Interview With Susan Hughes: Editor Par Excellence

Fiza Pathan interviewed Editor Susan Hughes, and one of her questions was:  “What is the editor’s relationship to the writer?. Susan Hughes explained:

“It’s very important for the editor and the writer to become a team in order for the edit to be successful.As an editor, however, I accept the fact that I’m not the captain of the team.  I’m not the one who wrote the words or spent hours enveloped in the creative process.  The editor begins with a secondary role and then works to build that trust with the writer that will eventually level the playing field a bit.”  Read the whole interview here.

Find My Audience

Susan Hughes

Hi Susan, can you describe for us what an “ideal” editor does?
An ideal editor is one who forms a bond and a level of trust with the writer, enabling the writer to have the confidence to hand over his/her precious words—to an absolute stranger!  That trust is built through prompt, friendly communication. Writers have lots of questions about editing, and an ideal editor will be there daily to answer those questions, even before the edit begins.  Then comes the edit itself, and if the bond has been formed, it will be a positive, rewarding, and successful experience for both writer and editor and will hopefully lead to a long working relationship and friendship between the two parties.

 What constitutes a successful edit?
Great question! I feel an edit is a success if the writer is satisfied with the end product. The icing on the cake, however…

View original post 1,006 more words

 

Treasury Of Bizarre Christmas Stories

.

.

“Fiza’s first compilation of short stories makes her come across as a sort of modern day neo-mystic.  Through the 22 stories in the book, the author communicates to us lessons in faith in a way that will appeal to both adults and children alike.  The language is simple and lucid, yet enticing and appealing at the same time.” Reviewer for ‘The Examiner’

This collection brings together, a variety of bizarre Christmas stories never heard before. From creepy dark catacombs to a haunted winter wonderland, this treasury brings with it, a mystical side to Christmas and the birth of a legendary baby. Whether deep in a forest of India or back in time, in Bethlehem, ‘Treasury Of Bizarre Christmas Stories’ brings to its readers the holy, the Almighty, the haunted, the obsession, the innocent, the magical and the reason to celebrate.
Enter to Win!  Goodreads Giveaway from 11.12.2013 till 21.12.2013 
.

About the Author:
Fiza Pathan holds a Bachelor’s degree in History and Sociology. She is a qualified teacher having a Bachelor’s degree in Education, her special subjects being History and English. Fiza is an avid reader of books of all genres and writes short stories and articles. Don’t miss to read Fiza’s blog regularly:
http://insaneowl.com
.

Fiza Pathan is also the author of ‘S.O.S. Animals And Other Stories‘ and ‘Classics: Why we should encourage children to read them‘ which is available as a paperback edition and various digital formats on Amazon and other platforms.
.

e-Book version
http://www.amazon.com/Treasury-Bizarre-Christmas-Stories-Pathan/dp/1481081764

Paperback
http://www.amazon.com/Treasury-Bizarre-Christmas-Stories-Pathan-ebook/dp/B00ADQ7HMK

.
<><><><><>

.

If you would like to get help in all things publishing, have your book intensively promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites: We offer all this and more for only $159 for 3 months! Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/Seminars
Or visit http://www.e-book-pr.com/book-promo/ to advertise your new book, specials, your KDP Select Free Days or the new Kindle Countdown Deals.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 950 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and StumpleUpon.

Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing
http://www.111publishing.com
http://www.e-Book-PR.com/
http://www.international-ebooks.com/
http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+

.

Hyper Smash

Pingate

 

S.O.S. Animals And Other Short Stories

.

Short Stories by Fiza Pathan

.

How did the animals aboard the Titanic save themselves?
Fiza Pathan gives readers answers to questions, such as: How did a lion save Christians in distress? Can dolphins pray for the dead and can a snake solve a riddle? Do last wishes come true and is there really a Santa Claus? Can animals lie like human beings? Why did barn animals enter a mall? Can Tigers long for peace? Can a giraffe be self-conscious of its looks and is the strayed lamb saved by the shepherd?. All these and other questions are answered in the book “S.O.S. Animals And Other Stories” in a manner never narrated before.

.
“Beautifully written, touching and original.” 
Fiza Pathan writes: “‘S.O.S. Animals And Other Stories’ was the first book that I wrote, a book of short stories which can be read by people of all ages, and I am delighted and humbled that the stories were appreciated and reviewed by Margaret Kell Virany, who said: “beautifully written, touching and original.”  And I might add: the ideal bedtime stories to read to your children and talk with them about the stories’ content.

.
Fiza Pathan is a teacher for History and English to the Senior students. Being literary minded from a young age, she participated in and won many competitions at College in essay writing and short stories. Fiza now lives with her maternal family and writes novels and short stories which includes almost all genres, Religious writings being her forte. She has been ‘adopted’ by two stray cats who answer to the names of Lopez and Brownie.She can be followed on her website.
She published two other books besides S.O.S. Animals and Other Short Stories: CLASSICS: Why we should encourage children to read them and Treasury Of Bizarre Christmas Stories
.

Review ‘S.O.S. Animals And Other Stories’ by Margaret Kell Virany
Review by Br. Joshan Rodrigues

“SOS Animals and other Stories is a beautiful expression of faith through the eyes of a believer, in a manner both different and unique. The language is simple and lucid, yet enticing and appealing at the same time. The book can be used as a veritable resource book for catechesis and for moral development. The stories in this book can also be used as a simple read for daily reflections.”

Br. Joshan Rodrigues- The Examiner Issue, date 03 November 2012.
.

Digital version: $0.99 http://amzn.to/1h9pWEt
Paperback: 110 pages $5.65 http://amzn.to/16WYAaH

.

.

.

<><><><><>
.

Please check out all previous posts of this blog (there are more than 900 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and to StumpleUpon.

Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing
http://on.fb.me/TvqDaK
http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+

.

.

Hyper Smash

Pingate

 

MUST READ for Parents and Teachers

.

.

Fiza Pathan’s latest book  Classics: Why we should encourage children to read them.

Reading is an adventure that begins early in a child’s life and should extend beyond the classroom. By encouraging children to read at home, parents too, can help their children establish a lifelong love of books, transforming reading from a basic skill to a pleasurable activity.

The book explains why children (and parents) should especially read classic books:

• it lists favorite works by brilliant writers
• how their work can influence reality
• how reading these books improves language skills and vocabulary
• how these classic works help to develop imagination
• how they can further general knowledge and even morals
• it shows skills one can develop by reading classic literature
• how good fiction can make reality a lot more tolerable

.
Fiza is a History and English teacher, and this is her third book that she wrote – beside many poems she has published and for which she has quite a following on her blog Insaneowl.  Her goal is to channel everyone’s attention on the advantages of reading classic literature, the understanding of classics, and how it can influence a readers life positively.
.
Fiza Pathan: “All the students and teachers mentioned in my handbook are real people whom I have known personally. The students mentioned in my book are the ones whom I tutor and I enjoy every bit of time spent with such wonderful pupils.”

“All the incidents that I have mentioned in my book are all true and based on the experiences shared by my students and by me. From their development to their love of reading, all the examples cited are true occurrences that have taken place over the past four years of my teaching experience.”

“If my reviewer/reader states that my handbook has aided them to know the importance of reading classics and has encouraged them to implement my suggestions of reading classics in their children’s lives to enhance their overall potential, I think that’s when I as a writer and teacher will feel that they have understood me. Saying so in words will not mean as much to me as their acting on my advice.”
.

Classics: Why we should encourage children to read them
Available in USA
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1490506004 (print $6.29)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DUVZ3GW (e-book $2.99)
.
Available as e-book:

Canada
http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00DUVZ3GW
India
http://www.amazon.in/dp/B00DUVZ3GW
UK/Ireland
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1490506004
Japan
http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00DUVZ3GW
France
http://www.amazon.fr/dp/1490506004
Brazil
http://www.amazon.com.br/dp/B00DUVZ3GW
Italy
http://www.amazon.it/dp/1490506004
Spain
http://www.amazon.es/dp/1490506004

More retailers, such as Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Goodreads, Apple, Diesel, Sony etc. will follow in the next days.

.

<><><><><>

.

.
Hyper Smash

Pingate

 

Interview with Author Fiza Pathan

.

Author Fiza Pathan

Today’s interview is with author Fiza Pathan from Mumbai, India. Fiza is a History and English teacher,  who just wrote her third book – beside many poems she has published and for which she has quite a following on her blog Insaneowl.
.

Fiza, first of all thanks for talking with us!  What inspired you to start writing?
I started writing fiction stories way back in 2009, mainly to convey value based messages to young readers, stories of the Christian/Moral genre. Since college, I have always had this inclination to write and as I am an avid reader of books, I too had the desire to see my own book on my bookshelf, indicating to me that dreams do come true and ideas for the betterment of the creative soul is always appreciated.
.

How did you get the idea for your latest book?
When I observe the present system of education in my country, I feel perplexed that quantity work is given more importance than quality work. Teachers are not really helping the students to think beyond the horizon. The latest book my third is a non-fiction genre, promoting the value of reading classics, unlike my earlier two fiction books. I wrote this book to spread the message of what classics have done for me, to other students.
.

Does your book have any underlying theme, message, or moral?
The book is my humble attempt at trying to aid a student’s all round development by focusing everyone’s attention on the advantages of reading classic literature, which as my book states covers up a myriad of topics that can benefit any growing child towards achievement in all spheres of life.
.

How would you describe your book to someone who has not yet read it?
My book is a helper or let us say, a facilitator for any educator, parent or student towards a deeper understanding of classics and how it can influence a readers life positively.
.

Is there a message in your book that you want your readers to grasp?
My message to all readers is simply this, that reading classics can aid a person into a deeper understanding of him/herself, his/her potential and overall personality. Classics according to me can change lives for the better and my handbook simply tries to propagate this idea to everyone who reads the book.
.

Are your characters based on real people?
All the students and teachers mentioned in my handbook are real people whom I have known personally. The students mentioned in my book are the ones whom I tutor and I enjoy every bit of time spent with such wonderful pupils.
.

How much of your books are based on real life (either yours or someone you know)?
All the incidents that I have mentioned in my book are all true and based on the experiences shared by my students and by me. From their development to their love of reading, all the examples cited are true occurrences that have taken place in my tuition house over the past four years of my teaching experience.

.

.

What would/could a reader or reviewer say about your latest book – CLASSICS Why We Should Encourage Children to Read Them – that shows they “get” you as an author?
If my reviewer/reader states that my handbook has aided them to know the importance of reading classics and has encouraged them to implement my suggestions of encourage the habit of reading classics in their children’s lives to enhance their overall potential, I think that’s when I as a writer and teacher will feel that they have understood me. Saying so in words will not mean as much to me as their acting on my advice.
.

Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you have learned as a writer from then to now?
To be frank, I have realized that writing does not bring home a lot of money as I used to think before. It is not like the ‘paying job’ I used to think it was. However, it has its own aesthetic benefits which only a writer can understand and appreciate.
.

Considering a book from the first word you write to the moment you see it on a bookstore shelf, what’s your favorite part of the process? What’s your least favorite?
My favorite part of the process would be when I am writing the book during the wee hours of the night with no one to disturb me as I fill the pages with all my feelings and experiences. My least favorite part is when I see the book on the shelf and see people checking it out. It makes me nervous and highly self-conscious…in fact, it freaks me out. I guess I have such a peculiar feeling as I am quite a recluse and a hard core introvert. People taking notice of me through my books boosts my self-esteem but also at times embarrasses me. It’s my dual self (selves?) working up, that is all, nothing serious!
.

What scene or bit of dialogue in the book are you most proud of, and why?
I think the best part of my handbook which I cherish a lot is when I was penning down my thoughts about the first classic I read, which was Bram Stoker’s Dracula. That book has cultivated the habit of reading classics in me that no other book can match up to. It was through and from Dracula that I entered the beautiful and enchanting world of books that have always kept me company through the ups and downs of my life.
.

.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything about your book?
No, I would not need to change anything because, I have been meticulous to note down everything that I have wanted to convey to my readers. I want to proclaim to the world the debt I owe to classic books. This world still consists of a number of bright sparks who are ready to change our future and our corrupt society for the better and I wish to inspire them.
.

What genre has you not yet written but really want to try?
I want to try writing a fiction piece of the romantic genre. I have written a number of poems based on the passion and obsession in love, but I would love to pen a romantic story based on the characters I observe everyday in my life.
.

How did you get published? Please share your own personal journey.
I have been fortunate as an Author thanks to the platform offered to Authors to self-publish their books. I will always be grateful to Amazon and CreateSpace (a division of Amazon) who first helped me realize my dream of being an Author. I did not have to go through the grind like other Authors have. My first book ‘S.O.S Animals And Other Stories’ was ready and published in August 2012 followed by ‘Treasury Of Bizarre Christmas Stories’ in November 2012.
I have had fruitful time writing at my own pace and earn my own living as a Teacher without anyone breathing down my neck. I was fortunate to meet the right people on the internet at the right time to aid me in my dream of seeing my book published and on the shelf. I am grateful to everyone who has made my journey as a writer, a happy and coveted one.
.

What general advice do you have for other writers?
I would sincerely beseech my fellow authors that they should not devote all their resources to only writing but, try and take up a regular job as well so that the expenses of the material world can be looked after while we can still write what we wish and choose to. I have been a tutor for many years and therefore I am able to gamble with my creative writing without any tension. It is not a romantic idea to be a ‘pauper writer’ or ‘destitute author’. Times have changed and although we are artists , we need to also live in accordance with the needs of our time.
.

What do you find is the best part of being an author?
Being an author has brought me a lot of recognition among my peers as someone who means business. I used to be taken for granted earlier but not anymore. People in society today are in awe of my achievements as a young author and now know that I am not just a book worm or a laid back individual, but an author with a lot of matter to contribute to society.

.

.
What is one thing that your readers would be surprised to know about you?
My readers would definitely be surprised if they knew that I I am a multi-tasker. I can study, write, teach, read, blog and do some creative thinking all throughout the day without wasting a single minute uselessly. Yes, I am quite obsessed about not wasting time and I try to do as much concrete work as possible to allow me to go to bed peacefully at night with my workaholic conscience quite clear. I rarely enjoy myself and that’s a fact, but I like my life just the way it is.
.

Where can readers learn more about your writing?  

Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Fiza-Pathan/e/B0091BCNTU

CreateSpace
https://www.createspace.com/3976262
https://www.createspace.com/4069794

Barnes & Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/fiza-pathan

Bookadda
http://www.bookadda.com/author/fiza-pathan

eBooks on all major platforms:

Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Fiza-Pathan/e/B0091BCNTU

Apple Itunes
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/fiza-pathan/id572336271?mt=11

Kobo
http://www.kobobooks.com/search/search.html?q=fiza+pathan

 

Diesel
http://www.diesel-ebooks.com/index.php?page=seek&id%5Bm%5D=&id%5Bc%5D=scope%253Dinventory&id%5Bq%5D=fiza+pathan

Barnes & Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/fiza-pathan

Goodreads
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16176752-treasury-of-bizarre-christmas-stories
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16113028-s-o-s-animals-and-other-stories

Sony
https://ebookstore.sony.com/search?keyword=fiza+pathan

Also available in Mumbai, India at Kitab Khana, Fort, Mumbai
Phone No: 022-22888043/022-22888041
.

<><><><><>

.

If you would like to get help in all things publishing, have your book heavily promoted and learn how to navigate social media sites: We offer all this and more for only a “token” of $1 / day for 3 months. Learn more about this individual book marketing help: http://www.111Publishing.com/
.
Once you are on this website, click on Seminar to register.

Please feel free to check out all previous posts of this blog (there are 785 of them : ) if you haven’t already. Why not sign up to receive them regularly by email? Just click on “Follow” in the upper line on each page – and then on “LIKE” next to it. There is also the “SHARE” button underneath each article where you can submit the article to Pinterest, Google+, Twitter, Chime.in, Facebook, Tumblr and to StumpleUpon.

Thanks a lot for following:

@111publishing

http://on.fb.me/TvqDaK
http://bit.ly/VmtVAS 111Publishing @ Google+

.

.
Hyper Smash

Pingate