Thursday, April 30, 2009

Send Me An Angel: An Oopsie Moment With Viola Estrella


Do you believe in Heaven above?
Do you belive in Love?
Don't tell a lie, don't be false or untrue
It all comes back to you


Ah, the 1980's, a source of wonderful songs with which to theme my posts. Send Me An Angel is the 1983 hit by Real Life. When I read the blurb for Viola Estrella's soon-to-be-dropped-from-Heaven release, ANGEL VINDICATED, I knew a moment of true divine intervention (and a chance to hear one of my favorite songs!)

Please welcome the fantastic Viola Estrella to The Lovestruck Novice today for her guest blog of an Oopsie Moment where her remarkable voice and sense of humor shine. I enjoyed reading Viola's post and I know you will to.

When I approached Viola about sharing her experiences with us, I couldn't help but want to know a little more about the person behind the author. So, I asked her my favorite question.

If you were a book, what would your blurb be? Here's what Viola said.

Desperate Housewives meets Survivor. Short but resilient author and mother of four overcomes rejection and battles the overflowing laundry basket...and that odor streaming from the upstairs bathroom. How will she ever find the time to promote her upcoming releases, write, edit, and feed her family something other than take-out?


Perfect! Now, it's all you, Viola! What's your Oopsie?

My biggest oopsie moment? Hmm… Which one should I choose? Really, there are so many. I started writing with the goal to publish over six years ago. Six years, six manuscripts later, I finally sold the fifth book I’d written. A few months after that, I sold the sixth book I’d written. It was as if heaven took pity on me and let me through pearly gates…twice. Well, after I’d pounded at the doors for so long, they probably felt like they didn’t have a choice.

Over those six hellish years, I committed probably every sin an author could make. Head-hopping, passive voice, unsympathetic characters. You name it, I did it. One oopsie after the other followed by one rejection after another.

But I didn’t let it stop me.

To be honest, I think the only major oopsie a new author can make is to give up. I’ll go as far as to be cliché and say perseverance is the key. Because it is. Perseverance, writing, and honing your craft. Wash, rinse, and repeat.

And having a few writer friends to vent with doesn’t hurt! Or critique partners who gently remind you when you make an oopsie so you can correct it before you submit your almost fabulous manuscript to an agent or editor.

Nothing, not one oopsie, should ever be enough for a writer to put down that pen or stop clicking at that keyboard. Because if writing is truly your passion, you’ll be right beside me, fists clenched, pounding at those damn gates. Right?

Good. I’ll see you there. We can brainstorm your new idea.


Viola Estrella

www.violaestrella.com
www.myspace.com/violaestrella
www.twitter.com/violaestrella

Angel Vindicated – Available 5/14/2009 from www.cerridwenpress.com

Bewitching You – Available 10/30/2009 from www.thewildrosepress.com

Thank you, Viola for giving some heavenly inspirartion. (seriously, I can't help myself!) I loved having you here today and hope you'll visit again soon. Good luck with your releases! We'll all be wishing you tons of success. Remember everyone, the count down begins to the release of ANGEL VINDICATED. Join Abby Angel who's making the world a better place, one demon hunt at a time.



THANKS to all for stopping by today and if you're in the mood for some REAL LIFE, I couldn't resist putting a link to their ultra 1980's cheesy-ball video to Send Me An Angel

8 comments:

Viola Estrella said...

Thanks for letting me play on your blog, Sarah! Love that song choice. It's perfect. :-)

Ashley Ludwig said...

This was such a fun interview, you guys! Sarah - your blog is cool.

Viola, your take on a writer's journey is so clever and true. Add being a mom (I've only got two, but I started late. LOL) - and we're DONE - with the capslock on. It's all this writer-mama can handle.

The oopsie moment is classic. Giving up would be the only oops -- everything else is forgivable.

Well done, you two! Sarah & Viola, I'll be reading!

~Ashley

Nicole McCaffrey said...

Great blog, Viola, and what wonderful advice. Giving up IS an oopsie! I nearly did several times myself but never thought of it as an "oops" til now.

Thanks for sharing and good luck with your upcoming release

Tricia Leigh Wood said...

I think I have committed every single one of those oopsies but thanks to you and the other Vixens I am learning not to do them so often.

I am anxiously awaiting your release. Almost as much as you :)

Cari Quinn said...

Great seeing you here, Viola! I can't wait to pick up my copy of Angel Vindicated. My shiny new ereader is begging to be filled. LOL

As for my oopsies...too many to count. But I'm still moving forward, so I guess I'm doing okay. :)

Viola Estrella said...

Sorry I'm late in chiming in. I've been at my local writers conference. Thanks Ashley, Nicole, Tricia, and Cari, for your comments! And a huge thank you to Sarah for having me here. :-)

Helen Hardt said...

Sorry to be late to the party -- I was at conference since early Friday. And Vi was with me! Be on the lookout for Vi's books, they're awesome!

Helen

Kaye Manro said...

Good luck, Viola! I've been away and wanted to stop by anyway...