Today, I have the pleasure of Author Felicia Thomas to grace my page. Welcome Author Felicia to my blog.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I live in Tallahassee, FL, with my three beautiful children. I’m an author, attorney, ghostwriter, and editor.
What do you do when you are not writing?
Reading, watching my favorite TV shows.
Do you have a day job as well?
I’m an attorney. I work for the State of Florida and I also have my own law firm in which I practice Social Security disability law and Guardianship.
When did you first start writing and when did you finish your first book?
I started writing in elementary school but published my first book in 2011.
How did you choose the genre you write in?
I write in several genres, including mysteries and young adult. I love murder mysteries, but the young adult genre chose me. I was grieving the loss of my cousin; 80 Proof Lives was just a short, short story I had written as a class assignment; it became a novel as a result of a writer’s conference, an agent’s interest, and therapy for my grief.
Where do you get your ideas?
From things I’ve observed; snatches of conversation; memories.
Do you ever experience writer’s block?
All the time!
Do you work with an outline, or just write?
Primarily, I just write.
Is there any author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?
Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”
Can you tell us about your challenges in getting your first book published?
My biggest challenge was the fear that I had nothing to offer readers.
If you had to go back and do it all over, is there any aspect of your novel or getting it published that you would change?
The only thing I would change about my novel is that I would set it in a place where I didn’t grow up.
How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for your genre?
I’m weak in the marketing department, but word of mouth has always worked best for me.
Have you written a book you love that you have not been able to get published?
I have written a couple of books that I love. The only reason they are not published is because I need to polish them and submit them for publishing.
Can you tell us about your upcoming book?
I just published a novelette titled, “The Kiss of Life.” It’s about forgiveness. Sometimes, both the person who needs to forgive and the person who needs to be forgiven must confront the reason forgiveness is an issue.
Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?
80 Proof Lives is set in Quincy, FL, where I was born and raised. Five percent of the book is based on my true-life experiences and 95% is based on fiction. If a reader can’t tell what’s real and what’s not, difference, then I’ve done my job as a writer.
What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?
My favorite chapter contains the description of Miss Lipstick. I enjoyed building her character and describing her in such a way that she seemed like a person anyone could say, no matter where they’re from, “I know her.”
How did you come up with the title?
Several people helped me with that title. Part of the story is about people’s vices, and one of those vices is alcoholism.
What project are you working on now?
I’m working on a murder mystery and a screenplay.
Will you have a new book coming out soon?
My goal is to have at least one full-length novel published this year.
Website:
For booking guest appearances:
Contact (704)408-0517 or write booking@feliciaswthomas.com
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