FEATURED AUTHOR: AMY M. READE

ABOUT THE BOOK

A dark presence had invaded the Jorgensens' house. On a spectacular bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, something evil is watching and waiting . . . 

Tired of the cold winters in Washington, D.C. and disturbed by her increasingly obsessive boyfriend, Kailani Kanaka savors her move back to her native Big Island of Hawaii. She also finds a new job as personal chef for the Jorgensen family. The gentle caress of the Hawaiian trade winds, the soft sigh of the swaying palm trees, and the stunning blue waters of the Pacific lull her into a sense of calm at the House of Hanging Jade—an idyll that quickly fades as it becomes apparent that dark secrets lurk within her new home. Furtive whispers in the night, a terrifying shark attack, and the discovery of a dead body leave Kailani shaken and afraid. But it's the unexpected appearance of her ex-boyfriend, tracking her every move and demanding she return to him, that has her fearing for her life . . .

 

INTERVIEW WITH AMY M. READE

Amy, do you have a writing routine?
Usually my writing routine is broken up into two parts: promotion and writing. Typically I do promotion in the morning (social media, catching up on emails, and visiting/reading/commenting on other blogs) and writing/revising/editing in the afternoon. I like to work in the evening, but by that time I’m just working on whatever’s calling my name.

Do you write every day?
I write at least six days a week, whether it’s a work-in-progress or a guest blog post or a post for my own blog.

Readers: Amy has a great blog. You should check it out! Amy, how often do you read?
I try to read every day. That’s not to say it actually happens every day, but I give it my best shot. I like to take a book or my Kindle with me wherever I go so if I’m stuck waiting for someone or something, I can spend that time productively. I would love to be able to read much more than I do, but there just aren’t enough hours in the day.

I hear you. What is your writing style?
I’ve been told I write like the old gothic authors: Daphne du Maurier, Phyllis Whitney, and Victoria Holt. That’s quite a compliment and an honor, as far as I’m concerned. I want to write stories that I wouldn’t mind my kids or my parents reading.


What books do you currently have published?
I have three books published as of April 26, 2016. They’re all standalones. The first is Secrets of Hallstead House, which is set in the Thousand Islands region of upstate New York. The second is The Ghosts of Peppernell Manor, which takes place on an antebellum plantation outside Charleston, South Carolina. And the third, House of the Hanging Jade, is set on the Island of Hawaii, commonly called the Big Island. Each of my books is written in a gothic style, meaning there’s a spooky atmosphere with a pervasive sense of fear and suspense. They also include romance which is definitely more sweet than spicy.


What do you know now that you wish you knew then?
That bad reviews are a part of every writer’s life and it’s best to learn from them if possible and then move on. The first time I got a bad review I called my editor in a complete panic, and he had to talk me off a ledge. He said something that stuck with me: the great thing about being a published author is that your work is out there for everyone to see. The bad thing about being a published author is that your work is out there for everyone to see. That resonates with me.

That's very true. Do you have any secret talents?
I make a pretty mean Egg Fried Rice with Ginger. One of my kids is a vegetarian, and often I make that for her for breakfast.

Is writing your dream job?
Yes! I like to say I’m a recovering attorney. I liked the research and writing aspect of the practice of law, but the rest of it really wasn’t for me. What I tell people now is that writing is the best career I could dream of and I can’t imagine doing anything else. I love every single minute of it, from brainstorming to research to writing to revising to promoting.


Do you have any marketing tips you could pass on to indie authors?
I’ll give out the same advice I got: start promoting yourself and your work on the day you decide to write a book, not on the day you decide to publish it. I went from having no online presence whatsoever to having my own website, blog, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, Goodreads, and Amazon author pages in under three years. I don’t necessarily post on all those sites all the time, but I enjoy all of them, and I’ve discovered the ones which work best for me. I would encourage other writers to try out different things—keep what works, discard what doesn’t.

How often do you tweet?
I tweet a few times a day, 5 days a week. I don’t usually tweet on weekends. The majority of my tweets are retweets of others’ posts because I try to live by the 80/20 principle: 80% of your tweets should be promoting someone or something else; 20% should be promoting yourself. I also use Canva.com and different quote sites to create images to post on Twitter.

What five things would you never want to live without?
My toothbrush, chocolate, books, cheese, and my glasses. Not necessarily in that order.

What’s your favorite thing to do/favorite place to go on date night?
Though date night with my husband usually involves a trip to Home Depot, I prefer to go to an Italian restaurant about 10 minutes from our house. It’s BYOB, so we take some time deciding what wine we’d like to have with dinner, and then we enjoy the food and the music at the restaurant.

What is your superpower?
Napping. Definitely napping. Also baking.


We must be kindred spirits. What’s one of your favorite quotes?
“Do unto others as you would have done unto you.”

Where is your favorite library, and what do you love about it?
My favorite library is the Cornell University A.D. White Library, located within Uris Library. It’s like something out of a storybook: beautiful and quiet with stunning views.

What is the wallpaper on your computer’s desktop?
My wallpaper is a slideshow of all the photos on my computer. I have no idea how it got there or how to change it, which is a good thing because I like it the way it is. If I ever do want to change it, though, I’ll follow my own advice: “When you need tech help, ask the youngest child in the family. He/she will know what to do.”

Definitely true. What’s your biggest pet peeve about writing?
When apostrophes aren’t used properly.

What is your favorite movie?
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, starring Cary Grant and Myrna Loy.

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m working on a new series set in the United Kingdom. I’m in the revision stages of Book One (which doesn’t have an official title yet), getting it ready to send to my beta readers. And I’m gathering plot ideas and scenes for Book Two, which I’ll start writing very soon.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amy M. Reade grew up in northern New York. After graduating from college and law school, she practiced law in New York City before moving to southern New Jersey, where she lives now with her husband, three children, dog, two cats, and a fish. She writes full time and is the author of Secrets of Hallstead House, a novel of romantic suspense set in the Thousand Islands region of New York, and The Ghosts of Peppernell Manor, a novel in the same genre set outside Charleston, South Carolina. Her third novel, House of Hanging Jade, is set in Hawaii and was released April, 2016. She is currently working on the first book of a series set in the United Kingdom (expected release date in early 2017). She loves cooking, reading, and traveling.


Connect with Amy:

Website  |  
Blog  |   Facebook  |   
Twitter  |   Goodreads  |   Tumblr   |   Pinterest  |   Amazon 

Buy the book:
Amazon  |   Barnes & Noble  |  Kobo  |    Kensington Books