The Pacemaker was based off a nightmare I had. I wrote most of what I could remember down, and it transformed into this.
Imania Margria – 19 December 2019
The Back Flap
Minerva Walsh forgot everything about her life before her eighteenth birthday. Since then, betrayal, hardship and strife plagued her life over the last five years, and good fortune was never on her side. However, when Minerva receives a full-paid scholarship to the most prestigious school in the country, Calendula University, and is given a chance to restart her miserable life, she feels her luck has changed.
But after arriving, the dark shadows and deadly secrets looming underneath the serene façade of this academic paradise shows Minerva that her new life is far from the peaceful escape she thought it would be. She learns about the curse haunting the university and claiming innocents’ lives in unusual accidents. Minerva also gains a strange power which lets her control the heartbeats of time and space and enter a world outside of reality. To solve the mystery behind Calendula’s curse, Minerva must use her new powers to investigate the secrets surrounding this elite school before the curse claims the lives of those close to her. But as she draws near the truth, pieces of her missing past come to light. Can Minerva unravel the mystery behind her forgotten memories and the school’s curse? Or will she become its next victim?
About the book
What is the book about?
The Pacemaker is about unlucky, amnesiac Minerva Walsh winning a full-paid scholarship to the college of elites, geniuses and scholars, Calendula University and having to learn to adapt to her new home. She soon learns it’s not all glitz and glam when she discovers this academic paradise is swarming with dark shadows and deadly secrets. One of these shadows is the curse which is responsible for claiming the several victims’ lives in unusual accidents. Not soon after learning about the curse, Minerva develops a strange ability that lets her control the fluctuations of time and space and enter a world outside reality. Minerva must use her new powers to investigate the truth behind this curse before it claims more lives.
When did you start writing the book?
January 2018.
How long did it take you to write it?
It took a bit over a year to finish The Pacemaker.
Where did you get the idea from?
The Pacemaker was based off a nightmare I had. I wrote most of what I could remember down, and it transformed into this.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
The dark scenes were difficult for me. I’m very sensitive to circumstances like that. So, if I write a dark, depressing scene, the character’s feelings transfer to me, and I’ll be in a heavy mood for a while.
What came easily?
The romantic and action scenes. I’m better at writing romance and action (mostly supernatural or fantasy) scenes than dark scenes because they can be emotionally draining.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
All characters are fictitious.
Do you have a target reader?
My target reader is late teenage years about 18+. Mentality wise someone who likes supernatural or fantasy mixed with some psychological thrills, romance, some sex, and lots of drama
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so, can you please describe it?
Yes. I have a process. First, I write out a general outline and figure out the titles of the chapters and how many there will be. Next, I write out the separate outlines for each chapter and make chapter checklists for writing, editing, reading, rewriting, final editing, and final reading. And finally, I start writing everything out mostly in pen and paper first. I like to have a first draft for my records, and it makes easier for me when I type it up later. I used to not have a process, and it drove me mad. It took me forever to get anything done. Whenever I organize what I need to write or make checklists of what I need to get done, it makes accomplishing those goals easier and motivates me to finish them.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I do outline and make checklists. I figure out the overall outline of the story then the chapters’ names and finally their individual outlines. I also make checklists for writing, editing, reading, rewriting, final editing, and final reading.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I would edit after each chapter. Then I read through the entire book and do a point edit before doing a final edit, rewrite, and read.
Did you hire a professional editor?
Yes.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
Yes. I do listen to music. The kind varies depending on the story and scene. But I normally make playlists, under the names of the books I’m working on via YouTube of the music I listened to while writing. I make them public while I’m editing and marketing the books.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
No, not really. Since I’m not interested in working with a major publisher. I will hire a PR agent for my upcoming works to help me market my books from Sep 2020- on.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
I decided to go indie because I like being in full control of the publishing and marketing process. I also like to have complete ownership of my work and not worry about it being tied to a specific publisher until my contract runs out or when I get lawyers involved to retrieve all rights from that publisher. It’s been a hard, long learning process, but I love the freedom of being my own boss.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
I use a professional. For The Pacemaker, Panagiotis Lampridis from https://bookdesignstars.com/ made the cover.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
I try to create a marketing plan, but it depends on my budget. For now, I’m kinda improvising.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Plan everything. Not just the book you’re working on. Plan out the costs for book cover and interior design. Plan the costs for editors and publishing (if you don’t decide to use Amazon and use Ingram or something). If you use a service like Ingram, plan the name for the publishing name you want to use (because you are the publisher if you use their service and buy your own ISBN and barcode). Most newbie indie authors think you just need to write your book find a publishing company and release your book, then you’re done. (I’ve been there done that.) They don’t realize that’s the easy part. The most important part is marketing your book and getting it to potential readers to get those first reviews and sales. Planning out a thorough marketing strategy and executing it is crucial to the success of your book. Because as an indie author, unless you’re publishing with an independent publisher (not Amazon, Lulu or Ingram), you have to be the writer, editor, PR agent and so much more. You don’t have the same liberties that traditionally or indie authors published by an independent or hybrid publishers have.
About You
Where did you grow up?
I’m Jersey girl born and raised. I was born in Livingston, spent my first 12 years of my life in East Orange and then the rest in Kearny, NJ.
Where do you live now?
I still live in Jersey.
What would you like readers to know about you?
I’m a down-to-earth person who’s kinda shy. I’m just recently becoming more active in social media and literary events like poetry reads. I’ve been absent on there for a while, because I’ve been caught up finishing The Pacemaker and learning to stand in front of a crowd again since I tend to do in-person events for my upcoming 2020 novels, Eyes and Scarlet Moon. Follow my social media for more updates on locations: https://linktr.ee/imaniamargria .
For this new year, I want to connect more with my readers, and let them get to know more about who I really am. I’m going to try and be more active on social media and even make a vlog so they can see a little into my process and life. I also want them to become more involved in my development as a writer. So, I made a Patreon page where my readers can subscribe for as little as 3 dollars and get one-on-one contact with me, access to exclusive canon content that won’t be released to the general public, opportunities to get a sneak peek at chapters of upcoming books or becoming a beta reader or an ARC reviewer. This not only helps me connect with my readers but helps me get an idea about what they want, receive direct feedback, dedicate all my time to them and my writing, and create new high-quality content. Link to join is https://www.patreon.com/imaniamargria .
What are you working on now?
Currently, I’m doing final rewrites and edits on my romantic suspense novel, Eyes, so it could be released in the coming spring. https://linktr.ee/eyesthebook It will be available everywhere books are sold.
End of Inteview: