Straight From the Mouth of 'A Voice in the Night' Ernestine Dail

Ernestine DaiI is a high school teacher and lives in Maryland. She has taught school for several years and enjoys the wonders and amazements she finds in being around children. The inspiration for writing her book comes from being surrounded with children and knowing their joys, likes, and dislikes. She is the author of two books—Dimples DoGood, and her latest, A Voice in the Night. She likes to read, write, travel and do crossword puzzles.

You can visit Ernestine Dail’s website at http://bookstop.wix.com/children-books.

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?

I wanted to be an author because I like to express my creativity, educate, influence, and help others in a positive way.

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 like the feedback that I receive from children.  They will tell you the truth as to whether they enjoyed your book or not. They will also give a hint as to what to write about next. In addition, I like leaving a legacy and writing allows me to do that. On the other hand, writing demands qualitative time to produce qualitative work. Schedules need to be set to meet demands of family, work and friends.

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

Well, I took the self-published route because it was less expensive, yet very professional in every way. I worked with Eric at Avid Readers Publishing Group.

He was very helpful and patient in answering all of my questions, and I received my product on time according to schedule. It is important to have someone who is understanding and will work you, especially if you are publishing a first book.

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?

Presently, family members are of age and are on their own so I get to spend as much time as I like writing. I can work many hours for as long as I like.

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?

Fortunately, I have a voice mail that I leave on while I’m writing and calls are returned later. As for family members, they are of age and are no longer at home. I don’t have to deal with my boss calling about being late because all of my writing takes place after work.

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

I wish that I had a crazy story to tell, but I don’t. Everything went well.

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

To boost sales, I currently advertise on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords. In addition, I’ve given away free books and will continue to do so at various times.

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

I’m excited about my viral book tour and my YouTube trailer. These are worth screaming about from the rooftop.

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?

I love seeing a finished product professionally copyrighted, printed, and bearing my name. All of the above doesn’t matter because I created characters and a situation that did not exist before and I will leave a legacy. Creativity and enjoyment—I wouldn’t have it any other way.