Thursday, June 16, 2011

Authorsday: Julie Auna

1.      When did you know you wanted to be a writer?



I became serious about my writing in 1971. My first enjoyment of writing began in 1955 while I attended the ninth grade at Elkhart Junior High in Indiana. After writing five novels for my own enjoyment, it took a granddaughter to tell me my stories were worth publishing; that was in 2010.



2.      How did you pick the genre your write in?



I knew nothing about a genre until 2010. No one, except me, read anything I ever wrote until 2010, I never once considered publishing my hobby.



3.      Do you plot or do you write by the seat of your pants?



Everything I write has preplanned first chapter and last chapter. Everything in between is generalized in my mind. I have the background or backdrop sketched out then I do the page-by-page fill-in.



4.      What drew you to the subject of Sisters-Six and One to Grow On?



I was lucky enough or some might say cursed to have five living sisters. I am one of twelve siblings. We are all of the age to retire. I worked for 48 years as a cosmetologist, kept a record of all the funny things that happened to my clientele. My sisters and I fit so many of the stories it was easy to place us in a soft mystery for the first book in the series. I hope to write 3 or 4 more. I have enough material.



5.      What was the best writing advice someone gave you?



Write, rewrite, rewrite, and be prepared to rewrite some more. I rewrote Sisters-Six and One to Grow On six times.



6.      What was the worst? Did you know it at the time?



To use a ghostwriter. I didn’t know it at that time.







7.      Why did you pick the publisher that ultimately published your book?



To wait on the line of command it takes to publish a book these days is way to long for someone who is 72 years old. I am reworking four novels and hope to have them ready in 2012. CreateSpace has been very good to me, but I am responsive to inquiries from other publishers.



8.      If you could ask your readers one question, what would it be?



Is my writing worth reading? Did you laugh out loud on one page then shed a tear on the next?



9.      Tell me one thing about yourself that very few people know.



I love classical music, the old composers and my favorite musical instrument is the piano. My favorite piano players are Richard Clayerman and Van Cliburn.



10.  Describe your book.



A story about six old sisters who decide to live out the rest of their days on Kettering Wood Plantation. They are a diverse bunch, strong willed, and hysterically funny. A pet schnauzer, Spats, and his sidekick, a goat, is an odd combination that rides a whirlwind of calamity and adventure for the six dear souls.



Refurbishing the French influenced mansion and cottages bring the sisters to a hands on mystery as they unveil left behind memorabilia belonging to Sir Charles LaTurrell, stolen and brought to America to cover up his profitable, but illegal business. It is done in good taste and pleasing to the reader.



Blurb:

On the passing of the last brother-in-law, the six rowdy, retired sisters find themselves on a merry-go-round mystery surrounding their purchase of Kettering Wood Plantation. The deceased architect Sir Charles LaTurrell’s bloody deeds and stolen memorabilia opens a Pandora’s Box taking the six to Washington D.C. then onto Paris, France.

Spats, a pet schnauzer, and his co-conspirator Buford, a goat, add hysteria to the puzzle ridden lives of the sisters. The climatic events bring the sisters face to face with the mysterious Helanna.



Author’s Bio:

Born in Higgins, Texas, Julie Áuna grew up in Elkhart, Indiana. Married her husband, Carl and they were blessed with three sons. Julie chose cosmetology as a lifelong career. This vocation set the stage for many stories.

In the late sixties, Julie Áuna and her family moved to Hot Springs, Arkansas. She decided to take a beginners computer course at National Park Community College, in the mid-nineties, which encouraged her second venture, a class in creative writing and she was hooked.

Her first love after her God and family is penning fiction. For her writing is like a heartbeat it makes all her tomorrows worthwhile.

1 comment:

Vicoprofen said...

Good to know so much about you.Such blogs are good for new writers.Great work.Keep it up.

Thanks
_______
Roger