Friend Friday: Liz Fichera

Please join me in welcoming the wonderful Liz Fichera, a fellow Carina Press author,  whose engrossing novel, CAPTIVE SPIRIT, has garnered wonderful reviews. I also enjoy her thoughtful and amusing blog posts and urge you to visit her, if you haven't already!

Liz' historical novel, CAPTIVE SPIRIT, was one of Carina Press' debut books. Have you checked it out yet? Do!

And so, without further yada-yada-yada from me, here's Liz:

Q. Do you read a lot? What genres?

Liz: I read a TON. It's not unusual for me to be reading 3 books at once, although not at the same time, if you know what I mean. I trade-off. And I read all genres, although very little non-fiction. When I read, I read to escape. Period. Although I love all genres, I read a lot of young adult fiction, contemporary romance, and historicals. I recently finished THE BOOK THIEF, which I completely loved.

Q. What writer has influenced you most? Who's your favorite?

Liz: I am a fan of all writers, really. I feel like I gleen something about a writer's style and skill from just about every book I read. It's impossible to pick a favorite.

Q. What interests you most in a book or a movie: character-driven or plot-driven?

Liz: I'm drawn mostly to character-driven plots. Get me inside someone's head with your writing and I'll follow you to the ends of the earth.

Q. What do you like about e-publishing?

Liz: Three things: First, e-publishers like Carina Press take a lot more chances with stories because they are able to get stories faster to market. I like that. And I like reading stories that are not always mainstream. How refreshing it is to read a book where an author took some chances with story, a plot, even point-of-view. Second, I am an e-book convert. I don't buy a book these days unless I can download it digitally to my nook. I'm fortunate too that my local public library now has a pretty extensive e-library. And finally, speed. When an author sells a book, why do I have to wait two years before I finally get to read it? That's crazy.

Q. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

Liz: Write every day. Read a lot and then read some more. Reach out to the online writer community for help, guidance, advice, support, and the occasional chuckle. I am amazed at the talented writers I've met online. Many of them have become friends and trusted critique partners.

Q. And, stealing from your own recent blog post, do you have any advice for dealing with rejections?

Liz: Chocolate and crying help but once that's out of your system you've got to get back to writing and believing in yourself. No one can do that for you. There's no magic pill. It's like any goal that you want to achieve: You have to keep at it, you have to keep trying and pushing and improving yourself. And a sense of humor will get you through the rough patches, along with that chocolate I mentioned.

Q. Where did you get the idea for CAPTIVE SPIRIT? If readers could take one thing away after reading your novel, what would you hope that would be?

Liz: CAPTIVE SPIRIT began from a seed of an idea that I learned years ago after moving to Phoenix, Arizona, from Park Ridge, Illinois, my hometown. I learned that the Hohokam Indians once flourished in the area known today as central and southern Arizona from about 300 BC to 1500 AD--quite literally right in my backyard. Then one day--no one knows why--they simply vanished. There are all sorts of theories--fire, floods, war, migration, but no one knows for sure. That has always stuck with me and it's what inspired me to write my historical romance, CAPTIVE SPIRIT.

Q. Can you tell us anything about the book that will be released this summer?

Liz: My next novel with Carina Press is tentatively titled RUN FOR YOUR LIFE. It's a contemporary romance due out in July of 2011. Like most of my stories, it takes place in Arizona, has some Native American influences, and there is a love story. I can't write a book without a love story. Impossible.

About Liz: Liz Fichera is the author of CAPTIVE SPIRIT, her debut historical romance novel from Carina Press. She prefers to write about ordinary people who do extraordinary things, oftentimes against the backdrop of Native American legends in the American Southwest. When she’s not plotting her next novel, you’ll find her on the web dishing about books, writing, or the best brands of chocolate. Please visit her web site or follow her blog because it can get real lonely in the desert. Virtual chocolate cupcakes served daily.