Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
My name is Whitney Pagano. I’m a self-published author. Other than the first volume in an intended series of poetry, The Cracked Heart’s Club, I’ve also written two YA fantasy manuscripts that I’ve yet to publish as well as a lot more poetry.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The name of my latest published book(that happens to be my first published one, also) is The Cracked Heart’s Club. It’s a small collection of a portion of my poetry. At the time I wrote it, I was going through a break up, and I was depressed. I felt as if I needed to let it all out-all the sadness, anger, confusion inside of me. I let my fingers write the words that my mouth refused to say. When I finished writing, some two days later, I discovered that I’d basically written a book of poetry. I decided to publish it; hopefully, someone will gain solace from their personal problems while reading it, just as I gained comfort from writing it.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I do have writing habits/writing routine. I’m not sure if they can be classified as unusual or not. I write every day, and I’ve found that I can’t write anywhere else currently except while sitting on my bed. Before I put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, I must do two things: Listen to Neil Gaiman’s expert on writing advice from the Nerdist Podcast while smoking a black and mild. That’s basically it. If I try to start writing without doing both of these activities, I get major concentration/writer/imagination block. I guess that’s what makes my writing habits unusual-that I simply can’t write without first performing that particular ritual.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Ah! So many authors have influenced my love for books and the written word. I’ll name a few favorites: Maya Angelou, Agatha Christie, Dick Francis, Wale (the music artist/poet/lyricist), Jill Scott and C.S. Lewis-to name a few.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently working on the second volume of The Cracked Heart’s Poetry Series. It’s entitled The Bleeding Heart’s Club, and should also be available on Amazon, soon.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
Promotion for myself means that as soon as I’ve it ‘publish’ on Amazon, I start the process of marketing my book. I have an intensive method when it comes to promoting my books. I take the usual route: promoting through companies/websites that offer promotional services for indies writers like Pixel of Ink and you guys of course, Awesome Gang. I have a list of hundreds of sites for book promotion. This list is divided into categories according to price and popularity. Promotion for me takes up to 24 hours after I’ve published. I put a lot of work into promoting my work.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
1. Continue to write. Exercise that muscle. Write as much as you can without compromising quality, because the more product you have available, the more money you could make, increasing the possibility that you could do what every writer dreams of: making a living off of your writing alone.
2. Set aside a budget for your book. Have a set budget for promotion/marketing, cover art, and editing.
3. Don’t be ashamed to be a newbie. All of the most talented authors that ever existed were new authors initially.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Neil Gaiman: “If you want to be a writer, you must finish things.”
What are you reading now?
I’m currently reading several books: Maze Runner by James Dashner, Wool by Hugh Howey and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (a legacy not soon to be forgotten and who will be sorely missed.)
What’s next for you as a writer?
I intend to publish the second and last volumes of my poetry, then I’ll resume working on one of the aforementioned YA manuscripts I’d taken a break from.
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?
The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou, a Sherlock Holmes Complete Stories and Novels Volume, and a book of pictures of my son.
Author Websites and Profiles
Whitney Pagano Amazon Profile
Whitney Pagano’s Social Media Links