Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
Although born in New York City, where I spent most of my life, I’ve lived in six states and visited most of the others. I earned my MA in English at Northern Arizona University. In one way or another, I’ve been writing my entire life, whether it was imaginative stories for friends, or advertising copy for industrial clients.
But I never felt my stories were “good enough” to be published. At the persistent urging of my husband, I finally agreed to seriously edit and revise one of them and take the plunge. Although accepted for publication, the book never made it all the way to print. However, this gave me the courage to pursue my dream of becoming a published author.
Years later, my persistence paid off and my debut historical fiction, Promises, won the 2019 Marie M Irvine Award for Literary Excellence. My 5-Star review historical novel, A Lady Newspaperman’s Dilemma, won the 2021 When Words Count nationwide competition and will be released on Sept 6, 2022. My short stories have appeared in various anthologies, including the 2021 Chicken Soup for the Soul, Blessings of Christmas.
I live in Manhattan, New York and am a member of Authors Guild, Women’s National Book Association, Women Fiction Writers Association, and The Historical Novel Society.
https://www.ejdonovan.com
https://www.facebook.com/eileen.donovan
https://www.twitter.com/@etdonovan1
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My latest 5-Star Review book, A Lady Newspaperman’s Dilemma came to life because of a clipping a friend sent me about the one and only time the US Army bombed a US city. Taht fact intrigued me, and I went down the rabbit hole to learn more about this event. The more I read the more I knew I could fictionalize it and write a book. Thus, Alex was born, and the story told.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Some think it’s unusual that I write my manuscripts in pen and then transcribe them to my computer. I find my thoughts flow better this way. Plus, I’m a terrible typist so I’d spend more time correcting my typos than writing.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
So many I can hardly count them all. I guess the most recent ones would be Sara Donati, Kate Morton, Mary Doria Russell, to name a few. It was their historical novels that solidified my idea that that was the genre I liked most and should write in.
What are you working on now?
Right now, I’ve finished a novel about three sisters in 1955 New York City. One wants to get married. One wants to be the toast of the town. One wants to become a doctor. And, in 1955 New York City, each one will have to jump hurdles to achieve her dream. And I’ve begun researching a novel about a New York woman who rose from abject poverty to millionaire status in the nineteenth century.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
I’m really a neophyte at promoting my books, so I’m not sure. Right now, I’m working with a publicist and hoping to learn a lot about promotion.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Read everything you can get your hands on and write as often as possible. Submitting short stories to journals is also an excellent way to add some credentials to your bio.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Don’t give up. Don’t sell yourself short. Stay focused on your goals.
What are you reading now?
The Titanic Sisters by Patricia Falvey
What’s next for you as a writer?
I need to find an agent or publisher for my sisters book and I need to do more research for my next book.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
Oh, don’t make me choose! I guess if I had to Winter’s Tale would be there. Crime and Punishment, The Little Lame Prince, and Forever Amber. But there are so many other great contemporary ones that I keep on my bookshelves.
Author Websites and Profiles
Eileen Joyce Donovan Website