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Monday, August 23, 2010

Interview & Signed Book Giveaway with Author of FAITHFUL, Janet Fox

I'm happy to welcome the very talented and super sweet Janet Fox to my blog for an interview and book giveaway. Janet's book, FAITHFUL, is a beautifully written historical YA novel that's sure to please. For a full description, check out FAITHFUL's goodreads page HERE. The entry guidelines for a chance to win a signed copy of this amazing book will follow Janet's interview below:


What's one thing you hope readers will take with them upon finishing FAITHFUL?

I hope you don’t mind if I mention more than one thing. I hope that readers who have suffered a loss – especially loss of a parent – will take some comfort in Maggie’s discovery. I hope that girls who read FAITHFUL will recognize how difficult it was for a girl in 1904 to have the freedom to choose her own path. I hope that readers are moved.

What about Maggie's character do you think is a product of the time period she lives in, and might change if she were alive today?

At the beginning of FAITHFUL, Maggie is trapped – and feeling sorry for herself, and helpless, and she isn’t sure what she wants. By the end of the novel, she has discovered her inner strength and the core of her that is like her mother. The “prison” in which Maggie is caught is a reflection of her time – men dictated all the terms to their wives and daughters. If Maggie were alive today, she would never have felt compelled to do exactly as her father wishes; she would have walked out on the situation in which he places her. But, then, she might never have discovered the magic of Yellowstone.

Why did you pick Yellowstone as the major setting for this book?

Yellowstone is a place that is close to my heart. And it is a place of natural magic – like another realm, fantastical. I thought that setting a story there could evoke that fantastic element and provide a rich backdrop for Maggie’s transformation.

If you were to travel back in time to 1904, the era of FAITHFUL, what's one modern day amenity you'd want to take with you and why?

Things weren’t so bad in 1904, as long as you were wealthy – wealthy people did have indoor plumbing and electricity and telephones, and even automobiles. But for the poor or even middle class, that was a different matter. If I were poor, what I’d miss the most is indoor plumbing. I can’t imagine using an outhouse at 20 below. I would hate to only be able to bathe once a week and have to haul my water and heat it on a stove before I could bathe, and then in a tub in which the water was first used by my older siblings so the water would already be dirty and cold.

You have already published a non-fiction book called GET ORGANIZED WITHOUT LOSING IT. What's the biggest difference that you've encountered between the publishing process for non-fiction and fiction?

When writing non-fiction it’s acceptable for submissions to be outlines – that is, you create the concept and market that. Only rarely would you write a non-fiction book in its entirety and try to sell it. But fiction requires a complete manuscript, at least for a beginning writer. Perhaps once you’re successful you can sell a fiction concept, but not initially. I sold my non-fiction book from a synopsis and chapter outline; I had to have a complete and well-revised manuscript of FAITHFUL before it sold.

What's your best advice for aspiring writers wanting to be published?

Read. Read constantly and broadly. Write. Write daily and reexamine your writing in craft terms. Learn the key components of craft: character, pacing, voice. Find a critique group and share and be willing to listen. Revise, then revise again. Find like-minded writers and learn from them. Writing is a career; it’s not easy. Most writers do not get rich. If you’re in it for the fame and fortune, good luck. If you’re writing for the long haul and because you love crafting beautiful stories, I promise you will succeed.

Thank you for stopping by my blog for an interview, Janet! To learn more about Janet and her book(s), visit her WEBSITE, BLOG and/or AMAZON PAGE.

For a sneak peek, check out Faithful's trailer, created by Janet's talented son:




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FAITHFUL Signed Book Giveaway Entry Details:
1) You must be a follower of my blog for a chance to win.
2) You will be entered once by reading and commenting about Janet's interview and/or book in the comment section below.
3) You will also receive an extra entry for each online shout-out you give about this giveaway (tweet on twitter, facebook status, and/or blog about it). Be sure to leave links to your shout-out(s) in the comment section of this post.

***That means you have the chance to be entered up to four times in the random drawing, increasing your odds of winning. The lucky winner will be chosen at random from the entries I receive and will be announced on Monday, August 30th. Good luck!***

*Sorry, this giveaway is for US and Canada participants only*

Adriana will receive an extra entry because she was the first to correctly guess the book in this blurred cover image post.

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Are you looking for more interview fun? Check out THIS INTERVIEW with me today over at Unedited.

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16 Comments:

Blogger Caroline Starr Rose said...

I read FAITHFUL last month and loved it.

August 23, 2010 at 12:10 PM  
Blogger j.leigh.bailey said...

That book looks great. I love the area (Grew up in Wyoming before moving to Chicago) and she'd dead on about the almost magical, otherworldly feel to Yellowstone.

I think I'm going to have to add it to my TBR list. :D

August 23, 2010 at 12:34 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

The book looks really good, I'm defnitely going to have to read it!(: Also, great interview!(:
-maddie.mcphail@gmail.com

August 23, 2010 at 12:43 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

What a fabulous interview!!! How funny that you interviewed while being interviewed!

Thanks for the awesome shout-out by the way! I appreciate it!

What an awesome giveaway! Faithful sounds like an awesome read! Historical YA novel sounds right up my alley! I'm always a fan of historical novels and since I'm working on a YA one myself it would be excellent practice!!!

Of course you can expect an awesome sidebar mention :)

August 23, 2010 at 4:50 PM  
Anonymous Mike said...

Very nice Interview.
Sounds like a Great Book! Awesome Cover! I love Yellowstone Park! How creative.

August 23, 2010 at 6:21 PM  
Anonymous KH said...

After this interview, I'm going to definitely read this book. I love historical fiction and it sounds fascinating!

August 23, 2010 at 7:15 PM  
Blogger Jennifer Mathis said...

great interview. I think my daughter would love this book and since her b-day's coming up I know she'd love a signed book so please enter me

meandi09@yahoo.com

August 23, 2010 at 11:22 PM  
Blogger Talli Roland said...

What a lovely cover - and thanks for the interview! I'm in the UK so I can't enter the giveaway but I wanted to stop by and say hi!

August 26, 2010 at 10:53 AM  
Blogger WDH said...

Amy - Just read your fun and clever interview at UNEDITED. Can't wait to read TLL.

August 26, 2010 at 2:06 PM  
Blogger Julie Musil said...

I haven't read Faithful yet, but it looks like a beautiful story. I've just added it to my list! Thanks for the great interview, including the wise advice.

August 26, 2010 at 5:37 PM  
Blogger Eileen said...

Oooh I love a good historical. My to-be-read list is growing ever taller

August 26, 2010 at 9:48 PM  
Blogger ~The Book Pixie said...

I have really been wanting to read Faithful! It sounds really great and I've never read a YA book set in that time period. Plus it's set in Yellowstone, a place I've always wanted to visit ad photograph.

I'm a follower.

+1 Sidebar: http://thebookpixie.blogspot.com/
+1 Tweeted: http://twitter.com/thebookpixie/statuses/22247823919
+1 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=695450277&v=wall&story_fbid=145925408773090

~Briana
thebookpixie[at]yahoo[dot]com

August 27, 2010 at 3:35 AM  
Blogger Alexa said...

This book sounds great. I always love to read books that are set in the past.

Please enter me in the conests.

Email: apk1princess@live.com

August 27, 2010 at 10:04 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I loved this interview, especially the travel back in time answer. I really like the cover and the plot seems really interesting. Please enter me.

August 28, 2010 at 3:00 AM  
Blogger Paigeewa said...

I totally saw this in the bookstore and thought about getting it, so even if I don't win, I will have to check it out. It's been a long time since I've been moved by a novel.

August 29, 2010 at 2:08 PM  
Blogger Amy Holder said...

Thanks to all who stopped by to read Janet's interview & enter the giveaway! :)

September 3, 2010 at 8:31 PM  

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