Interview with Author Luna Charles - Author of the Books We Read

About The Author

Author Luna Charles in her own words…

I am a self-published author, Certified Life Coach, and the Director of Hardcastle Enterprises Corp., a business I created to help people realize their full potential. My first novel,  Men Are Not The Problem, is a heartfelt story of overcoming adversity and finding the love within which can heal all wounds. The success and theme behind this novel inspired me to write Love, Laugh and Live with Passion, a mixture of short stories and activities. Its purpose is to teach people the steps I took to overcome my own misfortunes. It features twenty weeks of exercises and factual tales from my life. I write, I speak to the youth, and spend time with my two daughters and husband. I was born in Haiti but have lived in South Florida for the last 21 years of my life.

Interview

Oana: What drives you to write and publish books?
Luna Charles: Last year, if I had been asked that question. I would have said that it's something unexplainable. It's this need that if I don't write, anything else that I do won't really matter. Then last week, my sister Geanny sent me this link to a Ted talk presentation given by Author Elizabeth Gilbert in which she said something like during the Roman and Greek periods, they believed artistry was not something a person could produce on their own. But rather, it was divine inspiration that was given to certain people at certain times through what they called their Genius or Daemons or Guardian Angels or Muses or whatever. Well, this made me think if, in fact, I am being driven to create by a presence outside myself. If so, no wonder I can't sleep until write. No wonder sometimes it feels like the voice in my head won't shut up! lol, maybe that's what drives all artists.

Oana: What was the most valuable source of information for you as a (self) published author?

Luna Charles: How do I answer this question? If you are asking what was the most valuable source of information for me as to what I choose to write about, I would say people. People are a wealth of knowledge, of stories, of perceptions. When I look at something at the same instance as someone else is looking at the very same thing, we both see something completely different. So I like listening to people, looking into their eyes, and hearing their thoughts on things.


Oana: What is the most challenging part of the (self) publishing process?

Luna Charles: To me, I would say the editing process. There is nothing more gut-wrenching than to get your manuscript back covered in red marks. It's a very humbling experience, to say the least. But it's a necessary evil. And a good editor is a God-sent, and a bad one is, well, a bad one.

Oana: Have you ever had an unpleasant publishing experience, and if so, what did you learn from it? 
Luna Charles: My worse experience so far was choosing the wrong person to edit my first books. The relationship between an author and their editor is one of trust and respect, and when one does a lackluster job, it haunts both of you for a long time. If anything, I learned to be more thorough from that bad experience. I mean, it's my name, right? Who else is going to protect me if not me?


Oana: Printed book versus e-book. Which one do your readers buy most?
Luna Charles: Printed books, I can't lie, that's all I buy too. I have not gone over to the dark side yet. I mean, my books are available digitally. But I still prefer crisp printed paper and the smell of flesh pages in my hands. To me, that is still part of the reading experience.

Oana: Please tell us about your marketing venues.
Luna Charles: I like doing the Libraries and local book fairs. But I think I really need to get my butt out of Florida and do some Fairs up north sometime soon. Any suggestions?


Oana: How long does it take for an unknown author to "get their name out?"
Luna Charles: I will let you know as soon as I find that out myself, lol. I mean, for all intents and purposes, aren't I still unknown?


Oana: Will e-books replace paperbacks?
Luna Charles: NEVER!!!! I hope. But maybe… I just hope it's not in my lifetime. 

Oana: Do reviews play an important role in promoting and selling a book?
I don't know if I would say they play an important role in promoting the book. I mean, if you get a review in the New York Times, of course, that will help you. But I think they play a greater role in gauging your audiences' reactions to your work. To me, reviews tell me where I am and what I need to work on when it comes to my stories.


Oana: What is the biggest mistake to avoid when (self) publishing?
Luna Charles: I would think paying a POD publishing company to do something that you could do on your own with a little due diligence. The worst part of this setup is the price they have your book for sale for. Most books published through POD are priced in the teens, $15.00-18.00. In a market saturated with self-published books, as an author, how can you plan on selling your books when you have already priced them higher than well-known bestselling authors? It's not a winning situation at all for a newbie. I say spend your money on a great editor, a professional cover and publish it yourself. Read blogs and books on marketing and publishing and take control of your career as an author.

About Luna Charles