Monique Domovitch is one of the authors featuring in the September giveaway. Monique has written Scorpio Rising and The Sting Of The Scorpio.
1. What is your name and where do you call home?
My name is Monique Domovitch. My husband, our three dogs and I, could be called gypsies, we travel so much. We are currently at our country home on the West Coast of British Columbia. Come November we will travel down the coast to La Jolla California until spring when we will return to our city home in Victoria Canada. We also spend about a month or two travelling the world every year. Our next trip will most likely be to Greece, where I’ve never been. The wonderful thing about being a writer is that, have laptop will travel.
2. Do you have a pen name?
I also write for Obsidian (an imprint of Penguin) under my penname Carol Ann Martin, which is made up of my daughter’s name, Carol Ann and my son’s, Martin. The first novel in this series is Looming Murder, on which I am working right now.
3. What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or less words, what would you say?
Scorpio Rising, my latest book, is about the rise of two people both driven by a hunger for success, but for vastly different reasons. It is also about the thin line between love and lust and ambition and greed.
4. Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
The sequel, The Sting of The Scorpio is scheduled to be released in early September, and I’m presently debating doing a third in the series, which I would call The Son of Scorpio.
5. What or who inspired you to start writing? And how long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing most of my life, but like many authors, I had such respect for published authors that I couldn’t imagine ever becoming published myself. After I finished a novel some years ago, I joined a writers’ group and it was through the encouragement of its members that I began the long and frustrating process of finding an agent. And then, two years ago, I had the good fortune of attending the San Diego Writers Conference where I caught the attention of Natalie Fischer of Bradford Lit. She is wonderful and has been my champion ever since. And now I like to think that I’m on the verge of becoming an overnight sensation, twenty years in the making. Tee hee.
6. Do you gift books to readers for book reviews?
Like most new authors, I am more than happy to gift a number of novels to readers and/or bloggers in return for reviews. Luckily, readers seem to love Scorpio Rising because at present the sales are being driven by the reviews. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that everyone will love my next book as much.
7. How did you come up with the cover? Who designed the cover of your book?
The cover was created by Darlene Dion, a gifted cover designer, who came up with the idea of combining the physical elements of the story, the powerful machinery of high-rise construction and an artist’s easel being swooped up by the tail of the scorpion.
8. How did you come up with the title for your book?
The title for the book came from one of the two main characters, Alexander Yvanof, who like many of his zodiac sign—the scorpio—is consumed with the desire for power and money and relentless in its pursuit.
9. Is there anything you would change about your book? And why?
Once a book is finished, I don’t look back, otherwise I could go on editing until the cows come home and always find something that could be improved. What is important is the reader’s reaction. When they write and tell me they stayed up all night to read my novel because they couldn’t put it down, then I know I did a good job. That’s all I ever hope to do.
10. Do you prefer e-books, paperback, hardcovers or audiobooks?
I’m a lover of books. I love the tactile feeling of a book. I love the smell of a book. So, when I bought a Kindle a bit over a year ago (mainly for ease of travelling) I was surprised how much I liked it. I don’t find the reading experience diminished with the Kindle. Mind you, when I read, I get so involved in a story that short of an atomic bomb, nothing will steal my attention.
11. Have you ever read a book more than once? And if so what was it?
I loved The Poisonwood Bible and read it twice, as I did, Gone With the Wind. I also love, love, love all of the works by Hemmingway and by Dickens, and re-read those all the time.
12. What book are you reading at the moment? And in what format?
Right now I’m reading a book on Criminology as homework for Looming Murder. I’m also reading Cutting For Stone by Abraham Verghese and The Distant Hours by Kate Morton.
13. Do you have any advice for other writers? And what's the best advice you have been given when it comes to writing?
My best advice for other authors is, rewrite. Becoming a good writer is ten percent talent and ninety percent rewriting. And when you think it’s perfect, read it out loud. That’s the real test. If it sounds good, then it will read well.
14. How can your readers follow you?
I can be reached at Moniquedomovitch.com which has links to my blog, my Twitter account and my Facebook page. I look forward to hearing your comments on Scorpio Rising and The Sting Of The Scorpio.
Thankyou so much for taking the time to do this interview and allowing us a glimpse into your writing world!
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