AUTHOR INTERVIEW - Elena Dorothy Bowman, Author of GATEKEEPER'S REALM

I have a very, very special guest here at The Writer's Life today. She's Elena Dorothy Bowman, author of The Gatekeeper's Realm, and she's one of my clients at Pump Up Your Book Promotion who is on the final leg of her 2007 virtual book tour. Might I add she was one of the most wonderful clients I have had and a very lovely lady who just so happens to be very gifted in the writing department. She's written in several genres including science fiction, mystery, romance and the paranormal. Her early interest in space and working in the space industry captured her imagination and was instrumental in writing her first novel in The Sarah's Landing Series - Sarah's Landing - I - Contact.

The first book in the series was published in hardcover, soft-cover, e-book and as an audio book. The audio book won the APA award for one of the best audio books in 2001. All four books have now been contracted for and released in ebook format by Write Words, Inc., ebooksonthe.net.

The first book in the series — Contact will be re-released in print by their imprint Cambridge Books within the next few months, and the other three books in the series — The Telepaths of Theon, The Barbarians and Genesis will follow suit.

When the series was completed, she thought about writing a mystery novel. The mystery novel turned out to be a Romantic Suspense/ Mystery/Thriller with a touch of the paranormal. That novel, which turned out to be the first in a series, has now been published, by Write Words, Inc.,

The first book in the series, The House On The Bluff, was released in print in 2006. The second book in the series, the Gatekeeper's Realm was released in print on 1 June 2007 by Cambridge
Books. The last novel in the series, Adam's Point will be released in print by Cambridge Books in the coming months.

Her eighth science fiction/mystery/romance novel Time-Rift was released in ebook format by Write Words, Inc., imprint ebooksonthe.net and will be released in print by Cambridge Books within the coming months.

If you would like to find out more about Elena, you can visit her website at http://elenadb.home.comcast.net/.

Click HERE to purchase THE GATEKEEPER'S REALM at Amazon!

TWL: Welcome to The Writer's Life, Elena! Would you like to start us off by telling us when your passion for writing began?

Elena: The movies and books. Not liking the endings to some of the movies inspired me to write my own endings to these movies. And since I am an avid reader, the thought of putting words down on paper that others might want to read was an intriguing possibility.

TWL: Can you tell us what your typical 'writing' day is like?

Elena: Typically, I like to write in the mornings, or late evenings when everyone is asleep. Once I start, as my husband puts it, I am glued to the computer and forget about coming up for air. Generally, he's very supportive keeping the rest of the family away while I am engaged in
the creative act of writing.

TWL: Do you write full time?

Elena: Now that I have retired from the Aerospace Industry, I have the luxury of writing full time. And I must admit, I enjoy it so.

TWL: Can you tell us a little bit about your book?

Elena: It's the second book in the series of a house one could say was enchanted. A house that appears to be alive because of a relic that dates back to the Crusades. In the second book, the appearance of unannounced spirits from an earlier era causes the unusual experiences that befall the guests. Some disappear into strange worlds, others into prehistoric times. The main characters do all they can to enlist the townspeople and the "local" ghosts, who have inhabited the house since the 17 Century, in searching for them. But since the house has a mind of its own, and able to invoke visions that confuse and disorient the inhabitants to the point that no one can be sure where they looked was still in existence, the searchers feel frustrated.

TWL: Who published your book and how has your experience with them been?

Elena: My book has been published by Write Words, Inc., both in ebook with their imprint, ebooksonthe.net and in paperback with their imprint Cambridge Books. My experience with my publisher has been fantastic. She does everything she can to help make my books the best they can be.

TWL: Can you tell us the inspiration behind your book?

Elena: It started out with a house on the bluff by the Atlantic Ocean. My father used to take us to Gloucester where this house is located and we never saw anyone enter or leave. I kept wondering about this house and finally decided to use that house as an inspiration to writing the
first book in the Legacy Series...The House On The Bluff.

TWL: Can you tell us ways you are promoting your book? Have they been
successful?

Elena: Through the Internet with all the available opportunities I find. Writer's groups, some paying, some not. Press releases, book signings, Library Author Days, postcards, blogs, myspace, gather, and many other avenues. Yes, I would say that they have been. Probably not as much as I would like, but it is a beginning.

TWL: Do you have a mentor?

Elena: No!

TWL: What future projects do you have in the works?

Elena: As was mentioned before, The Sarah's Landing Series. There are four books to this series, Contact, The Telepaths of Theon, The Barbarians and Genesis. And, of course, the other two books, Adam's Point, the third book in the Legacy Series and the only non-series book Time-Rift. I have been working on two other projects but neither one of them is close to an ending at this point.

TWL: Can you give aspiring authors words of advice towards getting published?

Elena: All I can say to them is to write, write, write and to persevere. If you have faith in your work, then don't let anyone stop you or tell you can't reach your goal.

TWL: What’s one thing about your life that you think is important, but nobody asks?

Elena: My incredible, caring and handsome husband. Our four wonderful and creative children of whom we are very proud. And our precious granddaughter, who is as beautiful as she is intelligent and sings like an angel.

My two greatest life-long passions that started in childhood were singing, performing on stage, and reading books. The love for books led to a fascination with all aspects of the industry: from journalism and publications, to typesetting and print production, which led to a
technical writing career in Silicon Valley.

Don't ever give up on yourself! You may feel like a slave to the profession, but if you love writing, NEVER give up.

Laugh at rejection letters as JK Rowling is laughing at all those who rejected her! Keep submitting until you find someone who believes in you.

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