10 Questions with Author Ilona Fridl!

Good morning friends and fellow readers!

Nothing like starting a Monday morning out bright and early with a brand new book, or, also, an interview with an author who has a brand new book out!

I'm so excited to welcome back my friend and fellow romance author, Ilona Fridl, author of multiple romantic page turners offered to you through a number of channels by our friends at The Wild Rose Press.  Today we are talking to Ilona about her newest novel, That Monroe Girl.


Here's a nibblet to whet your whistle.  (Oh yes, and it's historical...so I'm getting into the mood.)

Cat Monroe arrives in Tombstone, Arizona searching for her father and brothers, who left Virginia for the West right after the Civil War.  With the help of newspaper reporter Jake Spenser, she finds her family and a whole peck of trouble. She's falling for the newspaperman, but she discovers his family and hers are feuding over water rights. When he father finally accepts that she is his daughter, he wants to marry her off to a rich neighbor who has a dark past.

Scandal and murder are catching her in a snare.  Who can she possibly trust in a town too tough to die?

And now, my friends, it's time for TEN QUESTIONS WITH AUTHOR ILONA FRIDL!


Ilona:  First of all I'd like to thank Sarah for hosting me on her blog.

Sarah:  You are very welcome, Ilona!  I'm always excited to alert folks to indie and e-pubbed authors
who are putting out excellent reads!  Here we go with the questions!

1)  Tell us about the book!  What would you like readers to take away from "That Monroe Girl?"

Mostly I wrote the story for pure entertainment, but there seems to be an underlying message of the struggle a woman had to endure i the 19th century.


2)  What book ,movie, song or character inspired you to write this book?

I've always loved Westerns.  Growing up, I watched movies, TV, and read books about the times in the Old West.  Writing a Western was in the card for me.

3)  Best/worst movie based on a book.

Best was the 1990s version of "Little Women."  That stayed most faithful to the story.  Worst was "Gone With The Wind." I think I would have liked the movie better if I  hadn't read the book first.  They left so much of the story out of it.  

Sarah's response:  I totally agree, the 1990's "Little Women" was really good and the production value was amazing.  As for "GWTW," I love both the book and the movie but I agree, the movie left way too much out.  

4) Of all your books, which of your characters is most like you?

That's easy!  Teri in "Iris Rainbow."  I made her the same age I was then and many of her experiences were similar. I didn't have to do much research about Los Angeles in the 1960's because I grew up there. And who wouldn't love to have a rock star fall in love with you?

Sarah's response:  I think those who know me know how I would answer that question!  LOL


5)  If you could live in any time period or be any person, when or whom would you choose and why?

I think coming of age in the 1920's would be fun.  That's where I set my "Dangerous Times" series. Working in Hollywood for the studios in that pioneering time always interested me.

6:  I've spent some serious time on this blog talking about the future of publishing and e-publishing.  You work with The Wild Rose Press. what are your thoughts on self publishing-e-publishing and the future of electronic books?

I think there will always be a place for paper books but you have to make room for the e-books as well. For books you want to keep and read over and over, paper is best. The e-readers is easy to take with you and you don't have to haul around bulky books when you travel.

7)  What are you reading right now?

"Magic's Price" by Mercedes Lackey. I love fantasy and maybe will tackle a fantasy book one of these days.

8)  Plain M & M's or peanut and why?


Plain. I like to put them in my mouth and let them dissolve into a chocolate gooey mess. Peanuts just get in the way!



9)  Who would play you in a movie about your life?

I'd need a curvy actress and there's not many of those in the industry. Melissa McCarthy?  Too much.  Kardashians?  no.  I'm rambling now.  Looks like I'll have to put out a casting call. That doesn't answer your question does it?  Oh well, I'm open for suggestions...

10:  What's next for you?

I have a novella mystery coming out with Amos and Sarah Darcy from "Prime Catch."


AWESOME!  

Thank you, Ilona!  Now, here's a bit more of a bio on our author: 

Ilona Fridl was born in sunny California where she spent the first twenty years of her life. Dreaming up stories took up a lot of her time. She then followed her parents to Wisconsin where she met her husband, Mark. They started a locksmithing business, but there were still stories in her head.  Finally she started putting them on paper, actually, a computer.  The rest is history.  She has an adult daughter and a granddaughter.



If you want to find Ilona online:

Her website!

Her Facebook!  

Her Goodreads!

If you want to buy Ilona's books (and of COURSE YOU DO!)

At the Wild Rose Press

On Amazon

10 Questions with Romance Author Ilona Fridl!

Good morning!

Yesterday I wrote a review of Ilona Fridl's new flashback romance, "Iris Rainbow."  Today, Ilona sits down with me (in a virtual world, I didn't really make the woman get up before 7 AM to answer my questions!) and answers my ten questions!

Ready?  Here we go!


1)  Tell us about the book! What would you like readers 

to take away from Iris Rainbow?

Thank you for inviting me to your blog, Sarah.  I wrote this to give people an idea of what it was like in the 60's. Teri is the same age I was at the time it took place. I always dreamed, as a teen, of falling in love with a rock star and this is my "what if" moment. I also was inspired by stories of young lovers who broke up and went to live separate lives, meeting again decades later and find they were still in love.

2) What, if any, book, movie, song or character inspired you to write?

The song, Your Wildest Dreams, by the Moody Blues really touched me. I thought, "Wow, that would make a hell of a story" and it did.

3)  Best/worst movie based on a book :

Best: Little Women. The 90's version.

Worst: Gone with the Wind. I liked the book better. (Sarah's comment:  Ooooh that's harsh!  I mean, I liked the book better, too, of course.  But WORST movie?  LOL)

4) Do you write with a soundtrack for whatever you're working on, or do you write in complete silence?

Music does help to create the mood, but I've worked both ways. For my WWII book, Bronze Skies, I listened to a lot of big band music.

5) When do you find time to write? What's your schedule like?

I try to write a couple of hours in the morning and afternoon. The rest of the time, I'm working scenes out in my head.

6) What are you reading right now? 

Well, I'm back writing in the 20's again. I'm reading "Life in the Twenties" by Nathan Miller. Look for another Amos and Sarah Darcy mystery!

7) Starbucks or Caribou coffee?  

Starbucks hands down! I LOVE their white chocolate mocha! Although, I like Caribou coffee ice cream.

8) Who would play you in a movie about your life?

That's funny, because I took one of those tests on Facebook and it came up Emma Watson to play me in a movie. She would have to lose the British accent, though.

 9) What's next for you?

I have a western story in with my editor right now. My work in progress is another Alaskan mystery, re question #6.

10.) Anything more?

Many little demonic plots and characters dancing around in my head. Once you open the door to these people, they don't stop bugging you.

Thank you so much, Ilona, for sitting down with us all today!  And the rest of you...go and get Iris Rainbow and read it!

10 Questions with Author Kathie Giorgio!

Good morning!  

Yesterday I posted a review of Kathie Giorgio's masterful new novel, "Rise from the River."  

Today we get to know the author herself a bit better with my TEN QUESTIONS!  (Cue dramatic music!)

1)  Tell us about the book! What would you like readers to take away from Rise from the River?

That there is no issue on this earth that is black and white. No single thing is always right and no single thing is always wrong. All possibilities and cases have to be considered. I also want them to take away that there is a whole lot more going on in rape's aftermath than they ever imagined.    

2) What, if any, book, movie, song or character inspired you to write?

Write the book?  Or write in general?  I suppose either way, the answer is the same.  None.  I started to write because I was driven to.  And I write still because I'm driven to.  The inspiration comes from inside.  

 3)  Best/worst movie based on a book :

Best:  "Feast of Love" by Charles Baxter

Worst:  "Hotel New Hampshire" by John Irving 

4) Do you write with a soundtrack for whatever you're working on, or do you write in complete silence?

A little of both.  When I'm writing a novel, I assign it a song.  Every day when I sit down to write, I play that song first.  It gets me back into the world of the book, just like the bell made Pavlov's dogs drool.  Once the song is done and I'm ready to write, I write in silence.  For "Rise From The River", the song was "The Scientist" by Cold Play.   

5) When do you find time to write? What's your schedule like?

Because of AllWriters', where I teach 85 hours a week, my time is limited and I guard it like a rabid lion.  I'm an afternoon writer.  I meet with clients in the morning.  Then I'm at my desk for writing around 1:00. I work until it's time to pick up my daughter from school at 2:30.  She is fourteen, so when I bring her home, she disappears into her room and I return to writing.  I work until 5:00, when I start meeting with clients again, and then I usually teach a class from 7 - 9. I sometimes have a late-night client, but otherwise, I work on critiquing manuscripts until around two in the morning. Then sleep.  

6) What are you reading right now? 

I am reading Anne Tyler's "A Spool Of Blue Thread".

7) Starbucks or Caribou coffee?  

Starbucks. Grande cinnamon dolce latte.  Iced when it's hot, extra hot when it's cold. The baristas at my store recognize the sound of my car engine over the drive thru speaker. 

8) Who would play you in a movie about your life?

Meryl Streep, of course.

 9) What's next for you?

Since finishing Rise From The River, I've been working primarily on short stories.  Because I've appeared in over 100 literary magazines, I'd like to put together a collection.  "The Collected Works of Kathie Giorgio" sort of thing.  But I have three other novels I'd like to write. One in particular is calling my name and I'm planning on starting it as soon as I finish the story I'm currently working on. 

10.) Anything more?

The best advice I can give to writers: Get out of your own way.  We all give excuses about why we can't find the time to write.  We have children.  We have spouses. We have jobs. We need to sleep.  The laundry needs to be done.  We must itemize our spice racks. 

Sit down and write.  Your children and spouse will not only survive, but they will be happier because you'll be happier.  You'll have more energy for your job.  You can sleep when you die.  There's nothing wrong with turning your underwear inside out.  In the end, who cares if you use chili powder or cinnamon. 

Write.   

Thank you so much, Kathie, for joining us for the last two days!  As for the rest of you, go and get this book right now!