Ask the Author: Amanda Heger
Answered Questions (5)
Amanda Heger
Picture it. Sicily 1922. A peasant girl of average attractiveness, who has decided to write a book, embarks on a long fought journey toward publication. For weeks, she enjoys the company of many young men...
Wait. Wrong story.
I'm a Sophia. Wouldn't wish to be anyone but a Sophia.
Wait. Wrong story.
I'm a Sophia. Wouldn't wish to be anyone but a Sophia.
Amanda Heger
There's some Spanish in the book, but not a ton. When Spanish is used, I tried to use context clues in a way that makes the story accessible to those who might not speak Spanish.
As far as things to know, that's tough. In Spanish there are formal ways to address others as well as more informal speech. Nicaraguan Spanish tends toward the formal, so I did my best to include that in Without Borders. Also, like every language, there are regional differences in what words mean. For example, in Nicaragua the word for star fruit is what most Spanish-speaking countries would use for peach. I did my very best to make the Spanish as true to the country as possible. However, I'm also super imperfect, and I may have screwed it up in places. If so, my sincerest apologies to my Spanish-speaking readers.
And now I've typed "Spanish" so often, it no longer looks like a real word to me.
As far as things to know, that's tough. In Spanish there are formal ways to address others as well as more informal speech. Nicaraguan Spanish tends toward the formal, so I did my best to include that in Without Borders. Also, like every language, there are regional differences in what words mean. For example, in Nicaragua the word for star fruit is what most Spanish-speaking countries would use for peach. I did my very best to make the Spanish as true to the country as possible. However, I'm also super imperfect, and I may have screwed it up in places. If so, my sincerest apologies to my Spanish-speaking readers.
And now I've typed "Spanish" so often, it no longer looks like a real word to me.
Amanda Heger
I have an percolating for book three, but it's still in the early stages. I will say it's a a same sex romance that takes place in Appalachia. Think country mouse/city mouse in an Appalachia Service Project type setting. But I still have a long time before I'll be working on that, so there's a lot that's subject to change. By the time I start writing it may be 117% different.
Amanda Heger
Oh man. This is a complicated question. I'll try to keep it brief.
I got the idea to write Without Borders in February or March of 2012. I had no clue what I was doing, but I came home at night and tried anyway. By August 2012 I had a (truly hideous) first draft. I rewrote and revised for another four to five months. Then I started the search for an agent.
In traditional publishing, you generally need a literary agent to get your work in front of editors. So you write up a short pitch for your manuscript and send it out to agents who you think would be a good fit. They can request to read the manuscript or they can tell you to jump in a lake. It's not fun, to say the least.
I was exceptionally lucky and found a fantastic agent at a fabulous literary agency after a short time. She and I went through a couple more rounds of revisions together, and when that was over she made a list of editors she thought would be interested in Without Borders. We sent it to them and waited. And waited. And waited. And then one of them said yes.
So that's the short-long version. Let me know if you have other questions about the publication process.
I got the idea to write Without Borders in February or March of 2012. I had no clue what I was doing, but I came home at night and tried anyway. By August 2012 I had a (truly hideous) first draft. I rewrote and revised for another four to five months. Then I started the search for an agent.
In traditional publishing, you generally need a literary agent to get your work in front of editors. So you write up a short pitch for your manuscript and send it out to agents who you think would be a good fit. They can request to read the manuscript or they can tell you to jump in a lake. It's not fun, to say the least.
I was exceptionally lucky and found a fantastic agent at a fabulous literary agency after a short time. She and I went through a couple more rounds of revisions together, and when that was over she made a list of editors she thought would be interested in Without Borders. We sent it to them and waited. And waited. And waited. And then one of them said yes.
So that's the short-long version. Let me know if you have other questions about the publication process.
Amanda Heger
Two things actually.
One is a to-be-titled follow-up to Without Borders. Marisol, who you meet in book one, takes a month long trip to Los Angeles where she unwittingly becomes the star of a late night talk show. (And happens to fall in love along the way.) If all goes as planned, this one will be out in 2016.
The other is a story about a law student on the verge of leaving her trailer park roots behind forever. But she takes a job at her grandmother's assisted living facility and all her plans spiral out the window. I don't know if this one will ever see a bookstore shelf, but I sure do love it.
One is a to-be-titled follow-up to Without Borders. Marisol, who you meet in book one, takes a month long trip to Los Angeles where she unwittingly becomes the star of a late night talk show. (And happens to fall in love along the way.) If all goes as planned, this one will be out in 2016.
The other is a story about a law student on the verge of leaving her trailer park roots behind forever. But she takes a job at her grandmother's assisted living facility and all her plans spiral out the window. I don't know if this one will ever see a bookstore shelf, but I sure do love it.
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