Friday, June 22, 2012

One Year Blogoversary : Eulogy's Secret (Day 4)

Forever Lost in Books
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Welcome to day 4!

Alright, so today, I am hosting GRACE ELLIOT, the author of Eulogy's Secret.

The author is offering an eCopy of her book, and maybe you'd like to read an interview I did with hre before :



Where did you write the most (at home? Starbucks, etc.?)
            I write in a converted garage, which is also our dining room. It has a lovely large window that runs the width of the wall and I sit on an old leopard print sofa with the light behind me. This sofa also acts as my office because it's wide enough to pile notebooks and reference material on whilst leaving enough space for me, my laptop and Widget. The later is my writer's cat; she curls up against my thigh and helps focus my attention. With Widget beside me I am much less prone to getting up to make cups of tea, because I know as soon as my seat is vacant she'll hop into the warm spot - and she can be very difficult to shift once she's settled.
            I do however spend a lot of time writing in my head - either whilst walking to and from work, or whilst drifting off the sleep. The knack is to remember all those carefully crafted phrases and record them before I forget! For this I have stack of notebooks that I'm always scribbling in. So much so that my husband swears I can see in the dark since often my best ideas come just as I'm drifting off to sleep.


What's your favorite food and beverage?
            I'm very partial to a good prawn dansak and glass of red wine. My husband and I are such regulars at our local Indian restaurant that he can phone to order a carry out and it takes less than 20 seconds - and that's with pleasantries!
            In the 1990's we lived in Australia for a couple of years and the biggest culture shock was the lack of Indian Restaurants. I think we spent most of that time reminiscing about 'curries we had had', and when we returned to the UK, it made us appreciate a good curry even more. 


Did you have a schedule while writing Eulogy's Secret, and if you did, what was it?
            My only schedule whilst writing "Eulogy's Secret" was to write every day. I aimed to write for at least 20 minutes, regardless of how tired I was after work. What usually happens is that I get so immersed in the characters and plot that I look up to find two hours has gone by.
            However, last November I took part in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and it has revolutionised the way I work. During NaNoWriMo I had a target of 1,670 words a day and by sticking to this schedule what I found out was how much time I waste - when I think I'm writing but I'm not. I started Book Two of The Huntley Trilogy during November and I've never been so productive - definitely a lesson learnt and it's changed my working habits. 


Did you make the cover? If not, who? If yes, how?

I wish I was that talented!
            The cover for "Eulogy's Secret" was designed by the awesome Reese Dante.  I love his covers and when I saw a blog post about how he creates them, I promised myself that even if I had to save for months, I'd commission him. He is a wonderful artist in his own rite, and if he can't find stock art that matches a particular feature on a character (a tattoo for example) then he will draw a bespoke one. 
            Reese is currently (at the time of writing) working on the cover for "Hope's Betrayal." He sent through a rough of the model for Hope and it gave me goosebumps - she is just as I imagine her. Can't wait to see the finished cover!

What would be the most surprising thing you didn't know would happen by becoming an author?
            I write historical romance and what I hadn’t anticipated when I went public and told my friends, was just how many of them also read romance - and yet had kept it quiet!
Read into that what you will. 


What would you say to your younger self as you were beginning to write Eulogy's Secret?
            When starting to write "Eulogy's Secret" it would have been useful to know how much time I waste whilst I'm under the impression I'm writing. Definitely wish I'd discovered NaNoWriMo years ago!


Resume your book in five words or less!

            Appearances can deceive!

Where did you get the idea for your novel?
            The idea came from one word written on a poster on the London Underground. I was taking my teenage sons to see "Spamalot" and through the scratched glass of the train window I saw written "Eulogy." (The poster was for a memorial concert at the Royal Albert Hall.)
            It struck me that "Eulogy" would make a fantastically enigmatic name for a heroine. But what would drive a parent to call their child such a sad name? What tragedy would have befallen her? Perhaps the mother dying in childbirth…or another, far more sinister explanation! But to find out you'll have to read "Eulogy's Secret". 


And, finally, thanks for answering those questions. A last word (or more)?
            Thank you for hosting me, Cath. It's been lovely to chat to you and your readers. If anyone would like to find out more about me or my work then my blog is a great place to start:
I am also active on twitter as @Grace_Elliot


Author Bio

Grace Elliot leads a double life as a veterinarian by day and author of historical romance by night. Grace works in a companion animal practice near London and is housekeeping staff to five moggies, two teenage sons and a guinea pig. She turned to writing as an antidote to the stress of modern life and believes intelligent people have the greatest need to read romance!

If you would like to know more about Grace please visit her blog here or here


To buy the eBookSmashwords / Amazon US / Amazon UK / Kobo




Eulogy's Secret
Summary
Alrighty.... so I guess you want to win the eBook, right?

The giveaway is International, so EVERYONE can win!

Alright, so, just enter below for a chance to win!

Good luck!

*hugs*





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