Blog Tour: Unexpecting [Lori Verni-Fogarsi]
Blog Tour: Unexpecting [Lori Verni-Fogarsi]
I am thrilled to be taking part in the blog tour for Lori’s newly released book, ‘ Unexpecting ‘. I was one of the few people Lori chose to receive a copy of this new book pre-release. I will be honest here and tell you that I have not finished it yet. What I can tell you is that she had my attention from the very first page.
You may have already heard of Lori from her previous book, ‘ Momnesia ‘.
And now I am pleased to present my interview with Lori.
Please provide us with a brief synopsis of your book.
- Shelley and David are a couple of almost-empty-nesters whose kids are just about all off to college. Their lives are catapulted in a completely different direction when Alexandra, seventeen and pregnant, shows up at their door and announces that she’s the daughter they never knew they had!
What genre does your current book fall under?
- Contemporary women’s fiction.
Do you always write for the same genre?
- Yes and no. Both of my novels have been contemporary women’s fiction, but my first book, “Everything You Need to Know About House Training Puppies and Adult Dogs,” is nonfiction, as are many of my published magazine and newspaper articles.
Who or what motivates or inspires you to write?
- I like to write things that make people feel… whether it be commiseration, trepidation, happiness, or a good old-fashioned escape through entertainment. Receiving letters and positive reviews from readers who have enjoyed my books is what keeps me writing for the public, rather than in a journal just for my own pleasure.
Tell us about your writing background.
- My writing career began in an unusual way! Back in 1995 when I owned a dog training school, I started the Best Paw Forward Dog Education newsletter as a marketing tool. I was surprised when I began receiving requests to write for other magazines and newspapers! Over the years, my career has progressed to include a multitude of articles in magazines, newspapers, a weekly syndicated column, three books, and more!
How long does it typically take you to write a first draft?
- About eight months for the first draft only. Start to finish, about sixteen months.
Do you employ an editor to assist you in your writing process?
- Yes! In my opinion, having a professional editor is an absolute necessity! I don’t care how skilled a writer is—or even if they edit for other people. It is extremely important to have an impartial professional fine-tune your work before publication. And let’s face it, if Jodi Picoult and John Grisham still need professional editors, so do I and every other author!
Are you self-published or represented by an agency?
- My books are published by Brickstone Publishing, a small press that I started myself. I did it this way because, although “self-published,” I wanted my books to be able to stand out from the crowds of those that are being put out there without professional editing, cover design, and layout.
Do you have future projects we can look forward to?
- Yes, I have both another novel and a nonfiction work on the fires. The novel will be contemporary women’s fiction, although the story will be from the men’s point of view on what it’s like to try and be the “do it all” guy: family provider, tee-ball coach, lawn guy, etc. Kind of like “Momnesia” was, but from a man’s point of view. My nonfiction project will be titled “A Party Animal’s Guide to Beginner’s Party Animalism.” It will be geared toward older teens and twenty-somethings, sharing shoot-from-the hip advice on how to have fun without ruining your life, as well as redefining the meaning of what it is to be a party animal in the first place.
Do you have any tips or advice to offer fellow writers?
- Just write your book. Don’t worry about what you’re going to do with it later… if it’s not written, it can never be published! If you do self-publish, professional editing is an absolute necessity.
Is there anything else you would like to share with your potential readers?
- Yes! I genuinely enjoy getting to know my readers and hope you will enjoy my books if you decide to read them! I appreciate you getting to know me a bit through this interview, and I hope to get to know you too, perhaps through comments here, or in other ways!
Tell us how we can connect with you in the world of social.
- #/LoriTheAuthor
- www.twitter.com/LoriTheAuthor
- www.pinterest.com/LoriTheAuthor
- www.LoriTheAuthor.com
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Filed in: Author Interviews • Books
Thank you so much for hosting me on your blog! I really enjoyed being interviewed by you and I hope your readers enjoy it too!
I love her tip, "Just write your book". Many times we have an idea and that is all it is. It's never acted on out of fear or whatever keeps us form moving forward. 🙂
I like her approach. You have to treat it like a business if you want to do more than just write in a diary.
I definitely agree about needing an editor. Even though one can self-edit and revise, there is nothing that can replace the sound guidance of a professional.
Nice inspiration
We all need an editor, but sometimes I find that I'm editing myself too much as I write. Sometimes you need to just let the words flow. Write first. Edit later.
Love all the comments, everyone! I'm glad you're enjoying the interview!
Thats so interesting that she got her start writing a nonfiction, hot-to book about animals and realized her passion! Sounds like a very interesting premise for a novel and one that focus's on a unique age for its main characters. Very cool.
For all its downsides, self-publishing has one upside that Lori demonstrates: it doesn't lock you into a genre. I've known a few writers whose success in one genre serves as golden handcuffs. Some of them have to use a new pen name in order to write in a genre other than the first one in which they have a success.
Nice interview.