Interview with writer Nino Gugunishvili

Writer Nino Gugunshvili joins me today to chat about her new collection of short essays, You Will Have a Black Labrador.

During her virtual book tour, Nino will be awarding a $10 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a luck randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Nino Gugunishvili’s is the author of a women’s fiction novel, Friday Evening, Eight O’Clock, published in English and Russian. She resides in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Please tell us a little about you new book of short essays.

Love, memories, family, enduring friendships, cooking, movies, dogs, travels, hairstyles, and saying Yes to many No’s in a witty, yet often sentimental, journey of self-discovery… 

You Will Have a Black Labrador is a collection of semiautobiographical essays forming a narrative about a modern Georgian woman. Her stories range from the search for a perfect romantic partner to exploring food as an integral part of the Georgian culture. Many of the vignettes center on childhood memories or weird family traditions, such as the way family members stay connected no matter if they’re deceased or alive. One essay reveals how making a simple omelette can change your life; and that No can be the most powerful word in any language. She shows us, too, that a haircut can be a tribute to the movies you love as well as a path to your freedom; and how owning a dog always brings unexpected experiences. In this poignantly humourous collection, reality mixes and interferes with an imaginative world in so many surprising ways.

Excerpt from You Will Have a Black Labrador:

Whenever my mother tells me she had a dream seeing my grandmother, or my grandfather, my grandmother’s sister, my father, or my nanny, then recounts in detail what they talked about, I don’t think that she’s out of her mind.

I only become slightly more cautious. Sometimes I’m even angry, at them, for appearing in our dreams, and only just checking on us, not saying anything expectedly wise, not telling us the stories from their otherworldly experiences. Isn’t their mission to guide us through, spreading titbits of wisdom or any life-affirming messages around?

We’ve always lived together: Mom, Dad, my brother, me, my grandmother, and my nanny. There were two grandfathers I never met, because, sadly, they passed away long before I was born, but who nevertheless were always most actively present in our lives. ‘Never met in person’ would actually be more appropriate here. Their presence was strong through many photographs we had and lots of personal belongings. I remember my grandfather’s compass and a stopwatch and a cigar case my father kept in his study, and brought out from time to time.

The ‘till death do us part’ concept never worked in our case, since it seemed we were not parted by death from our relatives. Those who passed away stayed with us, talked to us, came in our dreams, and occasionally gave advice. There were no ghostly stories, ghost whisperers, or psychic readings involved...

What do you enjoy most about writing short stories?

I love that writing a short story is challenging. You have to stick to certain limits. You can’t develop the characters or settings endlessly; short stories have a different arc and rhythm and a tempo of their own that you have to follow. You have to be more precise with words and action sequences, you have to set a dynamic so that the story is fully formed within a relatively short time frame. It’s difficult, but at the same time, it’s wonderfully satisfying.

Aren’t some of the best works in the world literature the short stories we so love? Think of Ernest Hemingway, or J.D. Salinger, or O.Henry. For me, short stories are like precious little gems.

Can you give us a little insight into a few of your short stories – perhaps some of your favorites?

I think the essence of this book revolves around the family and that’s why some of the essays like “Till Death Do Us Part” or “Make Me an Omelette” are a glimpse into family history inhabited with passionate, loyal, influential women characters unique on their own. I wanted these stories to be a tiny tribute to them too.   

What genre are you inspired to write in the most? Why?

Several years ago my answer would be fiction, but as of today, I’m more and more interested in the creative nonfiction, where you can mix reality and the fictionalized world, where you can take your personal experience, put some biographical details, or real-life events and blend them into the story, I think it’s definitely worth a try and a fantastic ride!  

What exciting story are you working on next?

Right now I’m making notes on some of the ideas I have. I’m not in the actual writing process, but then, the “writing process” is such an unpredictable, almost mysterious thing, that Bam! and you’re in the middle of typing those words on your computer. I hope that will happen soon, maybe tomorrow?!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

When my then six-year-old nephew asked me wide-eyed, whether I really wrote that book he saw on my kindle. That’s probably the first time I thought I could say that yes, I’m a writer!   

How do you research markets for your work, perhaps as some advice for writers?

From the very start, I knew I wanted to self-publish this book on Amazon. I read extensively, keeping in mind my previous experience with publishing my debut novel and deciding what I’d like to repeat, and what I’d prefer to leave behind. You have to get as much information as possible, and decide what route to choose: indie, or traditional? It’s not easy, it’s nerve-wracking but it’s definitely an experience you’ll never forget! 

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I don’t like changing places while I write, I’m glued to my couch in the living room. I hate when someone disturbs me and that’s when I’m becoming really nasty! I have to write in silence. I’m also too superstitious while writing. 

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Everything from a postwoman to an actress!

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?

Thank you for stopping by and reading the blog! I hope you had fun and I also hope that You Will Have a Black Labrador is on your reading list!

Links:

Amazon | Twitter | Instagram | Facebook author page | Goodreads

Thank you for being here today!

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Interview with writer Patricia Steffy

Writer Patricia Steffy is with me today. We’re chatting about My Letter to Fear: Essays on Life, Love and the Search for Prince Charming. It’s a non-fiction work / multi-person memoir.

During her virtual book tour, Patricia will be awarding one $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice) gift card to a lucky randomly drawn winner. To be entered for a chance to win, use the form below. To increase your chances of winning, feel free to visit her other tour stops and enter there, too!

Bio:

Patricia Steffy attended Kenyon College and American University. She is a recent refugee from the corporate world where she worked as an analyst for a law firm for more than 16 years. An escape plan started to develop as she pursued her interests as a writer and producer through Circe’s World Films. She has been involved in co- and exec-producing a number of feature and short films ranging from broad comedy to psychological drama, including the award-winning short Touch. She is currently developing Dating in LA and Other Urban Myths as a web series. The series is based on her long-running blog of the same name.

Showcase

Pieces from My Letter to Fear were featured in a one-night only special showcase event. The showcase was directed by Danielle Turchiano and featured readings from Nikki DeLoach (Awkward.), Lesley Fera (Pretty Little Liars), Stevie Lynn Jones (Crisis), Jen Lilley (Days of Our Lives), Roma Maffia (Pretty Little Liars), Dennisha Pratt (The Sunny Side Up Show), and Carla Renata (Hart of Dixie). You can see excerpts from the readings here: http://www.patriciasteffy.com/showcase/

Welcome, Patricia. Please share a little bit about your current release.
My Letter to Fear is a collection of essays based on interviews I did with women over the course of two years. I allowed the interviews to shape the book. The published collection covers a wide range of topics, including beauty myths, aging, abuse, rape, unmet life expectations, dating and more. Even though most of the experiences in the book are not my own, I wrote it from a unified perspective. And because I'm me, even some of the pieces that are quite serious have hints of humor, and the very funny (even ridiculous ones) have a hint of a more serious reality behind them.

What inspired you to write this book?

I had been writing a blog at the time called “Dating in LA and Other Urban Myths.” It started out focused on dating and starting over in Los Angeles, but quickly became more about being a woman, who is over a certain age, in a city that is largely focused on youth, beauty and success. Some of the early pieces in the book are reworked pieces from the blog.

Over time, I realized that there really were the makings of a series in those pieces, but I wanted to go beyond my own experiences. At the same time, I was talking to a friend of mine, who is a therapist, about a tool that is sometimes used. Basically, clients are asked to write a letter addressing a particular issue (addiction, anxiety, fear, etc.). The idea of writing letters to fear and expectations (and so on) really appealed to me. It was a great jumping off point for me, and it certainly got the process started.

A few early pieces were read as part of staged reading by a group of fabulous actresses for a charity event. It was a thrill to see an audience react to the pieces, and I had a lot of people come up to me after the reading and ask about where they could get the full collection. It was the push I needed to keep going – although I'll admit it took another 17 months and 45-50 new pieces (40 of which made the final collection) to finish it.

Excerpt from My Letter to Fear: Essays on Life, Love and the Search for Prince Charming:

From The Moment
Do we all long for that moment when our secret selves are finally seen and applauded? Are we all waiting for the moment where our exes rue the day they let us go? Do we all pine for that life-changing second where the world says, "How could we have missed you all this time?"

I think about it all the time now – with every stranger I see, from the person sitting alone in a restaurant to the person singing at the top of their lungs while driving because they are convinced that their car is sound-proofed. I see them. I recognize them.

I'm still waiting for my moment, of course. But if you see me hiding behind a plant, clutching a drink and looking lost at some social gathering I couldn't get out of, know that inside I'm putting on one hell of a show.

What exciting story are you working on next?
I'm about to take a film script out that actually found its core in one of the pieces in “My Letter to Fear.” It's a drama and covers a very current topic, and I think that's all I'm allowed to say about it. Hopefully, I can say more soon.

I also wrote a 10-episode web series based on the blog that also inspired “My Letter to Fear.” The series “Dating in LA and Other Urban Myths” starts in the same way the blog did – a woman who is no longer 22, finds herself starting over again in Los Angeles after a long-term relationship ends. It deals with the insane social scene in Los Angeles, and also the challenges facing people as they confront the expectations they once had for their lives (a topic that is also covered in the book). You can see the sizzle reel for it here: https://vimeo.com/77469627. I'm a huge fan of Lesley Fera, Jen Lilley, Tamara Taylor and Kris Polaha – and their willingness to take on this project at such an early stage was enormously helpful and encouraging.

The next book is also in the planning stages. It will be fiction. It will be a comedy (largely), and it uses the piece Lost Folk Hero from “My Letter to Fear” as its central idea. I'm excited and more than a little nervous about this new project. Creatively, it's a good next step!

When did you first consider yourself a writer?

That's a good question! I'm not sure. It might have been the first time I heard my work read in front of an audience. It was certainly an inspiring event that pushed me to keep going. Certainly, when I was going out to actors to film the pilot/sizzle reel, I had to take a deep breath and prepare myself for actors/agents/managers to say no to the work. Luckily, the response was overwhelmingly positive, and I got to see my words in action (at least a small portion of them).

Do you write full-time? If so, what's your work day like? If not, what do you do other than write and how do you find time to write?

That's complicated. I do write full-time, but not always on creative projects. When I'm not working on scripts or starting a new book, I'm a travel writer. You can see some of my pieces here: http://www.travelingwithoutanet.com. I also do quite a bit of travel web writing as my “day job.” It has been challenging to try to balance writing for someone else's goals and writing for my own. I'm getting better at it, but only because I've created a real intention for myself to value my work and my creative time. I'm not saying there aren't times when I still have to put other people's projects ahead of my own – there are. But I need to remind myself that my creative pursuits are why I went down this independent path in the first place.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

I work best in a dark-ish room with rain sounds playing. Yeah, it's sort of strange, but I find myself easily distracted. I need to lose myself in what I'm writing in order to find the flow of it. I find that only happens when the other elements of my surroundings are lessened. I live in Southern California, and the odds of having an actual rain storm are not in my favor, so YouTube rain sounds did the trick! I even had a sounds device (rain, waves, thunder, etc.) I used for a while.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a detective, a spy, a doctor and a writer. I think I chose to be a writer, in part, because that way, through my characters, I can still be all of those things.

Anything additional you want to share with the readers?
Thank you so much for giving a non-fiction, multi-person memoir a chance. It's not an easy category. It's not something that sings from the shelf. But I think you'll find yourself relating to many of the stories and connecting with the women who experienced them. I know I did.

Links:

Website | Twitter | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iTunes | Diesel | Smashwords

Thank you for being a guest on my blog!

Thank you for having me!

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Interview with Phyllis A. Wilson about anthology Many Paths, Many Feet

Phyllis, welcome to Reviews and Interviews. You're the driving force behind a new anthology call Many Paths, Many Feet, as well as a contributor with twelve other women.

Please tell us about Many Paths, Many Feet: An Anthology of Women's Stories.
Many Paths, Many Feet is an anthology of women’s stories written by 13 authors located in various locations in the US. There are 25 stories and poems, some are fiction and some are non-fiction. This book centers on four areas: reflection, unity, praise and inspiration...it will take you on a powerful journey of challenges and discovery!

How did the project come about?
I had written a non-fiction book and during the process thought to myself that everyone has a story. So I approached women that I knew about doing an anthology.

You mention it’s the first of a series. Can you tell us about what is coming in the future?
We may be looking to continue the journey with another anthology in the next year or two.

Do you write full-time?
I do write full-time now...but previously I worked full-time as a recruiter and have always wanted to write and get published.

When and why did you begin writing?
I used to write as a child in my diary and have done journaling off and on. I really began to focus on writing in June 2009.

Did you learn anything from creating the anthology? What was it?
Yes, I learned that managing a project of this magnitude requires creative leadership to engage people of various levels. That being said, I also learned that helping people realize their dreams is such a rewarding experience.

As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up?
Growing up I wanted to be a mother! I think it is the most important job one can have and I wanted to contribute to the upbringing of successful, well-rounded adults. I have three adult children now and one granddaughter.

Phyllis, thank you for your time. It's been a pleasure learning about you and the anthology.

To learn more about Phyllis, Many Paths, Many Feet, and the women behind the anthology, please visit their Web site. They can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.