The Africa Online Book Fair: Interview Author Elaine Dodge

 

The Africa Online Book Fair: Romance Authors & Books is a weekend event, featuring 13 authors and 1 interview with an aspiring romance author. Each day will have a certain amount of authors that will showcase their books and who they are.

The online book fair takes place on Facebook. Here’s a link to the event page. https://www.facebook.com/events/372063406523550/

We are also running a sign up for our Newsletters competition that runs with the Africa Online Book Fair blog tour from 17 to 31 May. You could win a 20$ Amazon Gift Card.

Sign up for as many newsletters as you want, each one is an entry: https://tinyurl.com/kvttmhb

The winner will be announced after the fair.

Attending the online book fair and how it works is straightforward, especially for readers who’ve attended Facebook book parties. But also for readers who use the social network site daily.

All you need to do is go to our Event and click ‘Going’. It’s that easy!

And don’t forget to invite your friends!

Hope you have lots of fun and discover awesome reads.

Africa Online Book Fair Links:

Facebook Group Page:https://tinyurl.com/ka3ucvl

Twitter: @AfricaOnBookFr

Instagram: @africaonlinebookfair

Welcome Elaine!

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I was born in Zambia, grew up in Zimbabwe and am currently living in South Africa. I’ve travelled a lot – the first round the world trip was when I was 4. I trained as a graphic designer, and my brother and I ran our own company – The Artful Dodges – for a while. A long stint in advertising followed. Then it was time for a change. A change of country and profession.So, I moved to South Africa, where I fell head first into the local and international broadcast television industry for the next eight years. I discovered that what I enjoyed the most was telling stories. Apart from white-water rafting down the Zambezi, I feel most alive when I’m writing.

My first book, Harcourt’s Mountain, published byTirgearr Publishing, was nominated for the 2014 RONE Awards. My short story, The Man with a House on His Back featured in the Crossroads Press published anthology, Blue Honey and the Valley of Shadow.I am currently editing my second novel, The Device Hunter.

2. What do you enjoy about being an author?

I love writing for the same reason I love reading. Stories can transport one to a different age, a different country or even off the planet. Stories can allow the reader to be anyone they like – a ship’s captain in Nelson’s navy, a Georgian heiress being courted by a handsome rake, a close friend of Jane Austen, a surgeon on the front lines, a detective in the 1920’s who has an unusual link to the dead. The possibilities are only as endless as one’s imagination.

3. What type of romance stories do you write? And why?
   So far, I’ve only written one – Harcourt’s Mountain. But the kinds of romance stories I like to read all have the same things in common. Interesting, intelligent people falling in love against the odds, amidst challenges and adventure and often in unusual places or eras. Some of the reviews I’ve received for Harcourt’s Mountain have compared the book to Outlander, The Far Pavilions and books by Francine Rivers. I do prefer books where the sex happens behind closed doors and I write that way as well.
4. Favorite place in Africa?
   Mana pools, hands down.
5. Why do you think African romance authors and stories set on the continent are important?
   Africa often gets a bad rap, and that’s sad. Authors that choose to place their stories on the continent will help to change that.
6. Do you think romance stories set in Africa & Africans vital to the publishing industry? If yes/no, why do you say so?
   The African continent is a huge untapped resource in terms of book sales. And who doesn’t love a well told story? Romance can be the main theme or a part of a story but everyone is hungry for stories and if they’re set on our continent that’s the icing on the cake. People like to be able to relate to the characters. It’s helpful if the character is the same ethnicity as the reader.
7. What traditional food do you love, that one can only find in Africa?

Babootie for a savory and Koeksisters for a sweet.

 

You can find Elaine online at:                                                                               

Website:www.elainedodge.weebly.com

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/ElaineRosemaryD/

Twitter: @ElaineRosemaryD