Straight From the Mouth of 'The Controlled' Becky Komant

Becky Komant was born and raised in beautiful Kelowna, British Columbia.  Spending most of her childhood years outdoors and playing sports, Becky’s passion for fitness was ignited.  Working at a gym at the age of 16, she then went on to an advertising position at a local newspaper following high school.  Soon after, Becky started her family and wanted to be more involved with her children.  It was then that Becky followed her passion and founded a successful private training studio.   Realizing that being a trainer was much more than just helping people physically, this lead her in the direction of becoming a certified life coach.  Because of her fitness and life coaching career, Becky always envisioned writing a book.  Overtime and thought, it evolved into her first novel, The Controlled. With more writing on the horizon, she hopes to inspire others on many levels. Becky continues to reside in Kelowna with her family.

Her latest book is the adult suspense thriller, The Controlled.

Learn more about Becky at www.beckykomant.com.

Thanks for letting us interrogate interview you!  Can you give us a go-for-the-gut answer as to why you wanted to be an author? 

Being author is a way I can connect with people.  Regardless of the genre, writing allows this to happen on different levels.  Some just want an entertaining read, while others may have issues in their own life that they may need an escape from.  Everyone takes something from each book they read.  I hope that I can inspire others.  

Tell us (we won’t tell promise!) is it all it’s cracked up to be?  I mean what are the perks and what are the demands?

I don’t know if I have really noticed any perks...yet!  I do most definitely notice the demands.  I am really working hard on getting The Controlled out there, so having a family and trying to balance can be a bit much.  I am all about time management.  

Which route did you take – traditional or self-published – and can you give us the nitty gritty low down on what’s that like?

I self-published.  It has been a very big learning experience.  For the most part it went quite smoothly for me. I am a perfectionist, so I took the time to make sure everything from the editing to cover were just right. It’s like anything, if you cut corners, the final product will not be what it could have been. 

Tell us for real what your family feels about you spending so much time getting your book written, polished, edited, formatted, published, what have you?

Funny story actually!  When I started writing, I kept it very private.  I am a fitness and life coach as well.  I told nearly everyone that I was working on a recipe book. (A few close friends and family knew the truth!) This is one interesting recipe book. Lol!  I did most of the writing when my kids were in school or late in the evening.  It wasn’t until it was in editing and formatting that I started telling everyone what it was really about.  My family has been very supportive.  It’s really sweet when I hear my kids tell people that their mom wrote a book! 

This is for pet lovers.  If you don’t own a pet, skip this question, but do your pets actually get their food on time or do they have to wait until you type just one more word?

I am lucky because my kids feed our animals! 

In writing your book, how did you deal with the phone ringing, your family needing dinner or your boss calling you saying you’re late?

Call display is a wonderful thing.  Now my friends do know why they had to leave me so many messages.  I never let writing interfere with dinner, I think I enjoy food too much.  The best part about what I do is that I am my own boss. 

What was the craziest or insane thing that happened to you in the book publishing process?

That’s a really tough one.  Like I mentioned already, the process went quite smoothly for me.  The craziest moment would have to be at the end of the process - my book release party.  I was overwhelmed with the turnout and support of so many great friends and local media in the community.

How about the social networks?  Which ones do you believe help and which ones do you wish you could avoid?

Social media is today’s way.  I am on twitter and Facebook.  I haven’t plunged into any others yet.  I think you need to tackle them all.  Some people like one and not the other, so for exposing things – the more the better. Guess I better get on it!

Book sales.  Don’t you just love them (or lack of?)?  How are you making the sales happen for you?

I have been working vigorously through some social networks and have a great PR team that is helping me spread the word about The Controlled.  I have had several radio interviews and I am working on a virtual book tour. So far – so good!  

What is one thing you’d like to jump on the rooftop and scream about?

I have a lot to scream about!  I have a wonderful family. We are all healthy and nothing tops that!

Okay, too much sugar for you today!  Here’s a nice cup of Chamomile tea and come on over and sit under the cabana and watch the waves roll in.  Now…can you tell us what you love about being a published author and how all those things above doesn’t matter because it’s all part of the whole scheme of things and you wouldn’t have it any other way?

It’s simple. Life is journey. Every opportunity we have is setting us up for something else.  As long as I put 100% into everything, nothing else does matter because I gave it my all.