I’m starting a new occasional series on the blog today: interviews with other authors about their journey as artists. And these will be authors with styles very different from my own.

We will start with an author of contemporary literature, stories about women, from Australia: Lucy Appadoo.

Full disclosure: I recently edited her soon-to-be released novel, In Sugarloaf’s Shadows.

Lucy Appadoo writes nonfiction as well as fiction in the romantic suspense-thriller genre, contemporary romance, and 20th century Italian romance/coming of age stories.

A qualified counsellor and wellness coach, she works as a rehabilitation counsellor for the Australian government.

She published her first fiction in 2015, A New Life, the first book in her Italian Family series. Her latest published book came out just this year, Web of Lies, the third in her romantic suspense Friends in Crisis series.

Without further ado, Lucy:

At what stage in your life did you first publish a book?

I first decided to publish a book a number of years ago, but I was not successful in finding a publisher. Then in 2015, I discovered the Ipad and used Apple Books to read books. This inspired me to start writing my own books and to self-publish them. The books I have listed do not include another romantic suspense book I wrote (In Sugarloaf’s Shadows) and a contemporary romance story, Second Chances. These two books are not yet published as I have been trying to get these traditionally published. I am still waiting to hear from publishers about my contemporary romance story. If not, I will self-publish my romance story.

The Italian Family series

• A New Life
• The Beauty of Tears
• Dancing in the Rain
• A Life by Design

How do you think your writing and your books have changed since then?

My writing has greatly improved since my first book in 2015. I decided to unpublish my first book and rewrite it. Over the years, I have completed writing courses and did a lot of reading about writing structure. I had help from several editors and a writing mentor. I believe that my books are much better now, and show a lot more authenticity.

In terms of marketing and promotional activities, I have learned a lot from Mark Dawson, Joanna Penn, and Nick Stephenson. I have tried my hand at Bookbub Ads, Amazon Ads, and Facebook Ads, and am starting to have a bit more success with Facebook Ads. Amazon and Bookbub have not worked for me. I also have a newsletter with almost 1,000 subscribers and will eventually grow that list through advertising. I also use Goodreads and Wattpad to market my books. I listen to author podcasts and do Instagram posts (schedule these through ‘Later’) and use Facebook, Linked In, and Twitter to run posts about my books. I am part of an author review program to get reviews, and have my books listed on Booksprout.

Hearts romantic suspense series

• Rising Hearts
• Broken Hearts
• Forbidden Hearts
• Kindred Hearts

What impact has the pandemic had on your writing?

The pandemic has been good and bad for my writing. In the beginning, it was great as I had a lot more time to work on my stories, given we weren’t able to go out. Over time, it was difficult to get that inspiration you get when you interact with people and get out into the environment.

Thriller short stories

• Evening Interrupted (2017)
• The Dreamcatcher (2017)
• Red Flags (2017)
• Thriller boxed set (2018)

Is there anything about your first book that you wish you had written, or done differently?

With my first book, I should have not rushed it into publication, as it was quite poor even with edits. I would not have used the editor I had used. I don’t believe my story was good enough to get self-published, which is why it is now unpublished. I used this story as the foundation to create another novel, In Sugarloaf’s Shadows, which was edited by you, Scott Bury.

Friends in Crisis romantic thriller/suspense series

• Haunted by the Past (2019)
• Twisted Obsession (2020)
• Web of Lies (2021)

Tell us about your work in progress.

I have two works in progress; one of them is the fourth book in the Friends In Crisis Series, and follows my romantic suspense novel, Web Of Lies. It is a story about a young woman who has a stalker while young women are being murdered (but staged as suicides). Her love interest had a girlfriend who was murdered a year earlier. This story has been recently sent to my editor. The other book in progress is about a woman from Madrid, Spain who has to deal with family secrets and a stalker who’s out for revenge due to a daunting past. The stakes escalate through mind games and manipulation, involving her loved ones. This is the second book of a series (not sure what the series is called yet), and the first book (In Sugarloaf’s Shadows) is set in Brazil. I am planning to self publish both of these books closely together.

What are some things about others’ books that you love?

I love it when other books have action, suspense, and romance. I love the thrill of a villain who gets beaten down. I love it when they have characters I can relate to and are likable.

I don’t like books that are literary with too many descriptions or narrative. I don’t like books that are too lengthy – for example, 100,000 words.

Non-fiction

• Your Holistic Career Path
• Readers’ Journal
• Holistic Spiritual and Mental Health
• Moving Beyond Grief

What advice do you have for new or aspiring authors today?

My advice to new or aspiring authors today would be to learn and grow as a writer by taking writing classes, interacting with other authors, reading about the writing process, and listening to author podcasts. Do not rush your work. Make sure the book is as best as you can make it, with the help of an editor and proofreader. Also, market your work and try your hand at advertising.