Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a Namibian citizen born in an Angolan refugee camp, where I spent the first eight years of my life. Since then I have lived in four different countries, Namibia, South Africa, Germany, and Austria. I had only been passing through Austria but I met my husband and he convinced me to stay. I now live in Vienna, with him and our daughter.
My travels had offered me the opportunity to gather useful material, from both my own experiences and those of others. I am a firm believer that memories, both good and bad, are worth cherishing. The roads we’ve travelled lead us to the people we are today.
As a result, I enjoy breathing new life into some of those experiences, and sprinkling them with snippets born of my imagination, to write fiction novels. My aim as a writer is to both thrill and inspire readers.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My upcoming novel, Honeysuckle and Jasmine, a women’s fiction novel, will be published on the 30th of September, 2013.
This novel is very dear to my heart as it was partly inspired by true events. It’s the product of memories pieced together from the seven years (1999-2006) I lived in Berlin, Germany. During a fraction of this time, as a student, my best friend and I experienced firsthand the difficulties encountered in a land far away from home. The one thing that held us together was our friendship. To spice up the story, I’ve added a little suspense and a love story. And the towns the characters live in are all fictional.
Here’s a description of the novel:
The past is never far behind.
Senia Loato’s life has been needled by disappointment, and the wounds that fester go beyond skin deep. She is certain if she puts miles between her and her tainted past, she will somehow outrun it. When she’s offered the chance to leave her island home of Mintang to become an au pair for three boys in Germany, she takes the opportunity to start running.
In Germany, she meets Miina, another African au pair. What builds between them is a life-defining friendship, one they will risk everything for.
And soon, they’ll be asked nothing less.
When Miina is betrayed and left stranded, Senia stands by her, risking much more than just her stay in Germany. She also stands to lose rich, handsome, turquoise-eyed Roman Dorenwald, the first man she has allowed into her heart.
But they’re risks worth taking.
Eventually, Senia makes a sacrifice that catapults her back to her past, where she’s forced to draw back the curtain and discover the shocking truth of her history.
Can she confront her nightmares, reach deep into her soul, and forgive those who have hurt her? Or is it easier to just keep running?
If you’re interested, you can already add the book on Goodreads.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I’m more productive when I sit in a certain corner of the couch (worn-out by now) surrounded by all my favorite snacks and drinks (anything salty, sour, spicy).
What authors, or books have influenced you?
My favorite authors are Jodi Picoult, John Grisham, Nora Roberts, Nicholas Sparks…and so many more. But these authors have touched me most, but I can’t really say who influenced my writing. I think all the books I’ve read and really enjoyed had a combined effect on me.
What are you working on now?
I’m working on a contemporary romance novella series. I can’t say much at the moment, except that the cover of the first book is absolutely gorgeous.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Marketing is hard work, and I’m learning as I go. I think the most effective to me at the moment is Goodreads.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Always. Never write what you think you should write. Write something that sets your heart on fire. Only then can you pour all of you into it. And your readers will know.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Never give up on your dreams. My dream is to one day work as a full time author.
What are you reading now?
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.
What’s next for you as a writer?
To publish at least two or three novels a year.
What is your favorite book of all time?
A little princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It always takes me back to my childhood. I can’t wait to read it to my daughter.
Author Websites and Profiles
Liz Grace Davis Website
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