Writer Success Spotlight: Simone de Muñoz
Celebrating a writer’s success
We’d like to introduce Simone de Muñoz, one of our Author Accelerator writers. Simone de Muñoz recently received news that her book will be published. We invited her to sit down for a little interview to talk about her experience. So without further ado, here is Simone de Muñoz!
Q: Okay, Simone, can we have the basics about your project and your book coach?
Simone: My book, Manflu, is a thriller. I worked with Author Accelerator certified book coach, Savannah Gilbo.
Q: How long did you work with Author Accelerator on this manuscript?
Simone: I have been working on this project with Savannah for two months.
Q: Which publishing route was taken for this project?
Simone: Manflu will be published by a hybrid publisher, Acorn Publishing.
Q: What moment are you most looking forward to in the publication process?
Simone: I can’t wait until I get a copy of the book into my hands!
Q: What are you most proud of in terms of this book’s journey?
Simone: I am most proud that I managed to write this book while working full-time and parenting two young children all in the midst of a pandemic.
Q: Was there ever a moment of doubt about the book? Would you be willing to share the darkest moment with us?
Simone: The hardest time was when I was about 40,000 words in and just couldn’t see how to finish it. That was when I contacted Author Accelerator and started working with a book coach. Going from pantsing to plotting allowed me to finish.
Q: What is your favorite passage from the book?
Gavin coughed to get her attention. “What’s the topic of the day, Dr. Digby?” he asked.
Morgan refocused her attention on the ever-present HERO. “It’s all about your prostate today,” Morgan said fake-cheerfully. Oh dear, evidently it could get worse.
“Is that why everyone out there was whispering?” Gavin asked. “Is my prostate the hot topic of conversation around here?”
“No, actually. The world doesn’t revolve around you. They’re whispering about me,” Morgan said in a less than professional manner.
“Really? Who would’ve thought?!” Gavin said, taken aback. “What’d you do, forget to rinse a test tube?”
“No, actually I got myself knocked up,” said Morgan, relieved at the opportunity to confess, “and they think you did it.”
Morgan couldn’t believe she’d just said that to Gavin. Something about being in this small room with him so frequently had created a feeling of intimacy in their relationship. It had been frustrating being unable to talk to anyone at work besides Gena about what was happening in her life.
“Me?” Gavin was startled. “Why would they think that?”
“Well, there are not a lot of candidates who fit the bill. Certainly not my husband. And we’ve been spending a lot of time alone together.”
“Didn’t you go to the sperm bank? Why wouldn’t they assume you did that?”
Q: When might we expect to see the book on store shelves?
Simone: March 2021
Q: What’s next for your book?
Simone: I’m looking forward to receiving ARCs in the next few weeks and sending out copies to reviewers.
Q: Why would you recommend coaching?
Simone: Coaching helped me get unstuck when I was about to give up. I haven’t had any formal training as a writer, so learning about the elements of a successful story was critical for me. Also, I was resistant to outlining before I started working with a book coach, but it would have been impossible for me to finish my book without an outline. My coach helped me see the importance of an outline and learn how to write an effective one.
Q: Do you have anything you would like to share about the coaching process or your coach specifically?
Simone: My coach Savannah Gilbo was very helpful with identifying the genre of my book, teaching me the critical elements of my genre, encouraging me to outline, and reviewing my outline.
Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us, Simone. And again, congrats on your huge accomplishment!
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