PUYB Virtual Book Club Chats with 'The Nature of Entangled Hearts' Emma Hartley

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Emma Hartley is an author and artist living in picturesque Maine. She has been writing and making art since childhood and has been insatiably curious and industrious her whole life. Emma was a double major in English and Fine Arts and she received her Masters in Art and Design Education. She is a specialist in ceramics and includes much of this expertise in her novel The Nature of Entangled Hearts. Her other interests include playing drums, making art and exploring every square inch of the Maine coastline. The Nature of Entangled Hearts is her first novel.

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About the Book:

Title: THE NATURE OF ENTANGLED HEARTS
Author: Emma Hartley
Publisher: Satin Romance
Pages: 277
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Paranormal Romance/Thriller/Chick Lit/Women’s Fiction

BOOK BLURB: 

The Nature of Entangled Hearts is a fast-paced, edgy, romantic thriller, with a subtly supernatural twist.  Enter the story of Elwyn and James, two strangers entangled by their past-life experiences, who are mired in an unquantifiable present.  Throughout the novel they work to understand the bonds that hold them together, just as an unforeseen danger threatens to tear them apart. 

                                                   

Elwyn “Derrin” Derringer is a ceramic artist and a professor at the local college of art in Portland, Maine.  She has always felt insecure and disconnected, unsure of how or why she fits into the world, seeking through her art to fill in the missing pieces of herself.  When Elwyn’s eyes lock on those of a stranger across the market, everything she has taken for granted as reality is thrown into question.  Understanding blooms in fits and starts, interrupted by her fears of attachment and eventually by the unwanted attentions of an obsessed and disturbed art student.

Throughout the novel, Elwyn discovers reservoirs of strength and independence as she faces these challenges, endearing the reader with her feisty nature and her fierce desires to create authentically, to love intensely and to transcend the destructive links to her past.  “The Nature of Entangled Hearts” takes us on a thrilling ride through past and present, through love and dread, through loss and reclamation, leaving us thankful that we don’t understand all the mysteries of the universe just yet, and reminding us never to take our lives - or our loves - for granted.

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Before you started writing your book, what kind of research did you do to prepare yourself?

Before I began writing, as well as throughout the book, I made sure that I was up to date on all of my knowledge of ceramics.  I know how to fire a kiln and create large-scale sculptures out of clay, but at the college level the work is more nuanced.  I had to make sure that everything I wrote was accurate.  I also did some extensive research on quantum physics, with a particular focus on entanglement theory.  It is very easy to coopt buzzwords into a novel, but to have real substance behind them takes a deeper level of understanding.

                 

Did you pursue publishers or did you opt to self-pub?

I chose the traditional route of finding a publisher that was a good fit for my work.  I am thrilled to say that it was only the fifth publisher I sent the novel to that accepted it.  It felt surreal!

If published by a publisher, what was your deciding factor in going with them?

The Nature of Entangled Hearts is my debut novel, and as such, I was an unknown quantity.  I knew that a large-scale publisher would probably pass on the project because there is such an inherent risk associated with new authors.  I chose to query smaller publishers because I thought they would be a better fit.  Melange Books has been very helpful and accommodating, making the process of publication a seamless one.

If published by a publisher, are you happy with the price they chose?

I am very happy with the price my publisher set for the book.  The ebook is of course somewhat less expensive than the print book, which makes sense.

Did you purposefully choose a distinct month to release your book?  Why?

The process, from signing the contract to seeing the print proof in my hand was exactly a year.  This was determined by the publisher, so I had little to do with it.

How did you choose your cover?

The art department sent me a first draft with a sexy woman on the front.  I cried a little bit because she didn’t resemble my character at all!  Then, once I got a grip on my feelings, I emailed the designer and explained my feelings as respectfully and deferentially as I could.  She listened to all of my comments and within a few hours she sent me a draft of the current cover.  She asked, “Is this more what you had in mind?”  I replied, flooded with extreme relief, “It’s perfect!”

Did you write your book, then revise or revise as you went?

I suppose I do a lot of both.  I revise extensively as I write because I am such a grammar geek, but I also revised the book considerably after it was done.  I rewrote the entire ending because it just didn’t feel right. 

Did you come up with special swag for your book and how are you using it to help get the word out about your book? 

Yes!  I designed bookmarks and postcards, but I also took the time to make 100 book charm necklaces that look like tiny replicas of the book.  They’re really adorable!

Did you consider making or hiring someone to make a book trailer for your book?  If so, what’s the link?

I made the book trailer myself.  I taught myself how to use iMovie, looked for appropriate stock footage and music, and figured out how to add text.  I actually ended up really liking the trailer!  I’m sure that it’s not as slick as what a real movie producer could do, but I’m proud of the fact that I did it myself!  Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ci1jEqrb3F4 .

What’s your opinion on giving your book away to sell other copies of your book?

I’m all for it!  I feel like the more people I can put the book in front of, the better.  If they like it, they’re more likely to stick with me when I publish my next book!

What are three of the most important things you believe an author should do before their book is released?

The first thing I try to remember is: be thankful.  I am so thankful that I am able to publish the fiction that I expend so much of my creative energy to write.  I am thankful to have the opportunity to share it with others.

The second thing I believe an author should do is be exuberant about their release.  People want to join others in their excitement.  The outpouring of love and support that preceded the publication of The Nature of Entangled Hearts was truly heartwarming.

Lastly, authors should create a to-do list so that they don’t get overwhelmed with all of the excitement and marketing demands after the book hits the market.  A comprehensive list of goals and strategies has really helped me out.

What are three of the most important things you believe an author should do after their book is released?

Keep on it!  Be as active in marketing your work as you can.  It’s easy to put it out there and expect someone else to do the work for you.  Here’s what I figure.  No one owes me anything – I need to work for my own success.  If I want people to read the book, it’s up to me to get it in front of them.

Next, advertise.  Spend money to make money.

Last, write your next novel!

What kind of pre-promotion did you do before the book came out? 

Before The Nature of Entangled Hearts came out, I made a website, created print media such as bookmarks and postcards, I set up my Facebook page, Instagram account, Twitter account.  I also joined RWA, BookBub, Bublish, Riffle, Goodreads and as many other book websites as I could find.  I wanted my presence to be in as many places as possible.

Do you have a long-term plan with your book?

My long-term plan is to make sure that I don’t give up on it after a few months.  I will have a second novel published in July and now is the time to build my readership.  I am also actively trying to build my mailing list!  It’s hard to break out of the realm of people who know you and your work, but that is my goal. 

What would you like to say to your readers and fans about your book?

The Nature of Entangled Hearts delves deeply into the essential question of what connects as humans.  It is an exploration of the transcendent power of love to last beyond a mere lifetime and of how love can sometimes heal emotional wounds and constitutional insecurities.  The Nature of Entangled Hearts is also a psychological thriller, for even as the two protagonists gain new understanding about the depth of their relationship, the fixations of a disturbed art student threaten to tear them apart.

Elwyn and James, two strangers entangled by their past-life experiences, are mired in an unquantifiable present.  Elwyn “Derrin” Derringer is a ceramic artist and a professor at the local college of art in Portland, Maine.  She has always felt insecure and disconnected, unsure of how or why she fits into the world, seeking through her art to fill in the missing pieces of herself.  When Elwyn’s eyes lock on those of a stranger across the market, everything she has taken for granted as reality is thrown into question.  Understanding blooms in fits and starts, interrupted by her fears of attachment and eventually by the unwanted attentions of an obsessed and disturbed art student.

Throughout the novel, Elwyn discovers reservoirs of strength and independence as she faces these challenges, endearing the reader with her feisty nature and her fierce desires to create authentically, to love intensely and to transcend the destructive links to her past.  The Nature of Entangled Hearts takes us on a thrilling ride through past and present, through love and dread, through loss and reclamation, leaving us thankful that we don’t understand all the mysteries of the universe just yet, and reminding us never to take our lives —or our loves—for granted. 

I sincerely hope, dear readers, that you find a deep connection with this book.  It was a labor of love to write and I am very thankful to be able to share it with you.