Hi Christine. Congratulations on Treasure Me winning the vote to become a Noveltunity® selection. How and when did you start writing?
Please allow me to express my heartfelt thanks to Noveltunity® readers for selecting Treasure Me as a best read. I’m simply thrilled.
Like many novelists, I began spinning stories in childhood and reading voraciously. Prior to writing fiction, I owned a PR firm in Ohio—the perfect background for a professional writer as I learned to write compelling copy on deadline, week after week.
Please tell us a little about Treasure Me.
Treasure Me is the first book in the Liberty Series:
Petty thief Birdie Kaminsky has arrived in Liberty, Ohio to steal a treasure hidden since the Civil War. She’s in possession of a charming clue passed down in her family for generations: Liberty safeguards the cherished heart.
The beautiful thief wants to go straight. She secretly admires the clue’s author, freedwoman Justice Postell, who rose above the horrors of slavery to build a new life in Ohio. According to family lore, Justice left South Carolina at the dawn of the Civil War. Heavy with child, she carried untold riches on her journey north. As Birdie searches for the treasure, she begins to believe a questionable part of the story: a tale of love between Justice and Lucas Postell, the French plantation owner who was Birdie’s ancestor.
If the stories are true, Justice bore a child with Lucas. Some of those black relatives might still live in town. Birdie can’t help but wonder if she’s found one—Liberty’s feisty matriarch, Theodora Hendricks, who packs a pistol and heartwarming stories about Justice. Birdie doesn’t know that an investigative reporter who has arrived in town will trip her up—as will her conscience when she begins to wonder if it’s possible to start a new life with stolen riches. Yet with each new clue she unearths, Birdie begins to discover a family history more precious than gems, a tradition of love richer than she could imagine.
The other books in the Liberty Series include: Second Chance Grill, The Impossible Wish and Four Wishes (September 2014 release).
How many other books have you written?
I have no idea. My first novel, written in college, sits dusty and unloved on a shelf with many other early works. I’ve published five novels, all very well received. My sixth novel, Four Wishes, will appear in September. Overall my books carry a 4.5 star rating thanks to readers gracious enough to post reviews.
What advice would you give to new writers?
Find a specific time of day to write, even if only for a few minutes. Join a critique group to improve your skills. Don’t diminish your wellbeing by pulling all-nighters pounding out fiction. This isn’t a college exam. Producing your best work comes with time, reading often and well, and having the courage to put emotion on paper.
Are you a grind it writer who sets goals of X words per day or write when you get the next idea?
Creating a compelling novel requires mind-body balance. I start writing early in the morning then knock off at lunchtime and go to the gym. After I work out, I return home to edit the morning’s pages. And I eat well—lots of fruits and veggies, thank you very much.
My writing goals are more in the spirit of, “I plan to complete this novel in four months.” Or six months—each story arrives with a unique set of demands. For example my next release is as complex as Treasure Me; the novel took six months to come together. Given the response I’m receiving from beta readers, I think readers of the Liberty Series will enjoy the next installment. Birdie’s sister is a main character and, naturally, the hilarious secondary characters from Treasure Me all make an appearance.
You have been remarkably successful with social media. I believe you have about 80,000 followers on Twitter. Can you give a few helpful hints on how others might copy your success?
I first joined Twitter (@christinenolfi) in 2011. From the onset, I spent time each week chatting with readers, reviewers, other authors and the general public. I also pack my website with helpful articles for writers as well as inspiring posts regarding my brood of four adopted children. All of the articles receive an abundance of retweets, which increases my Twitter following.
The trick? Social media should be social. Talk to people. Ask questions. Share helpful information. Don’t approach Twitter (or any platform) with nothing but a hard-nosed desire to sell your books. People will turn away.
What are some things writers should avoid?
Editing while writing the first draft. Reading only in the genre one writes. Writing only “when the mood strikes”. Rushing to publication before learning the craft of storytelling. Obsessing over book rank on publishing sites instead of beginning work on the next release.
There’s much talk about the sheer number of eBooks appearing daily, but here’s the hard truth: if you plan to become a career novelist, you must take criticism well, strive to improve the quality of your prose in each successive release and hire an experienced editor.
We’ve talked a lot about your work. Tell us a little about who Christine is?
I’m a zany bookaholic recently remarried, a gourmet cook, the proud mother of four adopted kids and a woman with a serious green thumb. Two years ago I moved to Charleston, South Carolina. Oh. I should mention that Birdie’s plantation-owning ancestors, the Postells, are my French ancestors. The Postells are one of the original European families in Charleston; they arrived in 1681.
What’s next for Christine?
After the release of Four Wishes in September, I’ll begin work on a second series set in South Carolina. Of course I’ll continue to write books in the Liberty Series too!
Where can new fans find you online?
I love chatting with readers! Please visit me on any of the sites listed below:
@christinenolfi on Twitter
Goodreads Author Page: http://tinyurl.com/7e2xgjq
Facebook Author Page: http://tinyurl.com/c3sf4yv
Amazon Author Page: http://tinyurl.com/9due77l
July 2014 Chat on Interviewing Authors: http://goo.gl/guLajS
Author bio:
Award-winning author Christine Nolfi provides readers with heartwarming and inspiring fiction. Her 2011 debut Treasure Me is a Next Generation Indie Awards finalist and Noveltunity® Best Read. The Midwest Book Review lists many of her novels as “highly recommended” and her books have enjoyed bestseller status on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. She has also written the manual for writers Reviews Sell Books. Find her works on Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble and Kobo.
www.christinenolfi.com
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