Author’s Bio:
Kristin Paul is a two-time award-winning author addressing social issues that
impact women. Her books extend beyond storytelling, creating a platform for dialogue
and awareness surrounding the challenges faced by women. She has spoken to
numerous organizations about the difficulties women experience including
domestic violence.  

Her books
are Drowning by Katelin Maloney and Freeing Yourself
Financially: A Woman’s Guide to Rebuilding Her Finances After Divorce. She
is also a book publisher at Purple Ribbon Publishing.

Kristin Paul,
also a passionate advocate for empowering young single working mothers, is the
Strategic and Operations Administrator for the St. Joseph Neighborhood Center
in St. Augustine, Florida. With a Master’s Degree in Finance, Kristin combines
her financial expertise with a heartfelt commitment to community service.  

Deliah
Lawrence: What inspired you to write your book?

KM: The
inspiration to publish my novel Drowning came from the desire to help
domestic violence survivors; however, the idea of the story came from a dream. I
dreamed the story one night and the story wouldn’t leave my mind. I wasn’t an author.
I had never written a book or even an article. But I couldn’t shake the story.
It haunted me. Eventually, I started writing the story down in a notebook.
After seven notebooks, I had a very rough draft of a book! 

DL: How do
you overcome the challenges of writer’s block?

KM: Because
the story had been a vivid dream and it stayed with me, I didn’t have the
typical writer’s block. When I would sit down to write, it was as if I was
pressing “play” on a movie. The words just flowed. I was very lucky! 

DL: What is your
writing process?

KM: Once
I had that very rough draft done, then the writing process became difficult. With
no writing experience, I wasn’t skilled in editing. When I edited Drowning,
I worked for twenty-five minutes, then took a five-minute break, and repeated
the process. I realized that I needed that discipline to make progress because
editing was daunting to me. 

DL: What elements
do you think make a compelling story?

KM: I
believe that a compelling story hinges on having an empathetic and relatable protagonist.
Given that my protagonist endured domestic violence, it was important to
portray her strength and resilience rather than weakness. Crafting her as a
likable and empathetic character was crucial to ensuring that readers would be
emotionally invested in her journey. 

DL: What obstacles
did you encounter while writing this book?

KM: As
previously stated, I lacked experience in book writing and hadn’t received
formal training in creative writing, so there was a steep learning curve ahead
of me. To address this, I enrolled in various workshops and classes, read books
on writing, and became a member of a critique group. Balancing the demands of
life was challenging, especially with two young sons and a full-time job at the
time. Consequently, there were multiple occasions when I had to set aside Drowning
due to my busy life. 

DL: What was
the most valuable piece of writing advice you’ve ever been given?

KM: “Just
publish it!”  a friend said. I think that
I could have edited forever, but she convinced me that at some point I just
needed to publish the book. I had to ‘let go’. 

DL: What strategies
do you use to successfully market your book(s)?

KM: In
writing Drowning, I aimed to leverage the book as a platform to raise
awareness about domestic violence. To achieve this, I reached out to numerous
women’s groups, church organizations, colleges, and bookstores, Volunteering to
give presentations. Additionally, I specifically targeted book clubs as part of
my outreach efforts. 

DL: What tips
would you give to aspiring writers?

KM: Don’t
give up. From the night I dreamed the story until the day I published it, ten
years went by. It doesn’t matter how long it takes to write, edit, and publish.
There is no deadline. 

DL: Would
you like to share an excerpt from Drowning?

KM: Sure, here you go:

      Rebecca looked up at the sky. The clouds
parted and the bright sun strained her eyes. She shielded them with her left
hand. Her diamond sparkled in the sun. A spectrum of colors streaked through
the sky. A faint glow appeared through the cloudless opening.

     The wet sand beneath her chilled her skin.
It contrasted the sun’s rays soaking into her body. The breeze blew wisps of
hair into her face. She wiped the strands away, leaving gritty sand behind.

     Conflicting emotions warred inside her as
the glow slowly approached, until a sense of calm swept over her. She felt him
before she saw his figure evolve from the light.

    “Daddy.”

    “Reba, I’m here to take your pain away.” He
held out his hand and she took it. “It’s time. Come with me.”

    “I’ve needed you.”

   “I’m here now.” Her father looked at her
with teary eyes. “I love you more than life.” 

DL: Where
can readers learn more about you and purchase your book(s)?

KM:
Readers can get more information here:

• Website: www.purpleribbonpublishing.com
• Amazon Author
  Page: http://tinyurl.com/yc2px238
• Facebook: Facebook
• Book Buy Links:
  https://www.amazon.com/Drowning-Katelin-Maloney-ebook/dp/B00Z7KJZK4

DL: Thanks
so much for being here with us today. I know my readers will enjoy getting to
know you and your work.  

KM: Thank
you for interviewing me and learning about Drowning and my journey. 

Originally Published on https://vocalexpressions.blogspot.com

Deliah Lawrence Attorney, Author, Blogger, Workshop Facilitator

Deliah Lawrence is a Maryland-based attorney and award-winning author of two romantic suspense novels (Gotta Let It Go and Gotta Get It Back) set in Baltimore. She’s also a blogger and workshop facilitator who writes poetry and short stories.

When Deliah isn’t writing, you can find her reading a book, indulging in her addiction to investigation discovery shows; or painting her yet-to-be exhibited oil artworks of landscapes, portraits or whatever else comes to her creative mind. Constantly on the go, she is also a member of the Black Writers’ Guild of Maryland and Sisters in Crime.