Interviews with Cecelia Hopkins-Drewer

  I used to browse websites, envying the interviewed authors and imagining how famous they must be to have been invited to do an interview! I am trying to promote my works, but I am not incredibly famous yet. However, I do honestly believe my work is newsworthy.

One day I made a wonderful discovery. I found that I could pay to be featured on a site called "Author Shout". This meant that for a fee - I could join the ranks of the featured authors on their site. The fee was reasonable, so I submitted a profile and waited excitedly to be able to read all about myself!

A few days later, I made an even better discovery. A number of websites accepted author interviews for free - and book listings for a low fee. The author interviews had to be written by the author in response to some set questions, and helped these sites build up their pages. However, it was great to find I could express my thoughts in different places.


The different questions the sites ask helped me describe my writing process and upcoming projects in different ways. Perhaps one day, someone will call me up and invite me to do a proper media or television interview!

Latest interview on BOOK READER MAGAZINE:

https://bookreadermagazine.com/featured-author-cecelia-hopkins-drewer/

An interview was published on Book Goodies:

In the interview I talk about the sources of my "inspiration" in the deepest emotion and the sense that writing comes from the subconscious. I also share my thoughts about the future of publishing.



Clicking the widget will take you to the Book Goodies site, where you can read the latest author profiles and interviews. If you want to go straight to my interview click the following link.

https://bookgoodies.com/interview-with-author-cecelia-hopkins-drewer/

Also look for book listing and Author interview on Awesome Gang:

In this interview I talk about writing MYSTIC EVERMORE and several planned sequels. I also discuss the difficulties facing non United States authors attempting to promote books on the internet.

Click here for author interview 

Interviews with Writers: 

Interviews with writers link

This interview took a long time to come out, and I cringe as I notice a couple of typing errors - especially as I say I am fussy in the actual interview! I will mail them and see whether correction is possible.

My books are being rated by Book Cave

My books are being rated by Book Cave, and so far have received "moderate" ratings for different reasons.

I have sometimes wondered exactly HOW my books ought to be rated. Christian books that "tell it like it is" seems like a tricky concept.

Some people will find them mild and even dull because they are Christian.

However, other may find them controversial because they deal with real life issues. Relationships, break-ups, domestic violence, teenage suicide, death, grief and loss.

The fantasy books are a different genre - but I also try to tell a moral tale - despite the delicious vampire trappings.

So how do they fit together really? Book Cave has a community rating system similar to that of the cinema. The first book I put through their system was Silver Springtime, which came out as "moderate" to my surprise. I suspect the "violence or horror" is exaggerated - a push or shove is hardly "horror", and there is no alcohol or drug use except for one instance of prescription drugs, but that is how it comes out.

 I am awaiting a rating of Mystic Evermore, which is totally different. It has "love bites" and making out (occasionally), and battles with imaginary monsters.

Okay, I expect this to be "Moderate". Vampire stories are all mildly gratuitous. I made a rule that a character had to be over 18 to date a vampire - just for safety...

Now the rating for All for Love.

I'm sort of puzzled how this sugar-sweet book could come out as moderate. I cannot down-rate the romance because the aim of a book is a relationship, and the girls discuss their different opinions. I did go back and down-rate the violence. The controlling ex and accidental firecracker incidents are surely "mild" and these is "no blood". But what is the definition of cartoonish?

One of the main issues is substance use. Some characters enjoy a cold drink - others prefer not to order alcohol. They discuss their points of view... did I over-rate this as "substance use"?

Interview and dialogue with Stefan Vucak

This interview is on writer Stefan Vucak's blog. Stefan is a very exciting writer of thrillers and science fiction, as well as an editor and reviewer!
https://www.stefanvucak.com/interview-with-cecelia-hopkins-drewer/

 

During the interview, I discuss my participation in Australian writers' and artists' groups: including the Sydney Horror Writers Association (Gargoyle Club) and the Folk Federation of South Australia.

I also identify two emerging trends in my current works.
1) Where I set the story in Australia / Oceana: e.g. The Silver Springs Christian University romance series. "Silver Springtime" and "Faith and Love". And the media spin-offs "All for Love: on The Charity Dating Show" and possible sequel.
2) Where I set the story in the United States of America as deliberate Americana. This includes Mystic Evermore and a few envisioned werewolf-shifter sequels.

I had an opportunity to ask Stefan a number of searching questions in return.
My interview of Stefan was published by Weekend Notes.
https://www.weekendnotes.com/interview-stefan-vucak/

FAITH AND LOVE: My July 2018 Project

I am editing Faith and Love hopefully this book will be released soon!

Kathy is a sincere Christian girl seeking love and laughter in the 1980s.

 After breaking up with her long term boyfriend, Kathy just wants to have fun! She declares to her friends that she would never go out with a ministerial candidate - so what is she to do about Andrew who appears to be waiting patiently for her to notice him?

Faith and Love continues to tell the story of the loves and losses of the students you met in the first Silver Springs University story: Silver Springtime. If you thought you knew where everyone was heading - expect some surprises and changes!

 ISBN: 978-0-6481160-3-5

P.S. I am pleased to announce this book is now available on Amazon and other sites as an ebook or paperback.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07G1ZCR22/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i6


About the Previous book: Silver Springtime by Cecelia Hopkins-Drewer

A novel of coming of age in the 1980s.

The agony of unrequited love, dates, dresses and exams all make life confusing during the teen years... Are there answers to be found in the social conventions of the previous generation, the developments of modern psychology taught in class, the theology touted at worship or in the depths of soul searching and personal experience?

This story belongs to the genre known as "Bildungsroman" or novel of development. It covers one very significant year in the life of a young female by the name of Stephanie Lowood, and is presented a diary, which was discovered in a chest by the heroine's daughter and young grandchildren. The grandchildren are curious to hear how Grandma met Grandpa and what life was like in the 1980s!

Cover Contests

The Kindle Scout programme provided me with publicity for my manuscripts and excitement that motivated me to write at a great rate. I never "won" Kindle Scout, but I always felt that I had got good value from my free participation. Sadly, however, Kindle Scout is no more (as is Kindle Worlds - which inspired me to start my vampire/shifter series although I went independent with them); and I need to find a new source of "buzz" for my writing.

In desperation, I turn to "Cover Wars" by Author Shout. Author Shout also create promotional posters for authors to use online and after viewing a few, I was inspired to create my own from some photographs taken especially by my friend Allan.

I made a poster for Silver Springtime: This features a background image taken by Allan Schultz as well as the cover image of a tree which features his photography. The cover image represents two lovers carving their name on a tree. The setting is tropical because the story is located in SE Queensland, Australia.

Mystic Evermore is competing in Author Shout Cover Wars for 1 week from 15/7/2018, US time. Please vote. http://authorshout.com/cover-wars/

My book Mystic Evermore is a vampire/shifter teen romance for which I was inspired to do a hand-drawn cover.

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I have also been doing a "Cover War" with Author Shout for Silver Springtime:
Please vote online before Sunday 1/7/2018! http://authorshout.com/cover-wars/

The design story of this cover.

 I Wanted a tropical rain-forest scene for the cover of my novel to fit the setting of SE Queensland. At the time I was unable to travel, so this picture was taken at a nursery that specialises in tropical plants and ferns!

I used the "cover creator" provided by Kindle Direct, which gave me the initial design. However, each cover creator I loaded the image into made a slightly different cover. The final cover ended up being designed in Create Space's cover maker. However, then I made a cover in Open Office, which could generate a PDF version suitable for Ingram Spark and some other publishers.

 AUTHORSdb stands for "Authors Database". Membership is free and authors can self-list their own books. It appears to be a friendly site because I have received a number of spontaneous friend requests, which is something that has not happened at Goodreads or most other author sites.

AUTHORSdb is also a site for reviewers, promotions and giveaways, so there could be a few reasons for the friend requests. However, the site appears friendly and interactive.

AUTHORSdb has several types of contests and I have checked them out because contests do represent good publicity opportunities.

The first lines contest sounds great - but my books start where they start -  strangely enough! I used to get great first lines in my head once... but found those ideas rarely went past a hundred words or so. If I have a book which starts in such a poetic fashion, I will consider entering it.

Mystic Evermore is doing the "Cover Contest 2018". I entered this title because I am most proud of my hand drawing and computer compilation of this cover. (Several of my covers feature high quality photographs by my friend Allan, so I am actually proud of them all.)

Please visit to vote for my entry and feel free to browse through the fascinating entries and titles competing in 2018. http://authorsdb.com/2018-cover-contest-results/27325-cover-contest-2018-mystic-evermore

My Promotional Video!

Mystic Evermore: My Third Kindle Scout Campaign

I am trying again with a human/vampire fanatsy collection on Kindle Scout. Please visit and vote. https://kindlescout.amazon.com/p/2Y37ZD4NICUBH 

Mystic Evermore (Mystic Evermore Book 1)

by CECELIA HOPKINS

Vampires, Werewolves & true love Forevermore!

Welcome to the weird world of Mystic Evermore! When two new families move to town, they begin to meet the local residents and discover their secrets. Who or what does Bridget Etheridge share her very first kiss with? Why does Jaylen Woodgate run away from home once a month? Is Javier Tilton a normal young boy who likes dressing like a Goth or more? This book aims to capture the wonder, mystery and drama that is involved in adolescence.

Categories:
Literature & Fiction › Mythology & Folk Tales › Folklore
Romance › Fantasy
Science Fiction & Fantasy › Fantasy › Myths & Legends
Teen & Young Adult › Science Fiction & Fantasy › Fantasy › Contemporary

Some interview questions from my campaign:

About me:

Cecelia is an Australian author and poet who has a special interest in American Literature. In 1993 she completed a Masters thesis on H.P. Lovecraft and the 'Gothic' or 'weird tale'. She followed this with a study of the Fairy Tale Motif in Victorian Literature in 1996, also at Masters' level. Today, Cecelia is hard at work creating her own fairy tales and myths.

Q. What is the inspiration for the story?

A. Dracula, Twilight, The Vampire Diaries, True Blood etc.. the list goes on. The names in the story are generated (not copied) from the poem THE RAVEN by Edgar Allan Poe. The work also connects to my Masters level studies on H.P. Lovecraft (1994) and Fairytale Motifs in Victorian Literature (1996).

Q. What draws you to this genre?

A. My vivid imagination and my early reading. When I was a child, I had an illustrated book about King Arthur. Sometime later, I discovered vampires, witches and werewolves. I love fantasy because it is different. This story also contains a lot of Americana, because I love watching American film and television. Go Buffy! Yay Charmed!

Q: How did you develop the cover?

A. I can't REALLY draw, but in an emergency I try! I had an image in my head of a boy and wolf companion, high on the side of a mountain, with the werewolf sitting on a rock, howling to the moon. I roughed this out to show an artist friend, hoping they could do better with a nice background too. They said they liked it - but didn't have the time. This left me attempting to turn my rough concept sketch into a cover.

Q: Did you use any technology to help you create the cover?
Yes! I traced silhouettes, coloured them by hand, scanned and adjusted using 'Paint'. Then I made a colorful background in 'Paint' using geometric shapes. Finally 'Paint 3D' helped me put it all together. 'Covermaker' added the titles and made it more professional.