I am pleased to introduce another Filipino achiever, no other than SAMANTHA SOTTO. She is the author of Before Ever After who happened to be the first Pinoy writer to publish a book by Crown Publishers/Random House (New York, USA).I had the chance to chat with the author during her online radio station interview with PinoyRadioUK. Samantha's debut story was inspired by her travel experiences in Europe. Of course, I asked her to be featured in my blogsite and she answered some of the questions. She also maintains a blog for her fans to get more updates of her writings and travels, including promotional tours and signing engagements for her book.
Last month, I finally met her during the International Book Fair in Manila which I will also write a journal about the event very soon.
Samantha perfectly answered my top 10 questions!
1. When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? When I typed "The End" after I wrote Before Ever After. I had written the book for fun, but the dream of publishing the book began only when I had finished it.
2. How long does it take you to write a book? About a year for writing and three months for editing. Time went by fast since I enjoyed the process.
3. What is your work schedule like when you're writing? I try to write for two to three hours every morning on weekdays.I'm on mommy duty the rest of the day.
4. What would you say is your interesting writing quirk? I cannot read other books while I'm writing. I don't want to inadvertently copy someone else's style.
5. What does your family think of your writing? They're very supportive, but they also give it to me straight. I really appreciate their honest feedback.
6. How many books have you written? Which is your favourite? Before Ever After is my first book. I'm working on my next book now.
7. Do you hear from your readers much? Wha kind of things do they say? Yes! They send me notes of appreciation about the book and share how they were able to relate to the story.
8. What do you think makes a good story? As a reader, I appreciate stories with intriguing mystery boxes, fascinating characters, and good pacing.
9. As a child, what did you want to do when you grew up? I wanted to be Tina Monzon Palma. (note: Tina is one of the respected and excellent tv broadcasters in the Philippines).
10. Who is your favourite author(s)? Neil Gaiman. I love his humor and the way he weaves magic into his stories.
THANK YOU SAM and I am glad that I met you in person! Im bit busy at the moment, but I will write my review of the book soon! To find more about her debut novel and updates, visit her blogsite: SamanthaSotto.
