Interview with Christine Manzari

Author of Hooked

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

I am from Maryland and I currently live close to Baltimore.

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

I grew up in Cecil County, Maryland and went to college at the University of Maryland at College Park which is located between Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD. I studied fine art at UMD and graduated with a BA degree in 1996. I lived close to College Park for several years until I decided to have kids and then I moved north of Baltimore.

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

I have always wanted to be an author and even attended writer’s camp when I was a teen. However, it wasn’t until I had kids and resigned from my job as a graphic designer to become a stay-at-home-mom that I felt inspiration strike. I found myself reading more than ever and without the creative outlet I had as a graphic designer, words became the way I expressed myself. I started out by writing short blog posts and then eventually wrote a manuscript. I didn’t publish that first one though. I participated in National Novel Writing Month in November 2011 and finished the novel that following May. I queried out to a few agents but eventually got tired of waiting to hear back and self published the book in August 2013.

How would you describe your books to first time readers?

My YA dystopian series, The Sophisticates, is perfect for fans of X-men and The Darkest Minds. It has teens with supernatural powers fighting against corruption. My NA romance series, Hearts of Stone, is snarky and sexy with strong females who like to break the molds of expectations.

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

I think readers who like to escape real life and read stories with adventure and romance will like my books. If they’re looking for snarky humor and lots of twists and turns to a happy ending, they’ll enjoy my books.

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

I learned that writing the book is the easy part. The hard part is marketing it. As a self-published author, it takes more time and effort to market a book than it does to write it.

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

I would tell myself to start writing sooner. I wish I had embarked on this journey ten years sooner.

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

That’s a hard question to answer. Obviously I’d like to reach as many people as possible but I think the real answer is I’d like to bring reluctant readers into the fold. I’d like to make a fan out of someone who previously didn’t read much. That’s how you know your book is something special.

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

That changes each year. Three years ago I would have said my biggest challenge was reaching readers and marketing my books. Now I’d say it’s finding time to write. As my kids have gotten older, my schedule has changed and finding quality time to write is hard. I used to write at night after they went to bed, but that’s not really an option now and I’ve had difficulty adjusting to writing during the day.

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

I’d say my biggest strength is editing. My editor has said my first round of my manuscript is quite clean. I edit as I go because I’m a bit of a perfectionist but it means that my first draft is super clean and well thought out.

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

I’d say my biggest weakness is marketing. I have quite a nice following on instagram where I feature and promote books and I sometimes forget to promote my own work.

When do you think you will write your next book?

I am almost finished my next book. I just have a few chapters left to write. It is a YA fantasy.

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

I am self-published but hope to one day be traditionally published. I will be querying my next manuscript.