fresh water lake above ancient Turkey into a sea, reversing the flow of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and flooding Mesopotamia.  Then I found the origins of the Noah story in a Mesopotamian epic poem (the oldest written story known).  Once I had a date, I began researching the time period and playing with Na’amah’s character and voice.  She was insistent on taking charge from the beginning.

Clearly, you have a solid understanding of the historical time period and region where this novel is set. Where did you get your knowledge?

Most of my four-year research journey was through books, museums, and the Internet (A wonderful resource if one is wondering whether sheep existed in 5500 BCE in ancient Turkey and if so, what color were they?  Think about walking into a library with that question!)  If you are doing historical research, I strongly suggest that you check for the latest archeological findings.  Archeology is making exciting new discoveries every day and transforming what we thought we knew.  I was also fortunate to travel to Turkey at the invitation of the Turkish Cultural Foundation and see the land and artifacts of the culture I had written about.  It was an amazing adventure!

Na ‘amah seems to be an interesting, multi-layered young woman. Tell us who she is beneath the surface. What motivates her?

As a young girl with Asperger Syndrome, Na’amah sees the world through a different lens.  She does not possess a lot of the social interaction skills or filters we take for granted.   In her words, “I speak only truths because lies distress me.” She is uncomfortable with change, possesses an acute sensitivity to sound, takes comfort in routine, and tends to view things from a literal perspective.  On the other hand, as a savant, she has mental gifts that allow her to remember everything she hears and to notice details that others miss.  She doesn’t (or can’t) believe what she can’t personally experience.  As a result, her life is in constant danger just for being who she is.

Every story has some villain. Who or what is that villain in Noah’s Wife and what makes them a formidable force to be overcome?

A dark familial secret turns Na’amah’s own brother into her enemy.  The depth of his hatred, his knowledge of Na’amah’s weaknesses, and his rising influence make him as powerful as the stirring force in the earth itself.

Do you have a personal favorite scene in Noah’s Wife?

If by favorite, you mean one I like to read, it would have to be a scene where Na’amah’s chubby, optimistic friend, Inka, determines to learn enough foreign words to distract one of their captors.  “Let’s start with ‘You are strong, and I like you,’” she says.  Another scene between Na’amah and Noah, which I think is probably one of my best, is very intense and difficult for me to read, perhaps because I live it over with Na’amah every time I read it.  While I was writing it, I had no idea what she was going to do or say and so it came from the depths of my subconscious, both surprising me and moving me.

You have a number of reader reviews for this novel online–that kind of buzz is invaluable to an author. What advice would you give to new authors when it comes to using the internet to promote their work and to garner reader followers?

In the beginning I asked people who had read the novel to comment on Amazon, but now I have no idea who most of the reviewers are.  I’m not a model for marketing, but I would say, don’t hesitate to ask people who give you a good review if they would post it.  Start a newsletter and gather email addresses.  That is something I wish I had started a lot sooner.  Get a web site, if you haven’t got one. Don’t kill yourself trying to post on all the social media sites.  I post a blog or comment only when I have something to say.  Be personal.  Recently, I did an experiment on Face Book.  I ran across a site with an astounding article about scientists finding evidence that other universes may have “bumped into” ours.  At the same time, I noticed a bat had taken up residence between my screen and bedroom window.  I posted a link to the article and a picture of the bat on Face Book.  Our bruised universe got zero comments, while the bat rated a dozen.  Go figure and take heed.

Will you share a little about your writing process? In particular, how does writing screenplays most differ from writing novels?

When I begin writing I usually have an image of the beginning and one of the end (if I’m lucky) and just start writing.  I like to be surprised by my characters and so I stick them in complex situations or dire straits and see what they do and say.  My job is to figure out the next plot complication and theirs is to react to it.

In writing a screenplay, the writer must limit herself.  Settings and context have to be told strictly through dialogue and action (what the camera “sees” and “hears”) rather than narrative.  A lot of writers seem to find dialogue difficult, but I think it is one of my strengths and I enjoy it.

Thanks for joining me today, Teresa! One last question—what can your readers look forward to next?

I’ve jumped several thousand years to the time of Abraham and another important Biblical woman who is given one short line’s worth of text and no name.  My story is Angels at the Gate: the story of Lot’s Wife (the woman who turns into a pillar of salt for the unforgiveable crime of “looking back” at her burning city) and I have just returned from a research trip to Israel—another fascinating land, history and people!  I’m looking forward to sharing this story which, as one may guess, puts Lot’s wife in an historical setting … with my own twists.

About the Author

T.K. Thorne is retired from the Birmingham Police Department as a captain and currently serves as executive director of the business improvement district in downtown Birmingham, AL. Besides writing, Teresa’s current passions include community service on behalf of the homeless, at-risk children, and animals. A proud grandmother, she lives on a beautiful mountain with her family of people, dogs, cats and horse. The first chapter of Noah’s Wife is available on her website: http://www.tkthorne.com

A blog reader recently asked my opinion on e-publishing rather than publishing through a “house”.

She observed that the industry is changing rapidly, and of couse, she’s right! Here’s what I have to say on the subject, and I’m still not coming close to scratching the surface.

First up, let me tell you I’m not currently looking at e-publishing anything. Not currently, as in, not right at this precise moment in time. Tomorrow, who knows? Clearly, it’s a viable option, and I seem to hear more success stories every day. I’m not talking ‘Amanda Hocking’ type success here (though there’s that). I’m talking new or midlist authors putting their novels, novellas and short stories out there for a lowish price and suddenly having an extra few hundred (or thousand) dollars a month to pay their water bill. Or to buy a swimming pool.

I don’t think it’s a fluke, and one thing I can say with some certainty is if I had a backlist, I’d be e-publishing it right now. I don’t. I do have a novel I suspect might do OK through e-pubbing. So, what’s stopping me? Mainly, I tend to watch, wait and learn before I act. I don’t feel like e-publishing is a craze I need to act on now or lose out. Most would agree it’s here to stay a while. To be perfectly honest, I’m a little worried I’ll put my novel out there and hear crickets. Then I’d wind up spending even more time on promotion than I do today, and lose out on getting my story to readers the traditional distribution channel might otherwise reach. Of course, I could go the traditional route and never sell either, and maybe miss out on a much broader audience, but unless I’ve sold e rights to a publisher who never intends to exercise them, there’s always the opportunity to try e-publishing later. It doesn’t work as well the other way around.

Bottom line? I’m not in a rush. I’m building a career, and fortunately, I have a good day job to rely on while I do that. I want the most return on my time investment, and I don’t yet know how e-publishing fits into my long-term career goals. I’m very grateful to have an experienced agent with which to talk that through. While there may not be many people we can truly call ‘experts’ on e-publishing this (relatively) early in the game, there are a lot of people with industry experience who are worth listening to. Do a search and start reading—you’ll soon find you’ve fallen down a rabbit hole of fascinating information. Personally, I’d shy away from taking advice from anyone who has only good things or only bad things to say about e-publishing. As with most things, time will tell.

Writers, do you think self or Indie e-publishing vs a traditional publishing house is just a matter of time for you, and if so, how long do you intend to wait before testing the waters? If you’ve already jumped in, how is it going for you?

Image: graur razvan ionut / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When it comes to understanding how to promote a novel, I’ve come a long way, baby.

On a scale of 1-10, where 1 = Do I really have to do that? and 10 = I have more Twitter followers than Kim Kardashian, I started around ‘2’ and now hover somewhere near ‘5’ (there’s a great expanse between 5 and 10.)

Though I do some book signings and clubs, it’s already clear digital media and social networking are the places to focus. Here’s where I spend most of my efforts:

• Website and blog: www.beccaleone.com where I have book information, helpful links, FAQ, news and events, samples of my writing and links to all my active digital media sites.
• Facebook pages: Author https://www.facebook.com/rebeccalboschee where I share updates on reading, writing, events and where I muse in general.
• Goodreads author page: http://bit.ly/qpsoKS where I update my personal library, complete reviews and do book giveaways.
• Group blog with other authors: http://wordservewatercooler.com/ and http://avalonauthors.blogspot.com/ where I share information on writing.
• Twitter page: http://twitter.com/#!/becca_leone I muse about pretty much anything and often share info on the writing business.
• Tumblr: http://beccaleone.tumblr.com/ ditto the above, but usually in pictures.

While I’m only getting started, I’ve learned a few things authors can do to help pave the way for their success in digital networking:

I wish this could go without saying, but I read a lot of blogs/comments/status updates and…not so much. You’ve heard ‘What happens on the Internet stays on the Internet’ but do you really understand how quickly your content could be exposed to throngs of people? I recently saw some guy’s photo of a botched pizza delivery go viral to over 40,000 people in a couple of hours. Fact is, that’s not really all that unusual. Customer, readers, agents, editors, YOU, can reach more people, faster than ever before. This can be very, very good, or very, very bad. You can’t necessarily control what will go viral, but you can control your content. Be professional.

Your VOICE is an asset. Have fun with it. Being professional doesn’t mean being boring. If you’re in the digital space to check a box on your ‘to do’ list, people will figure that out quickly. If you’re a successful writer, you probably have a unique ‘voice’. That voice is one of your greatest assets. Use it. This will also help you develop your author brand. One way to keep your content fun is to mix up your format. If you usually write blog posts, consider vlogging once in a while, or say it with pictures. Use the occasional animated gif. Examples of two authors who let their voices shine and seem to be having fun while they’re at it are Meg Cabot and Tahereh Mafi. There are many more.

If you abhor the idea of spending energy on digital networking, you might seriously consider hiring someone to help. By the way, don’t wait until you’re published to start. The time to get yourself out there was yesterday.

Engage people—dialogue is a TWO-WAY street, and it’s not always about you. Of course you need to tell people what you’re up to—where they can find your new novel and what you’re working on. Did you get a nice review on Amazon? Have you been interviewed by another author or online group? By all means, send out those links, but do avoid sounding like a bad infomercial or bombarding people with it. Save that stuff for one-dimensional promotions like ads or newsletters. People won’t mind when you occasionally toot your own horn if you mostly post relevant content others find valuable.

Offer advice if you have it. Give someone a helping hand without expecting anything in return. Raise topics of likely interest and ask open-ended questions, then look at the comments and respond back when appropriate—don’t expect others to carry on the conversation. Look no further than Rachelle Gardner or Nathan Bransford’s blog for examples of adding value to blog followers. Be sure to spend time on other people’s sites too. Leave thoughtful comments on someone else’s blog (the earlier the better), participate in on-line book discussions or writing forums. Show your interest in other people.

The Internet can be a great big time-suck. Use it wisely. There are literally hundreds, probably thousands of digital networking sites on the Internet today, and there will be more tomorrow. Not all offer everyone the same value. Figure out where YOUR greatest return on your time investment is (i.e. where your readers are), and go there. This is not the same for everyone. Someone who has created an awesome blog following probably needs to spend more time there to keep up and expand that following. Someone who doesn’t might spend more time elsewhere. I used to stress about weekly blog posts before I realized even when I did them, not a lot of people were visiting anyway. So I made two changes to use my time better and reach more people:

1. I decided to update my own blog just frequently enough to keep it from going stagnant
2. I leveraged interviews to keep my blogging simple, and started contributing to group blogs.
3. I spent more time in places like facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and goodreads where shorter updates were the norm.

After that, I found I genuinely enjoyed the process. One exception to this pick-and-chose approach to digital networking may be when you’ve got a book launching in the upcoming months. In the months prior it’s worth your time to ramp up ALL your active sites to ensure you get the word out.

You still have a lot to learn. Luckily, you don’t have to go it alone. Things can change in the digital world at lightning speed. You probably don’t have time to keep it up with it all. Identify a handful of solid resources. There are only 24 hours in the day and if you’re a writer you’re probably writing, reading in your chosen genre, reading for pleasure, keeping up with at least the basic digital networking, and maybe holding down a day job (or two) while trying to balance some semblance of personal life. Do yourself a favor and realize you’re not going it alone. Connect with other writers, agents and publishers and learn what they do to balance it all.

Question for you: If you’re reading this, you’re a participant in digital media and networking. You make a difference by: following, friending, recommending, reviewing, or rating an author on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr. Goodreads, LibraryThing, Amazon or wherever they are. What would you like to see more of from authors in the digital space?

This post is part of the WORDSERVE Literary Agency blog tour on Marketing!

http://avalonauthors.blogspot.com/2011/06/meet-david-unruh.html

Today is the unofficial release day of Last Resort. Congratulations to the two lovely readers who won a copy on my Goodreads giveaway—watch for that in the mail next week! Interested in winning a copy too? Keep your eyes open on Goodreads for another give-away soon! Happy weekend, everyone!

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10858985-last-resort

Pop by the Avalon Author’s blog and meet new Avalon author Teresa Swift from ‘across the pond’. She’s a whole lot of fun!

http://avalonauthors.blogspot.com/2011/05/introducing-teresa-swift.html

http://avalonauthors.blogspot.com/2011/03/author-interview-mona-ingram_21.html

I had called and left a message for a donut cake order. Yes, donut cake, not the other way around. This was for my husband’s 40th birthday. He’s one of those people you can’t buy anything for. Not that he wouldn’t like an iPad or a new watch, but he truly doesn’t like to know someone spent a lot of money on him. That makes it hard to buy ‘special occasion’ gifts that won’t be immediately returned. Also, he’s not a huge fan of sweets, and he eats less cake than I shave off and cram down my gullet after the first slice has been served to ‘even out’ the edges. Not true of the donut cake.

My husband has been talking about the donut cake for the past 17 years. He used to get them as a kid in North Dakota where he grew up. You can imagine my delight when I learned Sweethearts had started making donut cakes. I’ve been planning for months to surprise my husband with one for his milestone birthday this year.

A few days before the special day, I ordered the donut cake, then I went about my normal business. That business included working at a new ‘day’ job for 12-14 hours a day. On top of that, there’s writing, and hosting a house full of family who flew in to celebrate my husband’s birthday. The day before the special day, Sweethearts called me to clarify some questions about my order. Many times. They really, really wanted to reach me, because if they couldn’t get the questions answered (I hadn’t actually spoken to anyone at this point), they wouldn’t be able to fill my order.

I was stuck on conference calls and in meetings from about 6am that day, until 3pm. Sweethearts closed at 2pm. We were planning to leave for the Grand Canyon early on Friday morning and come home late.

Sure, I could buy a cake somewhere else, but I could not buy a replacement for that donut cake, not in any sense of the word. I was CRUSHED. I was cranky. I wanted to cry. The one thing I wanted to give my husband that would be meaningful, was no longer available to me.

I called Sweethearts, even though I knew they were closed. I may have been a teensy bit bent out of shape. I left them a gushing message about how much I loved them, and by the way…how could they? I was counting on them! I needed them! I hung up with tears in my eyes and a sinking feeling in my stomach. It was like being mad at your best friend, or your favorite pet, or having to ground your child for the first time. I wanted to run back to them and say…never mind…I still love you! But, it’s not all about the donuts. My husband matters, too, and this was his special day.

At 2AM I received a call on my cell phone. My brain was screaming – pick it up, it has to be Sweethearts! They know how desperate I am. I’d just worked 14 hours, though, and no matter how badly I wanted to speak with them, I couldn’t make my legs swing out of bed. But, they called back at 6AM. They had gotten my plea in the middle of the night and had taken care of it for me. They didn’t hold it against me that I had freaked out in my voice mail. They were lovely to speak to. Enthusiastic. Caring. There for me. My husband would have his donut cake, and I would eat it too.

I realize those donut artists get up in the wee hours to start their magic everyday, but that doesn’t make how Sweethearts pulled through for me any less meaningful. I have always loved their donuts, but it’s more than that. It’s about the people. It’s about the experience every time I interact with them.

Thank you, Sweethearts, for caring about our relationship. It’s nice to know it’s not entirely one-sided.

Oh, and Happy 40th birthday to my forever sweetheart! I love you too, babe!

Maren shook her head and gave herself a little shake. Enjoy the evening, she told herself. And don’t worry about tomorrow. Carpe diem. You know what that means, right?

In the car, she turned a little in her seat to watch his face. A street lamp threw its light on him, then darkness hid him again. The car smelled of leather and aftershave. A large advertising sign–was it Coca Cola?–filled the interior with garish red light. In one blinding moment of truth, she knew she trusted him blindly. Amazing. When a few hours ago, she would not have trusted him to post a letter. She smiled to herself when it happened. The car came to stop at a red light. A bright street light lit up the interior. She saw his profile cut out against the light, the way his hands touched the steering wheel, the angle he held his head. And all of a sudden, he did not look like Chris at all, but like a stranger she had never met before.

Maren caught her breath. She did not hear the sound of the motor anymore, nor smell the leather seat beneath her. The colors faded out of her world and left it black and white. She blinked and willed the picture to shift right back, pushed away the feeling of strangeness. But it did not change. He looked different. Not like Chris. . . no, not like Chris at all.

The street light changed to green, and he accelerated with confidence, but not in his usual style. On the way to the restaurant, Chris had raced his car as if chased, even if the next red light was only a few yards away. Now, he didn’t. As if he was someone else.

She swallowed. Maybe I’m losing my mind. Maybe I won’t recognize Sherry next. Or myself. Maybe I’m splitting apart. She stared at the back of her hand, the shape of her fingers. Everything looked familiar, like always. A wave of relief washed over her.

Maren twisted in her seat and stared at him. It was a trick of the light. It had to be. But at the next stop, he turned and smiled at her, and no doubt remained. The man next to her wasn’t Chris. Maren shrank back into the darkness of her corner. She couldn’t tell how she knew. She couldn’t point a finger at it; it was just a sum of little things, each too small to list. Suddenly, she remembered a voice she couldn’t put a face to. Had it been Paula, the receptionist at his office? They had joked one day about Chris and good-looking men, and Paula had said: “And then to imagine they exist in doubles.” Maren had laughed but had not been able to ask anything because Chris had arrived that instant. So the man next to her was his twin. Tony. The brother who owned the restaurant . . . if she could believe the story he had told her tonight.

She went through every scene at the restaurant again. It was so obvious, once she knew. When had the change taken place? She recalled the evening step by step. Of course–it must have been right at the beginning, before they had even ordered. That’s why he had been gone such a long time. If she thought about the things she’d said to him . . .! Maren winced. How he must have laughed at her. And the look in his eyes, which seemed so intense, as if nobody else existed–it must have been because he checked if she would see through the masquerade. Her throat hurt. Tomorrow, he would tell Chris everything, and they would laugh at their clever game. She found she was shaking. She threw another look at him. Everything had changed within the last thirty seconds, but he had no clue. She tried to take a deep breath but her chest was too tight. Maren curled up as much as she could. Her stomach felt cold and hard. From far off, she heard Tony say, “Are you cold? I’ll put on the heat.”

She did not reply. How dare he? How dare they do this to her? Those good-looking, ever-winning twins. Fooling the world, so they got what they wanted. Always. And to imagine she had fallen like a ton of bricks for his brother, when Chris was no danger to her. It was so humiliating. And it hurt. Oh, but why? Why do it at all? The radiator heated up the car. Maren still felt cold. Every muscle inside her bunched up, every bone ached. Fury rose within her. The twins were not going to get away with it.

“Maren?” His voice sounded dark and soft. “You’re awfully quiet all of a sudden.” She cleared her throat. Now she knew how to take her revenge . . . she would make him sweat tonight.

Contemporary Romance

by Beate Boeker

Publisher Avalon Books

Hardcover – makes a lovely gift!

Learn more about Beate here:

www.happybooks.de if you wish to order, click here:http://www.amazon.com/Take-My-Place-Beate-Boeker/dp/0803499426/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1268158528&sr=8-1