Sara Dagan interview

1: What is the most productive time of the day for you to write?

I'm a night owl J My best hours are from 20:00 onwards, deep into the night. However, when  the book  starts to get  its  identity,  i.e. when it is almost completed, I am charged with extra creative energies for daytime as well...

2: Do you start your projects writing with paper and pen or is it all on the computer?

It's all on my pc. Before I had my Iphone, I used to keep a small notebook  in my purse in case Lady Muse decides to favor me (In Hebrew, my mother tounge, Muse is a feminine noun). I still keep one on my chest of drawrs near my bed – many of the  ideas occure just before I fall asleep.

3: What do you draw inspiration from?

Everything that stimulates my heart and imagination. Some of scenes are based on personal experience, other on the media and books I'v read (fiction as well as non fiction). In Princess Maya & the Crystal Ball, some significant themes were written under  the inspiration of  Nobel Dame, the famos song of Hadjidakis'.

4: Do you set goals for yourself when you sit down to write such as word count?

Absolutely. This is how I keep my self discipline. The best that works for me is setting a deadline according to my Life Map which is based on the Biographical Work principles (a spiritual coaching technique). Since I am also a biographical coach, I use my life map to set my goals accordingley and reach them as well. My first book, was completed when I was 48yo because I was  consiousley following my life map guidelines. Whenever I reach a goal, I reward myself with 'little things' such as watching an excellent BBC series in one go, or pamper myself with a cappuccino together with a 'calory bomb' almond butter pastry.

5: Are you a published or a self published author and how do you come up with your cover art?

I am a self upblished author. Making the cover is quite a challenge for me. I use the paint.net software  as well as photos from stock. I still have a lot to learn but lately I started  to enjoy it.

6: What drives you to choose the career of being a writer?

I wanted to be a wrtier ever since I was 12yo. This is the best way for me to express both my ideas and feelings, I feel lucky I can  merge it together with my other caree – the  Biographical Work which requires certain writing skills, My first book, Identifying the Hidden Thread, a Biographical Journey"   is actually a guide to drawing a life map. My writing career fertilises my biographical career and vice versa.    

7: Do you own an ebook reading device?

At the moment I only have a kindle for pc and an iphone.

8: Who are some of your favorite authors and What are you reading now?

J.R.R. Tolkien, Jhumpa Lahiri, Chitra Banerjee Divakarun, Halldor Laxness, Marlo Morgan and Edna Mazia and Stieg Larsson. I am now reading "To Have or To Be?" by Erich Fromm.

9: What do you think of book trailers and do you have any plans to have any?

I think authors today are very fortunate with this abundance of virtual tools to help them  promote their work. It's on my To Do list.

10: How did you come up with the title of your latest book?

That's interesting. The title came out before the story did. I recall I was walking down the street, thinking that I would like to start writing a fairy tale. All of a sudden the words Princess Maya & the Crystal Ball poped up.

 

11: What are you working on now that you can talk about?

I am working on Princess Maya Meets Prince Karma, the second book in the trilogy.  

These days I am also working onWriters-online-Biographical-Coaching-Program which was developed in order to provide writers with a coaching-plan together with a platform for their work.  Further  info will be posted  in my blog soon.  

LINKS:

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/60954

B&N (Nook): Princess Maya on B&N

My blog: http://saradagan.blogspot.com/

My facebook profile: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1478648021

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/edit?trk=h-gnav-name-link-0

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/#!/SaraDagan

Thank you, kipp poe, for this platform J