An Interview with Georgiana Daniels & Book Giveaway

Georgiana Daniels is the debut author of a Chick lit/romantic comedy novel titled Table for One. Table for One is available now, and it’s one of the most humorous reads I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying in a very long while.

Georgiana shows no mercy with her heroine, Lucy, in Table for One. The romance-seeking Lucy is as realistic as ever with all her nervous blunders. This story had me traveling back in time, recalling the long-ago dating scene, and thanking the Lord that I got through it and survived. If you’re after a fun read that shows wonderful character growth, I highly recommend you pick up a copy, or order one, of Georgiana Daniels Table for One. Purchasing information is located near the cover picture later in the post.

I’ve been enjoying Georgiana’s blog (http://georgianad.blogspot.com/) for a while now, but I first got cyber-acquainted with this talented writer through the ACFW forums. Georgiana is one of the few faithful posters to the forums, so be sure to check out her blog, and if you’re a member of ACFW you can meet her over on the forums as well.

Without further adieu, let’s see what Georgiana has to say.

Q: What is your favorite genre?

Georgiana Daniels: Chick lit/romantic comedy/humorous women’s fiction—anything that involves a little bit of love and laughter.

Q: What’s your most favorite thing to do?

Georgiana Daniels: Haunt the bookstore! I love cruising the aisles, checking out back covers, and reading first pages. There’s something about being surrounded by books that actually calms me down and makes me feel at home. If all goes as planned, my children will feel the same way!


Q: What would you run from without thinking twice?

Georgiana Daniels: The mall! Lean in and I’ll tell you a secret. Ready? I hate shopping. Yes, it’s true, and I’m unrepentant about it. Thankfully I have a hubby who supplies me with cute shoes.


Q: How would a friend describe you to their pastor?

Georgiana Daniels: Well pastor, if she starts coming here she’s not going to head up the helps ministry, and believe me when I say you don’t want her bringing you a casserole if you’re sick. She might offer to clean the bathrooms, but please, PLEASE don’t ask her to drive the big, long van. And just so you know, she hides during the greeting because she’s nervous about meeting new people. Hey, I know—let’s put her in the nursery!


Q: How much of your life experiences do you put in your writing?

Georgiana Daniels: While the adventures in my stories are different from my own life—after all, my sensible mother never threw me a Man Party—the emotions are all mine. That’s the great thing about writing, in one way or another we’ve all been there and done that when it comes to feelings, so we can write with authenticity. (I think that’s also how we identify with stories we read too.) Of course we have to write what we know, but it works well to do that with emotions and not just real-life happenings. That said, in my last career I was a broker, just like my heroine in Table for One.


Q: With two tots and a teenager how do you fit writing in and when?

Georgiana Daniels: Bedtime is my friend. Once the babies go to sleep, I hit the keyboard. For a while I tried writing during the day, but found that doesn’t work so well with baby gymnastics, choir practice, doctor’s appointments, blah, blah, blah. Now I find myself starting a pot of coffee in the early evening to get pumped for the night. It also helps that my precious husband suggested taking long naps—does it get any better than that?—so I can be wide awake at night. I adore long naps…..


Q: What, or who inspired you to take up fiction writing?

Georgiana Daniels: The writing bug bit me when I was young. In fact, I can’t remember not wanting to write, but it was always the proverbial “someday.” When I quit my last career to stay home with the kids I decided now was as good a time as any. My only regret is waiting so long to heed the call.


Q: What do you feel is the best way you have developed your writing skills?

Georgiana Daniels: Tons of practice!!! Yes, I took writing classes in high school and college, and I’ve read a bazillion craft books, but nothing replaces hours spent at the keyboard. There was a time when I found myself reading about writing more than doing the actual work, and that was a turning point for me. Classes, conferences, books, and plain ol’ reading are excellent ways to learn, but if you don’t take the time to put the knowledge into practice it won’t matter.


Q: How long did you concentrate on learning the craft of fiction writing before you received your initial offer?

Georgiana Daniels: About three years after I got serious about writing. Those were concentrated years, I’m not counting the years I spent tinkering, because there were a lot of those!


Q: How did you pursue publication? And please, tell us something about the publishing house that contracted Table for One.

Georgiana Daniels: After finishing Table for One, I tried the traditional route by looking for an agent to represent me. I got positive responses to the story, but everyone declined because chick lit was closed to new authors. I decided to submit to a small press, and they were more than enthusiastic! The Wild Rose Press has a business model that allows them to take chances on stories they believe in, rather than automatically declining based on a genre label. Working with my editor at TWRP was a great first experience.


Q: Initially, Table for One was out as an e-book, how does that work? Do certain publishers only offer this? At what point does your book go to print?

Georgiana Daniels: There are different types of small presses. The Wild Rose Press considers themselves primarily an e-publisher, but they also offer print releases six months after the e-book comes out. Yes, some publishers only offer e-books, but I wanted an actual paperback. Here’s another secret for you: I don’t read e-books myself because I already spend scads of time in front of the screen. I like that TWRP offers both because I know there are readers who love to download.


Q: What is your personal goal(s) with respect to writing?

Georgiana Daniels: I’d love to make a career out of writing and work into full time once my kids go to school. At this point I’m learning to focus on the journey without obsessing over the prize. I believe God has much to teach each of us along the way if we’re willing to pay attention.

Q: Do you have any further direction or thoughts that you care to share with weary authors-in-training?

Georgiana Daniels: Let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Sound familiar? Those words are close to my heart, and not just in regards to writing. The word says we shall reap. Will we reap publication? Maybe…maybe not. But we are promised a harvest, and God knows what we need. Sometimes it hurts to think that all this time spent at the keyboard may not produce fruit, but that’s not really true. Perhaps it’ll be different fruit than what we plan for ourselves, but God, the Master Author, knows how the story of our lives is supposed to go.

Thank you for inviting me to your blog, Eileen!

Georgiana, it’s been a pleasure having you here. Thanks so much for sharing aspects of your life and writing with us. I look forward to keeping in touch with you, and may your writing continue to produce such fun, entertaining, and life-affirming stories. After reading Table for One, I can now honestly see those long-ago dating years for what they were—a time of learning and growing, with humiliation escorting me the whole way, just like everyone else. So good to know I wasn’t such a misfit after all! Thanks for clarifying that, Georgiana!

Table for One by Georgiana Daniels
Quick Links for purchasing:
The Wild Rose Press
Amazon.com

Successful stockbroker Lucy Brocklehurst hasn't had a date in four years. In a town where the ratio of single women to men is 7:1, she's determined to wait on God for the perfect mate--as long as it's the hot new youth pastor at her church.

Lucy will do anything to get his attention, including volunteering for the youth group. Through a series of misadventures on the teen outings, Lucy finds herself falling in love with a kindhearted chaperone named Edgar Flowers. But when their relationship grows serious, Lucy discovers the lengths his recently widowed mother will go to in order to keep them apart. What starts out as harmless interference turns into an all out tug of war, with Edgar as the prize!

Will Lucy crumble under the scrutiny of her would-be mother-in-law? Or can Lucy and Edgar's budding romance survive the schemes of his meddling mom?


Book Giveaway:

If you’d like to be entered to win a copy of Georgiana Daniel’s Table for One, please leave a pertinent comment in this post with your augmented e-mail address. Since this story is about romance, I’ll be drawing for the winner on my hubby’s and mine eighteenth wedding anniversary, August 4, 2008. As usual, the draw will take place at 9:00 p.m. Eastern time. Good luck everyone!

Winner Update: Congratulations to Rae Byuel, you won Georgiana Daniel's Table for One.

Blessings,

Eileen