Author Interview/Giveaway: Finding Emma by Steena Holmes

Describe your book in five words or less.
Search for a kidnapped child

How did the ideas for your books come to you?
One summer day I lost sight of my youngest daughter while she was outside playing with her sisters. The panic I felt inside was overwhelming and it wasn’t until after I realized she was just hiding on the other side of the bushes that Emma’s story played out in my head.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
To cherish your children always. Give them a hug and never let go (or at least until they start wiggling in your arms and giving you funny looks).

What is the hardest part of writing for you? What's the easiest?
Quieting my brain and focusing on the scene that I’m trying to write. I tend to rethink previous scenes or get excited about future scenes. The easiest is the revision process - as strange as that may seem, I enjoy that process.

What's next for you? Are you currently working on or have plans for future projects?
I’m currently working on Emma’s Secret - a follow up to Finding Emma. Once that is done then I will pick up a novel I started last year - Silent Cries - a story about children in a dayhome where things aren’t as safe as they appear.

Why did you choose to write for specific genre?
I’ve written in a multitude of genres, from different levels of romance (sweet to spicy) and even a supernatural thriller. But this genre is where my heart is at the most.

What's it like hearing that readers are eagerly awaiting your book's release date?
To hear from readers - period- is amazing! To know that someone took the time to send me a note about the story they just read - it humbles me. And when they ask for the next release - its spurns me on all the more to ensure I write the best story possible.

What is one question that you've always wanted to be asked in an interview? How would you answer that question?
Hmmm...I love the questions from those who want to know how to start writing - because I was once there. The best thing to do is just to write. Don’t worry about the ‘craft’ of writing - just write the story that is in your heart. After you’ve written it - then do your homework and learn your craft and apply it to your story ... but first ... Just write!
What was your road to publications like?

I started by doing what I mentioned above - I just wrote. My first story won a publishing contract with a small press. Then I spent the next few years learning my craft, writing more stories while seeking an agent. Eventually I decided to see about epublishing and then went a step further to self-publishing. It was a journey that I embraced 100% at every turn and have loved more than I thought possible.

Author Bio - Candied Apples





Author of the new heart wrenching story "Finding Emma", Steena is a woman who believes that 'in the end, everything succumbs...to the passions of your heart'. Steena's life revolves around her family, friends and fiction.



Giveaway Blurb


Come along with Emma on a scavenger hunt!

We're going to the Carnival! At each stop along Steena's tour there is a hidden word--something you would find at a fair or carnival. Find the word and enter it at the Scavenger Hunt page on Steena's website

(http://www.steenaholmes.com/wow-scavenger-hunt/). Each entry is an extra ticket to win! Need more clues? Join us at the Carnival Board on Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/steenah/summer-carnivals-childhood-memories/)

where we will post images of the clues. Join in the fun by leaving your own favorite carnival pics! Read about prizes and additional details on The Muffin.(http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/2012/06/emmas-scavenger-hunt.html)


Prizes:


First Prize: Work with a Bestselling Author.

Our Grande Prize winner will help create a character for Steena Holmes’ next book!


Second and Third Prize Winners will each receive a signed copy of Finding Emma and a special pewter angel figurine from The Missing Children’s Society of Canada, an organization dedicated to bringing children home.