YOUR Interview with Debut Novelist Christine Marciniak!

Wow, this was so much fun! First of all, thanks everyone for the questions you posted for debut novelist Christine Marciniak--and thanks, Christine, for taking the time to answer them!

From Robyn:
Christine, How did it feel to hold your book in your hands? It must be an awesome, awesome experience. I can't wait to read it, girl. :)

It was a very cool, rather surreal experience to hold the book in my hand. Of course, the experience was tempered some by the fact that the shipping box had coconut oil spilled on it in the UPS truck, so the box was opened quickly by the UPS guy, with me looking on and my main concern was to see that the books were not damaged. They weren’t. I brought them inside and I finally got to have a good look at them with my family.

From Pen Pen
I actually have a question for her about being a debut novelist. Here we go: "After you found out about your book being published, who was the first person you told?! A family member?! Or- Did you roll down your car window and scream it out to everybody on the highway?! :) Thanks!! Can't wait to read her work!!!

First person I told? Let’s see. It was Columbus Day and the kids were home from school. I think the first thing I did was send an e-mail to my critique group (it was very short and typed with shaking fingers). Then I told my kids and then when I could keep my fingers from shaking I called my husband at work (but ended up having to leave him a message.)

From Christina:
Once you began your marketing program, did you feel that was taking time away from your writing? How have you been able to balance promoting your new book and get that next one ready for the shelves?

My marketing program so far has been blogging about the book – and since I already maintained a blog prior to this, it didn’t take that much extra time. But there are things that take time – interview questions for example – that do take away from writing time. As a mother of two, my writing time has always been a little catch-as-catch-can, so it’s hard to quantify how much time other things have taken from it.

I’m not sure I’m doing enough marketing and promoting, I’m very new to all of this, but I am still writing new books. There’s one I thought was done, but I’m revising again before re-submitting. And there are a couple of others in first draft version waiting for me to get the chance to tackle them again.

From RKCharron
Has being a published author changed your life in any way?
Is your family more accepting of the time alone writing, or were they always accepting of it?
Did you query an agent first?

Unfortunately my life has not changed in any significant way, other than a great feeling of accomplishment and knowing that “I can do it”, I’m still responsible for the laundry and the meals and making sure my kids get up in the morning and go to bed at night and end up at whatever activity they are supposed to be at on any given day.

My family has always been pretty accepting of my writing time, though I do tend to get most of my writing done when they are otherwise occupied (ie children in school or asleep).

I did query an agent first and I am still hoping to get an agent – that is something that has eluded me so far. I’m hoping that the project I’m working on now will be the one to get me an agent.

From Angela:
What is probably the most unexpected thing that has happened as a result of your book coming out? Do people you know treat you differently?

Most unexpected thing? I can’t think of anything particularly unexpected. For the most part I didn’t and don’t know what to expect from all of this so that makes nearly everything unexpected. But at the same time there were certain things that are easily anticipated: the book being available, there being reviews. If the book had suddenly hit the best seller list or someone offered movie options on it, that would be unexpected – but those things haven’t happened. Maybe once the book is officially released and more reviews come in, something unexpected will happen (I just hope it’s something good!)

People I know don’t treat me differently. Everyone has been very excited for me and very supportive, but there’s been no great change.

Thanks for all the great questions, everyone!

Still have questions? Check out Christine's blog!