Between Land and Sea, Joanne Guidoccio Interview
Tell us a little
about yourself.
How hard could it be?
The school day ended in mid-afternoon, and I had twelve weeks of holiday time. That would give me plenty of time to devote to my true passion—writing.
That was the dream.
The reality was very different.
Even though I had many satisfying moments, I found the teaching profession to be a very challenging and demanding one. I never had the time and energy to start a writing practice.
In 2008, I took advantage of early retirement. I filled my days with workshops, seminars and online courses. Slowly, a writing practice emerged and my articles and book reviews started appearing in newspapers, magazines and online.
On a whim, I took a workshop offered by dark fantasy and horror writer Sarah Totton. At first, I focused only on the writing advice, but later toyed with the idea of writing fantasy for boomer women. My debut novel, Between Land and Sea, was released by Soul Mate Publishing on September 18, 2013.
Tell us about your new book, Between Land and Sea.
This
contemporary version of The Little Mermaid offers hope and inspiration to
anyone who has been dumped, deceived or demoted.
After giving up her tail for an international banker, Isabella of the Mediterranean kingdom is aged beyond recognition. The horrified banker abandons her on the fog-drenched shores of southwest England, leaving her to face a difficult human journey as a plain and practically destitute fifty-three-year-old woman.
With the help of a magic tablet and online mermaid support, Isabella evolves into the persona of Barbara Davies. Along the way, she encounters a cast of unforgettable characters, among them former mermaids, supportive and not-so-supportive women, deserving and undeserving men, and several New Agers.
After
Isabella is abandoned in England, she is whisked across the ocean to Carden,
Ontario (a fictitious town 40 miles west of Toronto). I wanted Isabella to
fully experience the contrast between the life she had been promised by the
international banker—large, glittering cities across the globe—and the life she
faced—a small town with limited possibilities. Only then, would she be motivated
to improve her circumstances. Had I placed her in Toronto or Chicago (where she
eventually ends up), she would not have experienced as much personal growth.
What was the most challenging aspect of writing Between Land and
Sea?
Having read very few books I did enjoy in the genre, I
found it challenging to create one that would contain enough fantasy elements
and still satisfy fans of contemporary women’s fiction. Using a tablet with
online mermaid support helped solve that problem. I was careful, however, not
to use too much technical jargon.
Joanne Guidoccio
Blurb
She
picked up the tablet and pressed the green button. Lisa738 appeared.
“Greetings, Isa— Barbara. What can I
do for you today?”
“I’m
giving my first dinner party and I’m not certain—”
Barbara
picked up the button, peeled off the coating, applied it to her left temple, and
waited for the unsettling sensation. This time, the experience was more
intense. Barbara lost her balance and had to hold on to a nearby chair for
support.
Lisa738 winced. “I
forgot to warn you about the power of the Specialist Skills buttons. You may need
to lie down for an hour or so. Are you planning a large dinner party?”
Website: www.joanneguidoccio.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/joanneguidoccio
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BetweenLandandSeaJG
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/jguidoccio/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7277706.Joanne_Guidoccio
Amazon: http://is.gd/AVpoVs
YouTube (Trailer #1): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xipZ6quZDOs
Comments
Thanks for featuring me on your blog.
Joanne:)
Great post, enjoyed reading it with my morning Latte.
Sarah
From the start, I thought of writing as a second career.
Joanne :)
From the start, I thought of writing as a second career.
Joanne :)