Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a native New Englander whose first book was published in 2012, but I started writing it long before that because I had a bad habit of editing my book every time I even so much as glanced at it! To date, I have written four historical romances, all connected because they follow the same two families, the Chandlers and the Corwins, in 17th-century New Hampshire.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The title of my most recent book, “Destiny Is Not An Easy Road,” actually was inspired by a review about my first book, “Too Far to Whisper.” The reviewer wrote: “Our destiny is not always an easy road traveled, but the prize is always worth reaching. A beautiful love story.”
It’s a time-travel book where a young woman who is strong and independent is transported back to the 1600s to a town near Boston. The actual plot of the book came to me during the pandemic quarantine while I was sitting at home and thinking, “I wish something exciting would happen! I’m SO bored!” That’s when I thought it might be fun to write a book where the main character wishes she could be somewhere far away from the pandemic…and ends up getting transported much farther away than she ever could have imagined. As the old saying goes…be careful what you wish for!
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
My favorite time to write is from 3 AM to 8 AM (I usually sleep from 11 AM to 6 PM). Before I start writing a new book, I always know how it will begin and end, but I never think about the actual plot of the book or its twists or angst in advance. I just write those as I go along and hope for the best!
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My biggest influence was author Kathleen Woodiwiss. I have read every one of her historical romances and was devastated when she passed away in 2007. I feel as if I’ve been suffering from withdrawal ever since!
What are you working on now?
I hibernate during the winters here in New England, so that’s when I do most of my writing. It’s summer right now, so I’m not currently working on any writing projects because I’m too busy enjoying the outdoors, especially hiking.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I promote my books on my blog. Several of my friends also promote them on theirs, which really helps. But for writers such as I, who have very limited budgets for promoting books, I highly recommend Kindlepreneur’s 127+ of the Top Free and Paid Book Promotion Services. It’s a free list and I have used it religiously since day one, with great success. In fact, that’s where and how I found this site!
Do you have any advice for new authors?
If possible, write a series of at least three books and publish them at the same time, then offer the first book free to attract readers. It’s difficult for new writers to stand out otherwise, as the competition is extremely fierce. Be sure to also insert the links to the sequels so the readers easily can click on them right away after they finish each book…while the plot is still fresh in their minds. It really has worked for me.
My other advice is to write because you enjoy it and also think it’s rewarding just to know people are reading your stories. If you become an author for the sole purpose of earning a lot of money, you’re likely to end up being very disappointed.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
I always was in the habit of writing a page, then immediately editing it. This slowed my progress and interrupted my thought process. A successful writer then advised me to just sit down and write my book as my thoughts flowed…and not to edit a word until after I finished the final page! He said it was more important to get my thoughts and ideas written down, mistakes and all, without interruptions, than to try to perfect every page as I went along. So I tried his method, even though it was torture for me not to recheck every page as I wrote it. But he was right. My thoughts flowed much easier and the plots made more sense with fewer discrepancies when I wasn’t constantly backtracking.
What are you reading now?
I’m reading a sci-fi romance called “Inside the Blue Cube,” by Sally Breslin. So far, it’s made me laugh out loud – and also cry my heart out!
What’s next for you as a writer?
There has been some interest expressed in adapting one of my books into either a film or a TV series, so I’m waiting to hear more about that!
What is your favorite book of all time?
“Flowers For Algernon” by Daniel Keyes
Author Websites and Profiles
Arianna Eastland Website
Arianna Eastland Amazon Profile