Author Interview: Kathy Ferber

Today it gives me great pleasure to introduce Kathy Ferber , author of ‘The Sun’s Companion’ .

My interview with Kathleen:

What is the title or working title of your current book?

It’s called The Sun’s Companion – the title comes from the theory that the sun has a dark twin star called Nemesis that causes cosmic catastrophes. My characters, caught up in historical events beyond their control, are at the mercy of Nemesis.

Please provide us with a brief synopsis of your book.

It begins in 1935. Tamar Fell has no family – or so she=s been told – and she relies on the friends she makes as she=s dragged from lodging house to lodging house by her mother – the reckless, beautiful Sadie. Then Tamar meets Anna Weissmann, exiled from her own family by European politics, and they forge a friendship that will last through bereavement, failed love affairs, internment, betrayal, and the dislocations of war.

What genre does your current book fall under?
It’s a 20^th century historical romance.

Do you always write for the same genre?

No – I’m better known as a biographer and poet – I’ve published 7 biographies and two collections of poetry, and I’ve also worked in journalism (Cosmo and She) and for the BBC.

Who or what motivates or inspires you to write?

I’ve written since I was a small child – it seems like an addiction (or a curse!) I can’t get away from. I just don’t feel right unless I have a pen in my hand.

Tell us about your writing background.

I started writing at school and always wanted to be a writer – though I hadn’t a clue how you became one. I got married as a teenager and had four children, which made it much more difficult! But I made it in the end, publishing poems in little magazines, freelancing in journalism, bits and pieces here and there, and then doing some things for BBC radio, which led to my first book.

How long does it typically take you to write a first draft?

Depends a bit on the book – my last biography took 5 years! But the novel was much quicker. The fastest I’ve ever written a book was 7 months.

Do you employ an editor to assist you in your writing process?

Most of my books have been traditionally published and so they’ve been edited by the publisher. I’ve had to pay an editor to work on my self-published books – I wouldn’t like to do it myself – you just miss so much.

Are you self-published or represented by an agency?

I’m both. I have an agent, but the climate is so difficult now I’m self publishing rather than going down the traditional route. It can take nearly two years for an agent to read and submit a manuscript, only for it to be rejected on marketing criteria. Who wants to waste two years?

Do you have future projects we can look forward to?

I have another novel, The Centauress, ready to go in January. It’s set in Istria, Venice and New York, in the aftermath of 9/11. It’s slightly autobiographical, in that the heroine goes to Istria to write the biography of a famous artist and it completely changes her life.

Do you have any tips or advice to offer fellow writers?

Believe in yourself – if you don’t have that confidence, then your readers won’t believe in you either. But it’s the hardest thing in the world. Being part of a co-operative group of authors is good if you’re self-published – they keep your ego stroked! I’m a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors and a co-operative called Authors Electric – it’s made a real difference.

Is there anything else you would like to share with your potential readers?

Just keep on reading! Writers can’t do without you!

Tell us how we can connect with you in the world of social media

• Blog ‘A Writer’s Life’
• Facebook
• My Author page on Goodreads
• My Twitter Tag @kathyferber
• Website
• My Author page on Amazon

Don’t forget to follow Geek Girl on Facebook and Twitter. Subscribe to Geek Girl USA by Email

Filed in: Author Interviews Tags: Author Interviews