Interview with Sonja Bentley Zant

Author of Hurricane Season

Where are you from originally and where do you reside now?

I’m originally from Colorado but moved for Florida in high school and lived there until about 12 years ago. Now I live in Sonoma, California.

If you currently reside somewhere besides where you were born, what’s the story that lead from there to here?

My dad decided when I was in high school that we needed a change and that was the reason for our move. I ended up going to college in Florida, but my parents moved back to Colorado when I was finished with high school. I still think of myself as a Colorado girl in many ways, even though I actually lived in Florida longer than I did in the state of my birth.

What made you decide to write and publish your first book?

I’ve always been a storyteller – even as a little girl. I used to make construction paper stories all the time! But I was a professional technical writer when I got married to my husband (Lou), however, I’d always wanted to write a fictional narrative. So once my technical writing income wasn’t my only focus, I decided to write my first novel. It took me a year to complete the story of a 33-year-old virgin from South Beach, but after completing the first five chapters, I knew writing fiction was the only thing out there that would satisfy me!

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

My books are “easy reads” with layers of conflict that explore personal convictions as well as surface situations that force my characters to face their fears. I love to write in the first-person voice because the unreliable narrator that lives in all of our heads can be explored in the life and experiences of my characters, and through that voice I can demonstrate for my readers how limiting life can be when the only perspective we use is our own.

Who do you feel is most likely to connect with the topics you write about?

Women between the ages of 18 and 50 are my primary readers. But as I’ve grown as an author – and my life has taken on some totally unexpected turns – I’ve written my first non-fiction narrative which is a memoir about the past decade or so of my life. That narrative has created a shift in my audience to skew older (30 to 70) and I’ve picked up some male readership as well.

What unexpected or surprising thing did you learn during the process of writing and publishing?

I completed my first novel (HURRICANE SEASON) in 2007, which was the same year the Kindle digital reader came out. When I was shopping for agents to represent my interests, I took several meetings with agents who were incredibly encouraging about my story but were not taking any “risks” on new authors due to the disruption e-readers were causing in the publishing industry. That experience gave me insight very early on about how tricky the publishing world can be, however, it also empowered me to forge ahead on my own. I learned that there is always room for a good story in this world, and there are always creative ways to find your readers if you zero in on the “why” behind everything you do.

If you could, what advice would you give to your past self before embarking on this journey?

Hiring a very good copy editor is very important. I have such regrets about the number of typos and editing errors are in my debut novel – however, when I’ve had the chance to connect with audiences of my readers, sharing that part of my experience has often been the thing people appreciate hearing the most. If you think you have to be perfect to be “good enough” in this world then you’ll probably never do anything! That’s what I’ve learned. But with that said, I also believe adding the right people to the mix of my creative and business decisions when it comes to my stories is just plain wise!

How many people would you ideally like to reach with your books?

I’ve had great reach with HURRICANE SEASON in the past, and for me, the most successful approach has always been to do live events centered around the topics in my stories. I’m not currently focused on the marketing or sale of any of my books as I’m in the original series adaptation process. But once that side of my storytelling vision is sorted and organized, I would like to come out with the second edition of my debut novel, and of course, my sales goals will be a major part of my plans.

What has been the biggest challenge and frustration during the process to date?

The biggest challenge for me in anything I do is getting out of my own way! When I was younger I could come up with all kinds of reasons NOT to create my stories, but eventually, my passions would win out. As a storyteller, I can weave a pretty specific tale of how I want things to go (or perhaps believe I need them to go) but then my real life completely alters that story! So going with the flow, letting things happen, and doing what I’m moved to do with no clarity or certainty that things will work out has been a big effort for me!

What’s your biggest strengths when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

a) Writing is the most natural thing I do. I’m always writing in my head and sitting down to build a story is very easy for me. Writing has saved me several times from falling into a bad place in my life and I’m thankful every day for the passion I was born with! I will always write stories. Always.
b) Publishing is not a strength or a weakness for me – it’s just a necessity for an author. Making a story into something that resembles a book isn’t difficult these days. Self-publishing has come a long way and I feel as though the stigma of “self-published vs. industry published” has lessened. But I think the bigger question these days is how to create the best digital format that doesn’t lose the “high-touch” feeling a printed book offers a reader. So I’m still fascinated and intrigued by that aspect of publishing, however, I don’t feel like I’m quite there yet!
c) Marketing is a part of the storytelling process I actually enjoy! Finding unique ways to connect to my readers excites me. When HURRICANE SEASON first came out, I went on a four-stop college tour with the book and spoke to thousands of incoming freshmen girls going through sorority rush. Offering to speak to these young women for free in exchange for selling my books at the end of the speech was a huge success for me, and it got nearly 3,000 copies of my book in the hands of my target audience in short order. It felt right to me to be very active and deeply personal in the marketing of my book, and I think this is the reason I’m so focused on the transition of that narrative into a live-action adaptation. It will give the story new life and more ways to connect to my audience.

What’s your biggest weakness when it comes to book a) writing, b) publishing and c) marketing?

a) A weakness from my past was not involving copy editors in my process. It’s not just about catching spelling errors/typos, but it’s also about interacting and “sparring” with another storyteller to lift that narrative off the page to find a better home in someone else’s imagination. That is a primary focus of mine at this stage in my career.
b) Right now, publishing is not a big focus for me, which could be shortsighted and a weakness of my business strategy.
c) To me, marketing is very nuanced, but the driving force behind it is timing. As I said, I can get in my own way sometimes, and when it comes to knowing when to “pull the trigger” on my marketing can often times stymie my process. I can over-think things and miss a moment or two – but I’ve been learning that just leaping into things can sometimes teach me more than my analytical efforts in the area of knowing my target market ever could!

When do you think you will write your next book?

I’m in the middle of writing two books. It might sound weird, but I think I’m always writing something in my head that would make a terrific story!

Are you self published or did you use a hybrid publisher, or a traditional publisher?

Self-published.