October 16, 2021 – Thank you to fellow author, Alex Pearl, for the lovely interview he posted on his website https://booksbyalexpearl.weebly.com. I appreciate the opportunity to discuss my writing process and the upcoming release of Burning Bright the next installment in my young adult trilogy The Rise And Fall Of Dani Truehart.
In conversation with Michele Kwasniewski
It is with enormous pleasure that I welcome Michele Kwasniewski onto the website today. Michele’s background and experiences in the world of TV production have worked their way into her first two books in The Rise and Fall of Dani Truehart series.
Alex: Tell me a bit about yourself, Michele.
Michele: I was born in Santa Monica, California and grew up in nearby Pacific Palisades, the youngest of three children. I was a shy kid and loved reading from an early age. I used to pretend I could read in pre-school, following along with books on record (tapes weren’t even popular, yet!). Books have always been a big part of my life. My mom was an avid reader and encouraged us all to read. As I got older we’d swap books and talk about what we were reading. I always loved theater and movies and I studied technical theater in college. After I graduated, I worked for over fifteen years in film and television which inspired me to write my series.
I started writing stories and poems in high school and dabbled in it off and on for years. It wasn’t until I was in my mid-twenties that I started to write more seriously, but even then it took more than a decade to start my first book. Now I can’t imagine not writing and have stories and plots stacking up in my head, just waiting to come to life.
Alex: How would you describe your writing, and are there particular themes that you like to explore?
Michele: This question is a puzzler for me. I’m not formally trained in writing so I’m not very good with categorizing genres of writing. And I honestly think I have the worst perspective on my writing since I’m so close to it, I can’t be subjective about it, really. But I’d say that my writing is very approachable. I enjoy writing in a way that people can see inside the world of my characters and settle in. I enjoy high literature, but it’s not something I enjoy writing. I prefer to translate a subject or idea to the reader in a way they can relate to or at least understand. In my current series I’m exploring fame, family and the choices and changes we make as we grow into adults. I love knowing what makes people tick and why they do what they do. I try to shed a little light on the deep innerworkings of people’s motivations.
Alex: How do you market your books?
Michele: I’m grateful to have an amazing publisher and agent market my series. I try to do whatever I can to supplement their efforts because I think the more people we have promoting my books, the better! I use Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and my website to reach readers as well as other writers. I’ve found the more genuine interaction I have with people, the easier it is to get the word out about my book.
I am a big fan of blog tours because they have helped me connect with readers and bloggers all over the world. I also have written guest articles and posts for various writing websites and blogs which has not only kept me writing but has given me the opportunity to write something other than YA which is a fun challenge.
I was never on social media before I became an author. When I started looking for an agent I read an article that said you needed to have some sort of following on social media in order to prove to your agent and publisher you could market and sell your book. So I’ve learned from trial and error and asking advice from other writers how to build a social media presence and market myself. I try keep my posts positive, honest and fun.
I also read and promote other indie writers and find they do the same for me.
I think that promoting other authors is a great way to bring about attention to indie authors in general, which is good for all of us. I don’t see marketing as a “them or me” situation, which might be naïve. But I truly believe my YA series is different from others out there and that by promoting another author, I’m not taking sales away from myself, but rather shining a spotlight on indie writers everywhere.
I’ve been working hard to get into local libraries and I’m proud to say I’ve gotten into thirteen so far. I haven’t found a short cut to this process yet, so if anyone has any ideas I’m all ears. I’ve just been reaching out to libraries and asking them to carry my book. If anyone has a quicker way, I’d love to know it!
I’m always looking for new opportunities to get my work out there and I love being able to help other people and businesses who have given my book a review or a spot on their shelf. I never knew how hard marketing was or how important it is to launch a book, especially during a pandemic. Keeping you work in front of readers is a struggle, if you’re an indie author. But the more creative you can be, the more chance you have of gaining sales and building a readership.
Finally, I love to say thank you to the stores that are carrying my book. Many independent bookstores carry my book on their websites, so a shout out online and a cute meme not only promotes their business, but my book as well
Alex: What are your interests aside from writing? And what do you do to unwind?
Michele: Reading is my number one interest – I’m always reading a book or shopping for a book and my TBR pile is embarrassingly large. I also sing in a local choir, knit and paddle board.
To unwind, I love to read at the end of a day or when things get too hectic. Even five minutes can hit the reset button on my day and change my mindset. Also laying in our hammock and looking at the stars is a great thing to do when I need to relax.
Alex: Are you a writer that plans a detailed synopsis or do you set out with a vague idea and let the story unfold as you write?
Michele: I am definitely the later type of writer. I am not big on outlining my stories or characters before I write because I think they are more realistic if I discover who they are as the story unfolds. Often if I start out with a very definite idea, it will change almost completely by the time I’m finished, so I’ve stopped doing that altogether. I usually do the majority of my research while I write, looking up things as I need to or using a place holder phrase so I can go back and fill in the proper details when I’m ready. I find letting the story progress as I write allows events and character traits to unfold more naturally rather than if I plot things out in advance.
Alex: Tell us about your latest novel.
Michele: My latest novel is called BURNING BRIGHT and it’s the second book in my YA series THE RISE AND FALL OF DANI TRUEHART. The series follows the title character, Dani Truehart, as she transforms from an ordinary teenager to a worldwide singing sensation practically overnight. BURNING BRIGHT picks up where book one, RISING STAR left off. With the release of her first EP and press tour, Dani is finishing up her first full-length album and trying to balance her boyfriend, the demands of her pushy stage-mom and her upcoming concert schedule. The series takes a look at the cost of fame and how growing up in the public eye changes and shapes the person Dani becomes. In BURNING BRIGHT, Dani jets around the world on tour, lives a very luxurious lifestyle and has an army of rabid fans willing to fight for Dani if anyone dares say a negative word about her. But the pressures of stardom, the living under the paparazzi microscope and not knowing if the adults around her are on her side or using her for her crescendo into some devastating choices with life changing consequences. It’s been such a fun book to write and really allowed me to explore the idea of what happens to a teenager in the spotlight.
Alex: Do you ever base your characters on people you have encountered in real life?
Michele: Only one of my characters in my books is based on a real person and that’s Martin Fox – Dani Truehart’s dance and vocal coach. He’s based on one of my best friends from college, Daniel. They share the same energy, enthusiasm, work ethic and dance moves. But there are certainly aspects of people I have known – traits or tics – that I’ve sewn into some of my characters, some intentionally and some quite unintentionally. The whole series is based on my experience in entertainment and that world is so unique to any other working environment, it would have been impossible not to slip in a few characteristics of the people I’ve met or things I’ve experienced. But other than Martin, no one else is based on a real person. My characters are a combination of imagination and memorable characteristics of people I’ve met.
Alex: How much research do you do and what does it usually entail?
Michele: I tend to research as I go. I find it gives me a nice break from writing and it keeps me from spiraling out into a never-ending research project. For this series, I researched everything – concert schedules, tour buses, equipment needs for a stage show, costumes and luxury clothing, trends, fans and so much more. I watched documentaries on pop singers and bands, read magazine articles on PR, music management and purchased more than a few teen mags so I can see how they market celebrity and sales to teens. I also spent lots of time on the internet lurking on sites for Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, The Jonas Brothers, Lady Gaga and more to see how they connect with their audiences and stay relevant.
Alex: What was the first book you read?
Michele: I had a Mickey Mouse record player and lots of those read along books and LPs. Winnie the Poo and Tigger Too was the first book I remember reading. But the first big book I remember reading was James And The Giant Peach by Roald Dahl. Even though the pictures in the edition I had totally freaked me out, I loved how realistic the characters were. James and all the bugs had personalities that seemed like people I knew – they were at different times scared, brave, mean, funny, shy… it was the first un-fairytale story I had read and I loved it.
Alex: Which was the last book you read that blew you away?
Michele: I just finished Champagne Widows by Rebecca Rosenberg and I loved it! Rosenberg took something I adore but know very little about, champagne, and wove historical figures, fact and fiction together in one captivating tale. I especially enjoyed the description of champagne, which brought the story to life. Every time I read a book that blows me away, I am inspired to improve my own writing in ways I never thought possible. Champagne Widows has inspired me to work even harder on painting pictures with my words to translate the physical world of my characters to my readers.
Alex: Which authors do you particularly admire and why?
Michele: Like most writers, I’m an avid reader and usually carry a book in my purse or car just in case I have a few spare minutes in my day. Leo Tolstoy is one of my favorite authors. I know many people might shy away from his work because, let’s face it, the length of his books can be daunting. But the way he writes emotion and heartbreak… words fail me in trying to describe his amazing ability to capture an experience so overwhelming as love. And he writes about war or politics with an equal passion. Anna Karenina was the first book that made me cry. To me his writing is beautiful and haunting.
I also love Ruth Ware, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Edgar Allen Poe, Stephen King, and Kazuo Ishigaro…such different styles. Each amazing in their own way and I keep coming back to them time and again.
Alex: Thank you so much Michele for sharing your writing journey with us. It’s been really interesting to hear how you tackle this mysterious business of conjuring up fictitious worlds on the page. It’s also very good to hear you extolling the virtues of Tolstoy. I think you’re the first author to do so. And good luck with theb latest book!
Michele: thank you so much Alex. it’s been a real pleasure!
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