Jo Parfitt » interview

Writers Abroad radio show 16 – Jeremy Holland, author, blogger, hypergraph

Jo Parfitt, Summertime Publishing — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 11:05:07 +0000

Jeremy Holland left his home in the US in 2002 to live first in Barcelona and now a small town in the Netherlands. Writers Abroad radio show 15 – Jeremy Holland, author, blogger, hypergraphNow in Alkmaar, home of the cheese market, his blog HollandFromHolland has already started earning him money in less than a month. Listen to the interview to find out how here.

Interview with Jeremy Holland, hypergraph and author of From Barcelona

Jo Parfitt, Summertime Publishing — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 07:51:16 +0000

I first met writer, Jeremy Holland, when I was asked to read his book From Barcelona and write its foreword. Later, the book reappeared on my desk as among the twenty or so, I inherited from Bookshaker last year. That he randomly moved to Holland last year added to the serendipitous nature of our liaison and so, now, I am delighted to share my recent interview with him, with you.

Jeremy Holland was born in Glendale California and have lived in six different countries including Saudi Arabia and Spain. Currently living in North Holland with my wife, daughter and our latest addition, a psychotic kitten.

Tell me about your book. What is it about? Can you describe it in just a few sentences? To show that a book has focus it is vital that it can be described briefly and succinctly.

From Barcelona Vol. 1 is what I describe as “city-lit,” which is basically fiction centered on a particular city. Rather than devote a full length novel, I thought it would be more entertaining to write ten short stories of different genres from crime to horror to literary and historical fiction, giving readers a more varied view of the place.

Why did you write it?

Mostly to work on my craft and to see if I could be published.

Why do you think your book needed to be written? What will your book do for other people?

There just seemed to be a market for fiction centered on a city. A good example is Shadow of the Wind by Zafrón. You say, Barcelona, and people immediately cite that book. I just wanted to show different sides of the city beyond mysterious book sellers.

Who do you think will read your book? What made you think that there was a market for it? If your book has been out for a while, what proof do you have that you were right?

I think anyone interested in Barcelona or Spain will like it. Each story offers a different view of the city, peeling back the curtain so to speak. This has been reflected in the mostly positive reviews from the critics and readers both on Amazon and in the press.

It does not matter how good a book is, or how good your writing is if no one knows about it. What steps have you taken or do you plan to take to promote your book? Are you a speaker or trainer? Do you have a blog? A website? A newsletter? Do you use Facebook, Twitter or other social media tools? What about press releases and sending out review copies and free articles? Have you had any other ideas? Which methods do you think work best and can you give me any examples?

I have to admit I’m terrible at self-promotion. When the book first came out I did some press, but unfortunately the book’s release coincided with my move from Spain to Holland, so everything kind of got put on hold while my family and I got settled into out new home. Then being the writer I am, I decided to write a novel because I prefer my head to the real world.

That said. I did maintain the blog http://www.frombarcelona.com which proved a valuable tool and now started one on life in Alkmaar, http://www.hollandfromholland.com. I have a facebook page but don’t understand Twitter.

How did you publish your book? Did you find an agent, a publisher or did you publish it yourself? Please describe your process and tell us how you found the experience.

I got in touch with a small publisher of guide books, Native Spain, and pitched them the book proposal. They liked the samples I’d sent and we went from there.

Self-belief can be a big problem for writers. How did you manage to stay confident in your ability and remember that you were good enough to write your book? How did you cope with the days when you thought you could not do it and that it was rubbish?

Self-belief is still something I struggle with. I write because it keeps me sane more than for the fame or glory. It’s a craft that I’m still learning. So I always want to do one more revision because I’m never happy. This can be a problem if I’m the last person to see and edit it. But in order to keep doing it, I have to learn to live with an imperfect product and make some money.

It’s easy to procrastinate, to blame writers’ block and to put off finishing your project. How did you keep yourself motivated? And how long did it take you to write it? What was your routine?

Honestly writer’s block has never been a problem for me. If anything I tend to suffer from hypergraphia, which is the overwhelming urge to write. But when it comes to the marketing or that end of it, that’s a different story. Usually I decide to write another book, hoping it’ll lead to bigger and better things.

What was your biggest challenge regarding the writing of your book? How have you overcome that?

I think the biggest challenge is not letting the book I’m writing at the time consume me. I have a vocal wife who reminds me of my responsibilities to her and our daughter.

If you were to give advice to someone else who is thinking about writing a book, what would be your number one tip?

Don’t give up your day job and keep at it.

Writers Abroad Radio Show no 10 – I talk about my new novel, Sunshine Soup

Jo Parfitt, Summertime Publishing — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 12:48:27 +0000

This week’s radio show is a bit different. This time I am the one in the hot seat!

Global writer and journalist, Renata Harper, interviews me about the agony and the ecstasy of writing my upcoming novel, Sunshine Soup. I talk about how long it took, how I took a risk, how hard it was to write and how I coped not only with the knockbacks but that well-known moment, when you can see the finish line, and suddenly think that every word you wrote was utter rubbish. See, I’m normal, just like everyone else!

Click here to listen to the show.

Sunshine Soup’s official launch is on 1st October. Yes, it’s my first novel!

Author to author interview with Mike Harling of Postcards from Across the Pond

Jo Parfitt, Summertime Publishing — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 09:57:26 +0000

Mike Harling loves to write. He is an American who ended up on the other side of the pond because he fell for a Scottish woman. I guess that makes him a love immigrant. Mike saw the funny side of life in the UK and began to blog. The blog became a book and today he has extended his blog to write in collaboration with the British author of Rules Britannia, who went the other way, to the US and who goes by the handle ExpatMum. Together, Mike and Toni Hargis write Pond Parleys and have quite a following. Here, I asked him about his blook, Postcards from Across the Pond, and as you will see, he keeps the sense of humour that makes him so popular.

Tell me about your book. What is it about? Can you describe it in just a few sentences? To show that a book has focus it is vital that it can be described briefly and succinctly.

My book is a collection of humorous, Bryson-esque articles on what it is like being an American living in Great Britain.

Why did you write it?

I couldn’t help it.

Why do you think your book needed to be written? What will your book do for other people?

It has no intrinsic value, except to make people laugh, and perhaps inform them of what live in another country is like.

Who do you think will read your book? What made you think that there was a market for it? If your book has been out for a while, what proof do you have that you were right?

American expat in the UK, British expats in the US, and generally anyone who likes humor. It seems to be very popular among Brits

I sent free copies to reveiwers

I had the local paper interview me

I did a book signing and talked my book into several local bookstores

I have a blog

I have a website—though currently it serves only as a portal for the blog

I do not have a newsletter

I am on Facebook, MySpace (remember that?) Twitter, Linked In, Internations and several other expat-related sites. I am not currently active on any but plan to start up again.

I did a blog tour of about 27 blogs. It generated some interest.

I talked my way onto a popular local radio show.

How did you publish your book? Did you find an agent, a publisher or did you publish it yourself? Please describe your process and tell us how you found the experience.

Postcards was originally self-published after I could not find an agent or publisher to pick it up. I then placed it with Lean Marketing Press.

Couldn’t do what? And who are you calling rubbish? I’m a good writer, and I write every day. Although, if I produce so much and publish so little, maybe I am rubbish. Thanks for nothing!

So, yeah, I mostly argue with myself. I find therapy helps.

It’s easy to procrastinate, to blame writers’ block and to put off finishing your project. How did you keep yourself motivated? And how long did it take you to write it? What was your routine?

I have a daily schedule with daily goal to reach. This keeps me on track even when I don’t feel like writing.

What was your biggest challenge regarding the writing of your book? How have you overcome that?

Finding a publisher was the hardest bit. I just kept at it until I found one.

If you were to give advice to someone else who is thinking about writing a book, what would be your number one tip?

Don’t. Learn to lay bricks; you’ll make more money.

My time – I get interviewed for my Writers Abroad Radio Show

Jo Parfitt, Summertime Publishing — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:03:49 +0000

I’ll fess up. We recorded this show first – eight weeks ago – before I recorded all the other shows. But I forgot to upload it!

So here you have it, Rachel Flower, of Live Your Brilliance, interviews me, brilliantly, about writing.

Please listen to the show here.

Writers Abroad radio show 7 – being funny with author Debs Fletcher

Jo Parfitt, Summertime Publishing — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:19:14 +0000

It is hard to be funny in real life and on the page. Debbie Fletcher, who wrote her hilarious memoir, Bitten by Spain, manages to do so though. Listen to my interview with her for my Writers Abroad radio show and just enjoy her frankness and her wit.

Listen to the show here

Author to author interview with Gabrielle Collison of Buying Property in Portugal

Jo Parfitt, Summertime Publishing — Sat, 28 May 2011 13:16:09 +0000

As you know, I took over the expatriate book list from Bookshaker earlier this year and that means that I also adopted the authors who came too. Gabby Collison is one of those new/old authors and back in January I was launched right into the middle of the production of a second edition of Buying a Property in Portugal. Gabby is a Londoner but was a frequent traveller to Portugal, because her parents had moved there. She studied Sports Science to postgraduate level and was a top class athlete for a number of years. After an injury diminished her motivation,she retired from the sport and decided to do a bit of travelling. Being pretty good at picking up languages she found herself helping many expatriates with bureaucracy and property related problems. Soon she was writing about this on Internet forums and was eventually coaxed into producing some articles and a book.

Unlike many of the memoirs I feature on my blog, this is a different kettle of fish. It is a ‘how to’ book. How to books tend to sell better than memoirs because they solve a problem. If you were looking to buy a property in Portugal the chances are you would type something like ‘buy house Portugal’ into a search engine and lo! Gabby’s book would appear. That a second edition will be out any day now is testament to the fact that how to books are popular. Now, over to Gabby:

Tell me about your book. What is it about? Can you describe it in just a few sentences? To show that a book has focus it is vital that it can be described briefly and succinctly.

The book is about the processes and documentation involved when buying property in Portugal, as well as the things that people should consider when seeking to relocate there.

Why did you write it?

To help inform people about the processes and documentation involved in buying property in Portugal and to protect people from being taken advantage of by sharks.

Why do you think your book needed to be written? What will your book do for other people?

A lot of books have been written about buying property in Portugal, but I think mine goes into a lot more detail about the things that people should consider and check on for themselves. It is hopefully a more “street wise” guide than most.

Who do you think will read your book? What made you think that there was a market for it? If your book has been out for a while, what proof do you have that you were right?

Obviously those looking to buy property in Portugal and/or relocate there will have an interest in the book. After helping so many people with queries and problems I realised that the book could be of a lot of use and many people encouraged me to do it. The first edition was very well received and so a few years on I decided it was definitely worth doing a second edition.

For the first edition I mostly wrote on Internet forums related to Portugal with a link to the book in my signature. I also managed to get it promoted by a few websites and reputable real estate agents. I tried a blog for a while, but found forums the best means of promotion. I also gave out some free copies to magazines. I shall try the same approach with the second edition.

How did you publish your book? Did you find an agent, a publisher or did you publish it yourself? Please describe your process and tell us how you found the experience.

I wrote to Joe (and Debs) at Bookshaker after a friend gave me their contact and by chance they were looking for overseas property books, especially for countries like Portugal. I think it was one of those life synchronicities and Joe (and Debs) were very easy to get along with and work with.

I guess that having managed to obtain an MSc I realised I could string a few words together that made some sense to someone. In general, I don’t lack self-belief in terms of my ability to write stuff that will be useful and of interest. However, despite all that I still feel my grammar isn’t top notch and I wouldn’t feel that confident about having something published without editing.

It’s easy to procrastinate, to blame writers’ block and to put off finishing your project. How did you keep yourself motivated? And how long did it take you to write it? What was your routine?

My first edition took me about three months. However, I already had a draft outline of what I wanted to include and so it just meant expanding on that. As an ex top-class athlete I don’t find motivation and focus too difficult. I just get my head down. I am quite tenacious and rarely give up on something once I have started it. Having said that, writing my second edition was a fair bit harder and took me longer as I had moved back to London by this time and had a lot of other distractions. I have a part-time job but I try to treat the writing as my other part-time job and give it equal (if not more) importance. I find writing in the morning and sometimes late at night the best times for me. In the afternoons, I tend to go to the gym or swim, catch up with chores and have coffee with friends. Exercise really helps me focus a lot better – healthy body, healthy mind!

What was your biggest challenge regarding the writing of your book? How have you overcome that?

My biggest challenge was the fear of it not being well received and even upsetting some people by being so blunt, outspoken and informative. Not many books had dared to be quite so detailed about buying a property overseas. I overcame this by believing that it was more important for me to protect and inform people than worry about what others thought of me.

If you were to give advice to someone else who is thinking about writing a book, what would be your number one tip?

Get an idea, make an outline plan and then just start it, and don’t give up on it until it is done!

Writers Abroad Radio Show no 2 – I chat to Linda Janssen, a new writer, about her rapid success

Jo Parfitt, Summertime Publishing — Tue, 24 May 2011 14:45:45 +0000

Some of you may know Linda already through her award-winning blog at Adventures in Expatland. What you may not know is that I only met Linda six month ago and in that time she has learned to write articles, blogs, books and life story. She grabbed her goals by the scruff of the neck and and went for it, blogging 5-7 times a week, getting articles placed worldwide and she is now working on a couple of books. Linda is a role model for any new writer out there who doubts they can do really do it. An American in Holland, Linda is new to expat life but she embraced every challenge and opportunity and is now on the way to cracking career.

You can listen to my interview with her and find out the secrets of her success on today’s radio show by clicking right here.

Writers Abroad radio show No 1 – I interview Julia Simens of Emotional Resilience and the Expat Child

Jo Parfitt, Summertime Publishing — Wed, 18 May 2011 15:47:11 +0000

I am very excited to announce that from this week I have my own radio show!

Called Writers Abroad, my show is part of TheWINonline network and each week I will be interviewing new expat authors and writers and sharing tips to help others who share those writing dreams.

My first show features my most recently published author, Julia Simens.

Listen here for 15 minutes of wisdom from the writer’s mouth.

Author to Author – meet Alice Griffin of Tales from a Travelling Mum

Jo Parfitt, Summertime Publishing — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:52:58 +0000

Alice Griffin is a freelance travel writer whose work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Spain magazine, Living Abroad, Babyworld, Mumsense and various others. Prior to motherhood she worked as a travel researcher for a tourist directory, which took her across the world. Since becoming a mother in 2007 she has continued to indulge her passion for travel, along with her family, and love to write about and share my experiences. Her website is AliceGriffin.co.uk

Tell me about your book. What is it about? Can you describe it in just a few sentences? To show that a book has focus it is vital that it can be described briefly and succinctly.

Tales from a Travelling Mum is a travel memoir charting family travels during the first two years of my daughter’s life. I write about short vacation trips to Norway and Greece, offering some simple advice along the way, and talk about giving up life in the UK and embarking on a long-term road trip through Europe – family dog included! I guess this book is for armchair travellers, those dreaming of taking a leap into the unknown, and any new parents needing reassurance that travel with our children is still possible, and fun.

Why did you write it?

Because I have a passion for travel and writing and I enjoy sharing my observations and experiences with interested readers. I also believe that many people think travel with children is difficult, stressful and un-enjoyable and I hoped to prove that actually, by being relaxed and adaptable, this is not the case.

Why do you think your book needed to be written? What will your book do for other people?

I believe that travel writing has the ability to transport us from our everyday lives and allow us to experience something new, exciting and enjoyable. In my opinion, there can never be too many travel books to be devoured; I am endlessly interested and amazed by people’s travelling tales and observations. My hope is that my book will give readers a similar experience, transporting them to Greece, Norway, France and Spain. Of course, in particular, I hope that it will give other families dreaming of both short and long-term travel, a little inspiration to help them on their own adventures.

Who do you think will read your book? What made you think that there was a market for it? If your book has been out for a while, what proof do you have that you were right?

There are many top tips and guidebooks for those looking to travel with children, but mine is a personal story and I believed that there would be those in a similar position to myself who would be interested in reading it. It hasn’t been a best seller, but I have been fortunate enough to receive wonderful feedback from a number of readers. Many are of course new parents, but equally there are those who have not been parents of toddlers for some time but enjoy travel writing and enjoyed reading my book, minus the tips.

When the book was first released I blogged and networked about it relentlessly, as did those mums who contributed: Facebook, Twitter, interviews, articles, blogging networks etc. More than a year since release this has slowed somewhat, but I do still mention it in my bio whenever and wherever possible. I think social networking is the best approach as I have connected with many interested readers in this way.

How did you publish your book? Did you find an agent, a publisher or did you publish it yourself? Please describe your process and tell us how you found the experience.

I was lucky enough to find Debbie Jenkins (Bookshaker) who reviewed my freelance writing portfolio and suggested the idea of a ‘top tips for travel with children’ book… I explained that this was not really what I to write so after some discussion we settled on the combination of narrative travel writing, plus a little advice. I found the experience was not as daunting as I had previously thought, in huge part of course to Debbie’s interest and belief in me.

I think self-belief can certainly be a big problem for most writers! For me, at the beginning I was amazed that I was actually able to finish writing a book and was on a high from simply achieving this, followed by the excitement of publication. However, once the buzz of interviews and reviews wore off, I started to analyse my book more and have definitely gone through ups and downs about my writing abilities. However, I believe that writing comes from the heart – it is a passion, a compulsion, a love of putting down in words what we see and feel. So, on the days where I doubt my abilities, I just look around me and keep writing. Even if it’s notes on paper or a simple blog post, continuing to write even when I doubt myself, reminds me as to why I write in the first place. It also helps to have a readership, no matter how small, who enjoy and connect with what you write. It’s amazing how a simple supportive comment can lift my spirits and keep me writing.

It’s easy to procrastinate, to blame writers’ block and to put off finishing your project. How did you keep yourself motivated? And how long did it take you to write it? What was your routine?

It took me about six months to write my book, but I did have various articles to use as the basis of some parts. I kept myself motivated simply by watching the word count creep up and by blogging about the experience, which led to a lot of great support in the ‘blogosphere’. I tried to write something five days a week, with weekends off, but I didn’t beat myself up if I wasn’t in the writing mood one day as often I would have the opportunity to catch up when I was in the right mood.

What was your biggest challenge regarding the writing of your book? How have you overcome that?

My biggest challenge was that I wrote most of this book whilst on a road trip through France, Spain and Portugal. So while my husband, daughter and dog frolicked in the sea or swimming pool, I would be scribbling incessantly under my shaded hat. It was also hard to concentrate when my family was around me 24/7 – no writing ‘space’ when travelling in a tiny caravan! I overcame this simply by getting on with it and as I said, not beating myself up if one day the beach was calling me more than writing.

If you were to give advice to someone else who is thinking about writing a book, what would be your number one tip?

Just write. Even if you’re writing and not really sure where it’s going, just keep going. People have emailed me asking for tips on how to ‘become’ a writer – I don’t think you become a writer, I believe writing comes from the soul. It’s something you are unable to not do, a compulsion to write about everything you think, feel and experience so if you think there is a book in you – then just write.