JoeyPinkney.com Exclusive Interview
5 Minutes, 5 Questions With…
AlTonya Washington, author of Through It All
(Al Tonya Washington)
Xavier Garrett’s dangerous career as a homicide detective finally prompted Vanessa Garrett to end their marriage. When a murder occurs at the publishing house where Van works, Xav heads the team handling the case.
When it’s discovered that the killer is targeting the company’s executives, Xav goes to great lengths to protect his ex-wife. The situation is far too close for comfort and reminds Vanessa of everything she gave up when she left her sexy ex-husband.
Joey Pinkney: Where did you get the inspiration to write Through It All?
AlTonya Washington: I’ve always enjoyed stories featuring couples that share a history. Anyone who reads my work also knows that I enjoy a good mystery. Through It All was a chance to create a story that combines both.
JP: What sets Through It All apart from other books in the same genre?
AW: I think what sets the book apart are the characters. Xavier and Vanessa share a history that is filtered with regret, hurt and desire – lots of desire. This dynamic combined with the unfolding events of the murder mystery surrounding Van’s publishing house sets the stage for a romance that moves swiftly but not so much that the suspense and passion are not completely presented.
JP: As an author, what are the keys to your success that led to Through It All getting out to the public?
AW: Through It All was an interesting title for me to release as it was my first real attempt at presenting an electronic title to my readers. I was very excited by the opportunity to release this book and depended on the support of my reader base to support it.
As this was an e-title, I also incorporated various online methods to promote it. Relying on Facebook, Goodreads and Shelfari to spread the word. However, my greatest success for marketing the title came from my Yahoo webgroup. I was able to share the title with the members of my group before officially releasing it. Reader approval and recommendations for the story were great promoting tools!
JP: As an author, what is your writing process? How long did it take you to start and finish Through It All?
AW: I wrote this book quite a while ago before I actually released it. My writing process usually begins with crafting a brief premise, then going to work on an outline which is very detailed and is more like a rough draft but designed a bit differently.
Books take different amounts of time depending on the time needed for research and such. I’ve worked on titles anywhere from 5 months to as much as 2 years.
JP: What’s next for AlTonya Washington?
AW: Newly released is the next installment of my popular Ramsey/Tesano series. The series began in 2006 with the release of A Lover’s Dream and continues with the Jan. 2012 release of A Lover’s Hate. I plan to release the next segment of the series in late Spring or early summer of this year.
http://twitter.com/Ramseysgirl
http://www.shelfari.com/novelgurl
Thank you for introducing me to your website followers and readers. I look forward to speaking with you about more books. Please look for the release of the e-release of my title What the Heart Wants which contains 2 stories in one book. Currently available in print- the book will be released in e-format in February 2012.
Blessings!
AlTonya
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