Interview with Dora Machado, author of 'The Curse Giver'

ABOUT THE CURSE GIVER

Lusielle's bleak but orderly life as a remedy mixer is shattered when her husband betrays her and she is sentenced to die for a crime she didn't commit. She's on the pyre, about to be burned, when a stranger breaks through the crowd and rescues her from the flames. Brennus, Lord of Laonia is the last of his line. He is caught in the grip of a mysterious curse that has murdered his kin, doomed his people and embittered his life. To defeat the curse, he must hunt a birthmark and kill the woman who bears it in the foulest of ways. Lusielle bears such a mark. Stalked by intrigue and confounded by the forbidden passion flaring between them, predator and prey must come together to defeat not only the vile curse, but also the curse giver who has already conjured their ends. PURCHASE AT:

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Can you start out by telling us whether you are published for the first time or are you multi-published?

I'm a multi-published author. My first three books are part of the Stonewiser series, and they include Stonewiser: The Heart of the Stone (2009), Stonewiser: The Call of the Stone (2010), and Stonewiser: The Lament of the Stone (2012). I'm really excited about my latest book, The Curse Giver (July 2013), a stand-alone fantasy romance that has just been released by Twilight Times Books.

When you were published for the first time, which route did you go – mainstream, small press, vanity published, or self-published and why or how did you choose this route?

I went with a small press, a micro press really, mostly because I knew that, as a new author, I was going to have a hard time getting picked up by a larger press, but also because the small press offered me an incredible opportunity and lots of involvement in the process of publishing my book. For The Curse Giver, I went with Twilight Times Books, a small to medium independent press that publishes in critically acclaimed books.

How long did it take you to get published once you signed the contract?

The first time, it took about seven months. The Curse Giver took about a year.

How did it make you feel to become published for the first time and how did you celebrate?

It was an awesome feeling and I celebrated with more writing, by finishing my second book.

What was the first thing you did as far as promotion when you were published for the first time?

The first thing? Hmm. Let me think. I did an interview for SFFmedia.com. It was a really in-depth interview that made me think hard about the novel I had just written. It was a very positive and eye-opening experience, and even though interviews are commonplace in my life these days, that's the interview that taught me all about interviews.

Since you’ve been published, how have you grown as a writer and now a published author?

I have grown in so many different ways since I've been published! When I finished my first book, I didn't know anything about the publishing industry, the trends, the monumental changes taking place for readers and writers everywhere, and the challenges of marketing books. Since then, I've become quite educated, mostly out of necessity. I've also learned a lot about my readers, what they want, how they want it. Thanks to them, I think I'm a much better writer today than I was when I first started.

What has surprised or amazed you about the publishing industry as a whole?

The incredible rate of change that has taken place in the last five, ten years. From the technical innovations that have reshaped the industry, to our attitudes about reading, writing and publishing, to the shifts in how we read, buy and promote books, I'm blown away every day by how fast and thoroughly the industry is channeling change.

What is the most rewarding thing about being a published author?

The readers, definitively the readers. They are the ones joining me in my mind's adventures. They're my partners and traveling companions and they deserve every good word, line and paragraph I can manage.

Any final words for writers who dream of being published one day?

Keep at it. It might be confusing out there some days, but there's more opportunity than ever for good writers to tell a great story. Don't be distracted by all the hoopla. Write all the way to The End.

ABOUT DORA MACHADO

Dora Machado is the award winning author of the Stonewiser series and her newest novel, The Curse Giver, coming this summer from Twilight Times Books. She is one of the few Latinas exploring her heritage and her world through the epic fantasy genre today. She holds a master's degree in business administration and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Georgetown University. She was born in Michigan and grew up in the Dominican Republic, where she developed a bilingual fascination for writing, a love for history, and a taste for Merengue. After a lifetime of straddling such compelling but different worlds, fantasy is a natural fit to her stories. She enjoys long walks, traveling, and connecting with the amazing readers who share in her mind's adventures. She lives in Florida with her indulging husband and three very opinionated cats. You can visit her at www.doramachado.com