Sue Fortin. United State of Love.
Since splitting from her husband, single mum Anna Barnes is enjoying her new found freedom and independence. Now she can concentrate on looking after her teenage son and building up her career. However, she didn’t bank on working for Tex Garcia.
The gorgeous American chef is getting the locals hot under the collar and not just because of his culinary prowess! Beneath that handsome exterior, however, lies a man haunted by his past. Tex can’t commit and women pass through his life like dishes going out to service. So what is it about Anna that’s different?
Can Tex break her self-imposed rule of never mixing business with pleasure and add some spice into the mix? Or is Anna’s ex set to spoil the recipe altogether?
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I am so excited for today’s guest, the lovely Sue Fortin, and I’m thrilled to be part of this Blog Tour. Welcome, Sue.
Hi Laura, it’s lovely to be here – thank you so much for inviting me.
Now, the reason I’m excited is because you have released your debut novel, United State of Love, and I recall in an earlier Find Out Friday interview I asked you how you planned to celebrate your first ever book launch. The word PARTY featured heavily. How’s it going? Are you in a fit state to tell me about your book?
Well, the launch day went fantastically well, I’m so grateful to everyone who Tweeted, Facebooked and bought my novel. Can’t believe I was trending at #9 on Twitter above Ed Miliband; that will be my ‘Did you know…?’ dinner conversation piece now.
In the evening I did go out for a meal with some friends to celebrate but I have to say the partying started a couple of days later at the RNA Conference in Penrith. Well, to be honest, that wasn’t really to do with my book. A weekend with the lovely Romaniacs was reason enough on its own to celebrate.
How are you finding the self-publishing experience?
Educating is the word I would use – Speed Educating. A bit like speed dating; lots of propositions out there, some look very appealing on the outside but dig a bit deeper … Sometimes you get it wrong and have to start all over again.
What reservations, if any, did you have with regard to self-publishing? How did you overcome these worries?
I had lots of reservations, if I’m honest. I thought long and hard about self-publishing. It wasn’t so much the technicalities of doing it, I enjoyed things like coming up with a cover, organising a mini blog tour, picking the brains of people who had already done it. What concerned me the most was if people would enjoy my novel. So far I’ve had some great reviews and comments from people who have read it. And being totally candid, I could probably tweak it forever. It received a second read under the New Writers’ Scheme and I’m very grateful for all the advice I’ve been given. I think the positive feedback from all quarters has helped me overcome a lot of my worries about self-publishing.
How important was it for you to be involved with writing and readers’ groups? I’m thinking in particular of Love A Happy Ending and the Famous Five Plus team.
Extremely.
I joined Love A Happy Ending as an Associate Reader and six months ago they took me under their collective wing as an unpublished Featured Author, charting my progress to publishing. I have had so much support, advice and encouragement, I really don’t think I would have done it without them.
Likewise, the Famous Five Plus team have been there as well. Through them I found a great graphic designer who produced my book cover and again, they have been really encouraging and supportive.
It would be remiss of me not to mention my wonderful group of friends, collectively known as The Romaniacs, who have cheered me on and restrained me in equal measures.
How soon before you start on book two? What can you tell me about it?
Book Two and I have had a turbulent relationship. We fell in love last September, but around Christmas time we had a bit of a disagreement and were ‘on a break’, not speaking to each other for several months. At the RNA Conference in Penrith, we had a counselling session with an Editor from MIRA. Book Two and I have now ironed out our differences and have resumed our relationship.
What can I tell you about it? Okay, it’s about facing up to responsibilities and the actions of your past. Doing what you have to do, rather than what you want to do. Like my previous book, it’s set in West Sussex, on the coast this time and I’ve had great fun creating my own little town somewhere between Littlehampton and Climping.
It’s taken me a while to realise I write literary/contemporary stories with romance as a central theme. How do you classify your stories?
Oh, this is what Book Two and I fell out about. Book Two knew what it wanted to be and I was trying to take it somewhere else. It’s a stubborn old thing is Book Two, but it does know its own mind. For now we’ve called a truce and although still not in total agreement, we would say I look at the issues that impact on a relationship between two people and glance at the ripple effect of that.
Many of us have writing buddies. What does it take to be a good buddy?
Honesty and tact. No point having a writing buddy if they are not going to be honest, but a degree of tact is needed. Also you need to do away with the disclaimer at the beginning of every feedback which starts off … ‘I’m no expert, please feel free to totally ignore anything I say, it’s just my humble opinion …’
I would say you also need trust. You need to be able to trust them to be honest.
Are you managing to find time to keep reading? (With all this partying going on?)
Struggling slightly. I am quite a slow reader anyway. I like to take my time and really enjoy what I’m reading. Sticking with the speed dating theme – my reading books and I don’t speed date, we go for lots of dates over a longer period of time.
Finally, before we crack open the paracetamol and pull down the blinds to shield our eyes from the blinding summer sunshine, promise me we’ll party like it’s the start of a new millennium every time you release a book.
Oh, you are so going to regret saying that!
Thank you so much for visiting, Sue. United State of Love is a cracking debut and I know it will do well. When can I read your next one?
No, thank you Laura for inviting me here and for your kind words. The next one? Now if I say it here, I’m going to have to stick to it, aren’t I? Oh well, I work better to deadlines, let’s say …. March 2013, just in time for our birthdays.
Sue lives on the South Coast in West Sussex and has done so since her mid-teens, prior to having a rather nomadic childhood due to her parents moving on a regular basis.
Before taking to writing, Sue worked in various secretarial roles, before settling as a PA in a high street bank. After thirteen years juggling work and three children under the age of five, she said goodbye to the world of banking. Sue now has four children and grabs writing time while they are at school and work.
Sue is one ninth of the writing group The Romaniacs (www.theromaniacgroup.wordpress.com) A Featured Author with http://www.loveahappyending.com/ and part of http://www.famousfiveplus.com/ an indie author group. Sue has her own book review blog www.lovereadinglovebooks.wordpress.com and is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association under their New Writers’ Scheme.
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/sue.fortin.3
Twitter @suefortin1
Amazon.co.uk http://www.amazon.co.uk/United-State-of-Love-ebook/dp/B00892B2UI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1342697477&sr=8-1