Promotional Interview with Amanda Young

Your Name: Amanda Young

1. Where you are from and where are you now?
I was born in Atlanta, Georgia. I now live in Las Vegas, Nevada and plan to move to Florida in near future.

2. How did you get started writing? It began with a dream. Literally. I kept dreaming of a little girl that looked very weak and sick. I finally got an envelope and began writing down the dream hoping that it would help me understand what it meant. I have worked for years as a hospice nurse and even thought she may one day be a patient. I was confused really. That was in 2000 and the title of the book now is ‘Megan’s Unicorn.” It is a story of a little girl named Megan who has leukemia. It is of how a dysfunctional family finds out that a little girl’s faith is the thing that can not only save her life but teach her family to learn to love. But one dies and this helps save another. I am proud of the story. It is in second print through Booksurge.com.

3. What do you do when you are not writing? I enjoy nature. Anything outside. I appreciate nature nowadays. Before I use to try and find ways to rush through nature. Speed along on a bike or run or climb over steep terrain. Now, I like to sit and absorb the beauty of nature. Just appreciate it. I realize now that when I was racing through on my bike I did not see the beauty.

4. What would readers like to know about you? I think that they would like to know that I like myself these days. I do not know if it is because of all of the drafts of writing ‘Silent Prisoner’ which is my story. It is of my life and of surviving childhood abuse and being a survivor of domestic violence. I never thought it was possible to say those words and really mean it but I do like me. And that is such a good feeling!

5. What inspired your first book? As I said, it was a dream I kept having of a little girl that I later called Megan. The name means mighty one. I fought for a long time with the idea that I could put words on paper and turn them into a book. But something inside of me or outside of me believed I could.

6. How many books have you written? I have another one out in January or February at the latest and that will be my fifth. All are with Booksurge.com.

7. What are the titles of your books and what genres are they? Silent Prisoner is true story as I said of my life. ‘Megan’s Unicorn’ is fictional. Tessa Travels to the Great Nature God is fictional, fairy tale for adolescent to older. Tessa Meets the Tree Trunk Children is fictional, fairy tale for adolescent to older. And out in month or two is Life’s
Journey Home is fictional, fantasy for adolescent to adults.

8. How do you decide on that topic or genre? For ‘Silent Prisoner’ which is one I am promoting is easy. It is a non-fictional and autobiography and is of my life and my journey.

9. How do you manage to keep yourself focused and on track? It is hard. Life wants to distract. I have found that writing is the one thing I have done that needs a dedicated and serious focus. Nursing did also but not to the degree writing does or at least for me. I completely understand now when I had seen in movies of writers going off into the deep forest to be far away from civilization to write and find inspiration. I have fantasies these days of being in a log cabin and no phone, no neighbors and no noise. No distractions.

10. Do you write to make money or for the love of writing? Well, I hope that my newly found love for writing will turn into money. But who knows.

11. What are some traditional methods of marketing you have used? I have gone onto the internet and gotten address of places that deal with domestic violence. I have sent books with a press release to them. Booksurge.com has some great tools for authors. I have a press kit which includes bookmarks, postcards and had them do a press release. They do great work. I tell others of my book. I feel good about the book, more and more. It took some getting use to I have to be honest. It is of my life and my traumas. I cried a lot and did not think I would be able to go through with putting my story out there to be honest. That is what victims of abuse want to do. Pretend it did not happen. I did not want that for others. Someone said to me that there are many ways to nurse a sick and wounded soul and you did it by sharing your story. I liked that comment. Word of mouth I hope will work for my story too.

12. What are some unique methods of marketing you have used? I sent my book to a state representative with a letter. I have not heard from him or his staff. I saw on a web sight that he was for laws to help further help victims of abuse. I sent to a senator my book. And I sent to a prison warden. Of a girl prison. Nothing back from them either. The books did not come back and so have to believe they made it there. To someone.

13. Do you sell through a website? If so, what’s the address? If not, why not? I have been asking around and want to do website.

14. Where can people order your books? Amazon.com and Booksurge.com

15. What format are your books – e-book, print, audio etc? Print

16. Will you write more books? I don’t know. Maybe.

17. What do you have in the works now? As I said, ‘Life’s Journey Home’ should be in print end of Jan. 2008 or Feb.

18. What does the future hold for you and your books? I hope that they will be well known as I believe in the messages they give. I do not know. Does anyone ever know when they write a
book what will happen?

19. What was the most successful thing you did to promote your books? I have yet to find that out. I like working with Pump Up Your Book Promotion and have been very pleased with them. I could not have found the places they have me on. I am thankful they sent me an e-mail and I responded.

20. What was the least successful thing you did to promote your books? I am not sure. I have found that in life when you think someone did not hear you or they did not like what you said. That is sometimes the person that told someone else they did not like you or your story and that person they told was the one that was suppose to get the message. So, you just never know how the message gets past on to the right person. Life is a mystery to me that I am finding out more and more to be intriguing and a joy to try and understand.

Silent Prisoner synopsis: Silent Prisoner is based on a true story of how one woman, through faith, survived childhood abuse, and later, domestic violence. April follows life’s road as best she can without the benefit of having parents or siblings along the way. On this road of life she encounters a loving aunt, a spiritual mentor, a proper grandmother, and a stoic therapist. Even though these people are only in her life for a brief time, they have planted the seed within her that will sprout forth an inner strength and faith in God and the Angels.

Amanda Young is a registered nurse with a degree in Homeopathy from the British Institute of Homeopathy. Abused by her alcoholic parents and later the victim of domestic violence, Amanda credits the special people in her life and faith in God and the Angels for helping her overcome being a victim and allowing her to thrive. She wrote “Silent Prisoner” in the hope that sharing her story will help those who are silent and suffering to have the courage to find help.

This interview was done in conjunction with Nikki Leigh. For more information, visit – www.nikkileigh.com/promo.htm.