Interview with Quinn Barrett, Author of Invisible Snow

Joining us today is Quinn Barrett, author of Invisible Snow. Read until the end of this interview to see how you could win a free eCopy of her book.

Quinn is a native of Southern California, currently residing in the West Los Angeles area. After graduating from UCLA with a degree in English, she worked as a corporate business development strategist specializing in emerging growth technology, software and Internet companies. She is married and raising a teenage son. Her hobbies include reading, walking, golf, cooking, and travel. Invisible Snow is her first novel.

Welcome to The Book Connection, Quinn. It's wonderful to have you here. Can you tell us where you grew up?

In the Pasadena area of the Los Angeles suburbs.

When did you begin writing?

I dabbled in short stories during high school. A couple of interested teachers encouraged me to become an English major. I did some writing in college, too, but once I graduated, I was über focused on my business career for many years.

Do you write during the day, at night or whenever you can sneak a few moments?

All of the above. I prefer to write at night, but it can be hard with meshing with the family schedule so I end up writing whenever I can.

What is this book about?

On the surface, Invisible Snow is a family drama full of secrets and suspense. At a deeper level, the story explores conventional perceptions about family and the illusions we attach to them. In short, there is no such thing as a "perfect" family no matter how wonderful it may appear to someone from the outside looking in.

What inspired you to write it?

The idea marinated over time from years of sitting in work and church meetings, women's groups, booster club and PTA meetings. I sensed an underlying hostility from many dutiful women who performed their simple assignments with masterful precision, but seemed frustratingly unfulfilled. It made me realize that most of us lose ourselves in simple tasks to avoid walking our true path, living our own dreams. Kate's journey is about coming to terms with her choices and breaking free of her self-imposed limitations.

Who is your favorite character from the book?

Each character is a part of me, so I love them all... even the more annoying ones, but Kate has to be my favorite (once she begins her journey of self-realization, that is) because she is the heroine of the novel. She is an extraordinary woman with resources beyond belief. She is capable of anything as long as she can stay out of her own way. And isn't that true for all of us?

A few other characters were also a lot of fun for me to write. Louise and Mary made me laugh a lot. Even I couldn't believe how ridiculous they could be as characters until I typed it. I also loved Walker and Joan's wisdom, but that's easy. Loving the darker characters is an interesting process.

Are you a member of a critique group? If no, who provides feedback on your work?

I've had opportunities to join writing groups, but I prefer to work alone. I have an editor I work with closely, but also I have about eight close friends who are avid readers so once I'm far enough along I ask them to take a gander to get their impressions. After I incorporate their notes, I ask my first wave of readers to enlist their book-loving friends who don't know me to read my draft. You'd be surprised how many people are happy to participate in this process.

Who is your favorite author?

Harper Lee and Ayn Rand, but not necessarily in that order.

Was the road to publication smooth sailing or a bumpy ride?

I considered various options as I was writing the book. There are definite pros and cons to whatever path I took. I spoke with a lot of writers—some established, some new—and got a lot of good advice. I also did a lot of research about the growing digital market and concluded that the ultimate responsibility for building a market for my book was mine. And because I have worked primarily in technology since the early 90's I decided to leverage my tech skills and created my own corporation, Wise Bear Media to publish Invisible Snow as well as all future books.

I wouldn't say the road is bumpy as much as it is long. There are a lot of little details that require a lot of attention, but I've actually enjoyed the process. Understanding the new paradigm within the publishing industry is a must for all new authors.

Where can readers purchase a copy of your book?

Invisible Snow is available at:

Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Snow-ebook/dp/B004XZRWK4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1303879269&sr=8-2

Barnes & Noble Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/invisible-snow

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/62525

Amazon Print Book: http://www.amazon.com/Invisible-Snow-Quinn-Barrett/dp/098306881X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1305226130&sr=1-3

Create Space: https://www.createspace.com/3567565

Or directly through the Invisible Snow website . . . http://www.invisiblesnow.com/.

PDF eBook, ePub, .Mobi, etc. available at: http://www.wisebearmedia.com/invisiblesnow/about/buy-the-book/

Where can readers find out more?

At http://www.invisiblesnow.com/.
Readers can also get more information about me at http://www.quinnbarrett.com/ which provides links to my blog, Facebook, and Twitter account, too.

Do you have a video trailer to promote your book? If yes, where can readers find it?

I do . . . on the home page of http://www.invisiblesnow.com/. It can also be viewed on YouTube via Wise Bear Media.

I used Animoto.com  to create the trailer. It was super easy and affordable.

What is the best investment you have made in promoting your book?

A good book cover design. And lots of word-of-mouth marketing via the blogosphere.

What is one piece of advice you would like to share with aspiring authors everywhere?

Just sit down and do it. If nothing comes, be patient and wait. It's kind of like fishing. Keep jotting down ideas until one gets hooked and then just start reeling it in. There may be boring gaps of time between nibbles, but it feels great to be in that current. I try to reproduce that sensation every time I write. It's addicting . . . although I'm not a big fan of actual fishing.

What is up next for you?

I'm working on a sequel as well as another original book, but I have lots of ideas in notes and journals that I plan to develop and write eventually.

Is there anything you would like to add?

Thanks for the opportunity to introduce myself and Invisible Snow to your readers.

About Invisible Snow

Kate Snow married the wrong man for the wrong reasons. Paul Delacroix was smitten with Kate the first time he laid eyes on her and was willing to do anything to have her. She was raised in a large, impoverished family near the slopes of Sun Valley, Idaho. He was the sole heir to his family’s Los Angeles-based multi-billion dollar corporation. It should have been a fairy tale romance, but it wasn’t.

Kate’s marriage unravels when she discovers a mysterious safe room which harbors her husband’s darkest secrets. The legacy of the family business is at stake, but power is not always about money. Their showdown results in a shocking twist of fate—a destiny Kate never saw coming.
Invisible Snow is a classic family drama about wealth, power, greed, and redemption. Marriage is a delicate dance of power between lovers, but Kate and Paul Delacroix are strangers caught in a disparate union somewhere between betrayal and truth. Confronting their true selves for the first time results in an epic clash of wills where only one will prevail.

First-time novelist Quinn Barrett takes readers on a riveting journey about personal empowerment and self-realization. She explores conventional perceptions about families and the illusions we attach to them. This complex family drama challenges us to consider the personal choices we make and why we make them.

Quinn Barrett can be found on:

http://www.invisiblesnow.com/

http://www.quinnbarrett.com/

www.facebook.com/quinnbarrett

www.facebook.com/invisiblesnow

www.twitter.com/quinnbarrett

Invisible Snow Giveaway

Connect with Quinn on Facebook, like her Invisible Snow fan page, and follow her on Twitter to become eligible to receive an Invisible Snow eBook. Once you connect with her, email her at info@quinnbarrett.com. Her first 10 new friends, fans and followers will receive an Invisible Snow eBook in the digital version of their choice: PDF, .mobi or ePub.