Here is an interview that I did for Book Buzzr. It’s a good way of getting some exposure for yourself and your book. Enjoy!

Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I am a writer of fiction and non-fiction, which includes freelance writing of articles related to health and wellness. My first short story A Pair of Blue Skates was published in a college magazine. I then went on to win an honorable mention in a nationwide college magazine and to publish other short stories and articles in anthologies and online. I have also written two full-length novels which are not yet published.

Describe your book ‘WOMEN FOR ALL SEASONS’ in 30 words or less.

Women For All Seasons uses some of the stories of women from the Bible to show the importance of trusting God in every season of your life.

What was the hardest part of writing your book?

Apart from finding the time to write, I would say it was making sure that all the details were accurate for the time period and the culture I was writing about. Even though most of the content came from the Bible, I added details to make the stories read like fiction, therefore I had to make sure that all the information was relevant.

What books have had the greatest influence on you?

The Bible, first and foremost, then I would say Maximizing the Moment by Bishop TD Jakes, The Shack by Wm. P. Young, Lord of the Rings by Tolkien, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, The Bluest Eyes by Toni Morrison and so many more.

Briefly share with us what you do to market your book?

I make use of social media like Facebook, Twitter and Linked In and I feature it on my blogs and on Freado. I have also done book signings and a blog talk radio interview.

How do you spend your time when you are not writing?

I work full time as an occupational therapist, so I spend more time working than I do writing, which leaves very little time for anything else. However, I do enjoy taking long walks when I have the time.

What are you working on next?

Right now I’m working on a Christian novel about three women who live together, but they are keeping secrets from each other. And like the Bible says, whatever is hidden does come to light. I am also working on a short story which I plan to enter in a competition.

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Establishing yourself as an author or freelance writer is not a task for the faint-hearted. I am realizing this everyday, but I’m also realizing that there are thousands of writers who succeeded because of their perseverance. Would you believe that authors like Stephen King, Carrie, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Anne Frank, The Diary of Anne Frank, Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar and Agatha Christie, Murder on The Orient Express, to name just a few, all experienced the pain of rejection. When I think of what these famous people have contributed to the world of literature, I wonder where we would be if they had given up. (more…)

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One of my pet peeves as a writer (or a reader for that matter) is coming across grammatical errors, commonly misused words and misspelled words. I am always amazed at the number of  these I find almost everyday on the internet, and sometimes even in print. And these are just the basics. There are others such as clumsy sentence structure, mixed tenses and wordiness that make me tear my hair. Nowadays, there is a trend to what I call casual writing that we didn’t see three or four decades ago.  Using a preposition at the end of a sentence is acceptable in most instances, as is the use of a conjunction at the beginning of a sentence. But there are some forms of sloppiness that are just, well, sloppy, and can mar your chances of having a successful writing career.

Here are some examples of grammatical errors that I collected over a period of time:

I am grateful that he have chosen to visit me. The error here is a glaring dis-agreement of subject and verb, which I’m sure the writer could have avoided if he had proofread his work.

It convicts us of specific actions or attitudes that needs to be confessed. Here we have two plural subjects connected by or. Since they are plural, they require a plural verb.

Your about to learn 10 mistakes the average person makes. This is a common one where the possessive adjective “your” is used in place of the contraction “you’re” which means you are.

Its time for my afternoon nap. Another misuse of the possessive adjective. This time “its” is used in place of “it’s” which means it is.

Each of you have something to offer the world. This is one that trips a lot of people up. Here’s the rule: The pronouns each, everyone, every one, everybody, anyone, anybody, someone, and somebody are singular and require singular verbs.  Therefore this sentence should read, Each of you has something to offer the world.

I was loosing interest in those markets. Loosing comes from the verb loose which means to untie or release. What the writer obviously meant here is losing, which means to fail to keep or to maintain.

Our elderly are always effected most at these times. Effected is a convolution of the noun “effect”. Here it is being used as a verb, which in this case should be “affected.” This is a commonly misused word and brands the user as an amateur.

So there you have them. Some of the most common grammatical errors that can kill your writing and your credibility as a writer. There are many good articles online that can help you improve your writing, or if you want to have your own reference you may purchase the book below from Amazon.com. It is small enough to take with you to the library or to keep near your computer. I have found it to be of invaluable help, and I’m sure you will too.

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