In The Spotlight Today: Louisa Bauman!
How old are you and where are you from?
Louisa: I’m in my forties and I am Canadian.
How old were you when you realized you wanted to be a writer?
Louisa: I have always loved writing stories, but I was 45 when I decided to get serious about it.
Tell us more about your book! When did you start writing it and what difficulties did you face while writing/publishing it?
Louisa: I had to start right at the bottom: learning how to operate a computer, putting in hours and hours of research for the historical fiction I wanted to write, Googling endlessly on how to write a book, and then finally, beginning the story itself. I started a number of times, then quit because I didn’t like the way the story was going. Then I discovered Nanowrimo, or National Novel Writers Month, and that month I wrote 50k words, almost completing my first draft. 10 months later, I self-published the book on Amazon, just over two years after I decided to take my writing seriously.
If you could relate to any character in your book, who would it be and why?
Louisa: I can relate to Anna , my main character, the most, because she struggles to make a decision between two paths, and whichever she chooses will have consequences. She can choose the safer, more popular path and then struggle with her conscience, or she can do as her heart tells her to, believing that she is doing the right thing, even though she will suffer materially.
What type of books do you enjoy? What are two of your favorites?
Louisa: I enjoy historical fiction that sticks fairly closely to the facts. Because I love the challenge of making history come alive myself, I also enjoy it when others do it well. I like a little bit of romance thrown in, but not so much that it overwhelms the real story. Philippa Gregory’s books come to mind and I recently read The Brothers Path by Martha Kennedy, which is the closest I’ve found to the type of books I write.
Besides reading and writing, what else do you enjoy doing during your free time? Do you have any other businesses?
Louisa: There’s lots of other things I have done in my life and enjoyed, such as gardening, quilting, sewing, rug hooking, scrapbooking, and of course reading, but at this time, my work and my play are the same thing—writing! I write every spare moment I get. Except when I’m on social media making friends and learning new stuff, or doing housework and shopping and all that.
If you could pick any song to describe your main character, what would it be?
Louisa: I included the lyrics to a song in my book which perfectly describes what my main characters are going through. When I first heard it, it haunted me for days. That’s what happens when you write about martyrs. It’s a hymn called O God, Do Thou Sustain Me, and was written by Leonhart Sommer in the sixteenth century as he languished in prison awaiting execution for his beliefs.
Do you have any upcoming books in the works?
Louisa: Yes! My second book SWORD OF THE PROPHET will be published this fall. The heroine, Janneken, is a secondary character in SWORD OF PEACE. Her mother dies in poverty, leaving her only a letter which Janneken, being illiterate, cannot read. When the letter goes missing, along with the beautiful carved chest it was stored in, it takes Janneken on a journey to find her family in Germany, if she even has one. When she finally gets there, she is in for the biggest shock of her life.
I am also in the process of publishing a children’s book, The True Story of a Lamb, which is, as the title suggests, a true story about a lamb born on our farm. I wrote it for my three youngest children, currently aged 4, 6, and 10. It will also be released later this summer.
Do you have any book specials/giveaways or events coming up?
SWORD OF PEACE will be free on Amazon for three days in August, from Saturday August 25 to Monday August 27, 2018. Put it on your calendar!
Where can readers keep up with you on social media? Post your usernames!
Louisa: I am just in the process of having a website built, and the address will be louisambaumanauthor.com and I hope it will be up and running within two weeks or so.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Auntblacksheep
Anything else you would like to share?
Louisa: Just a big, strong hint: I know it takes a minute or two, but whenever you read a book you enjoy, consider leaving a review on Amazon or wherever the book is sold. Authors love it and so do readers!
Pick up a copy of Sword of Peace on Amazon Today! https://www.amazon.com/Sword-Peace-Louisa-M-Bauman-ebook/dp/B079QWFXPN/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1531854787&sr=8-1&keywords=Louisa+Bauman
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