BLOG TOUR – I am Number 13

The SHANNON MUIR’S INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS column on Mondays and Wednesdays is a place at Shannon Muir’s author website showcasing books from a variety of fiction genres, with an emphasis on interviews and guest posts from other authors. One thing Shannon firmly believes in for readers not only to learn about new books available, but about those who craft the tales behind them. As its name implies, SHANNON MUIR’S INFINITE HOUSE OF BOOKS weekly column features writers from all genres of fiction who want their potential audience to get to know them, and their works, better.

Today, find out more about I AM NUMBER 13.

Welcome, Andra! So excited about your new book, I Am Number 13. Jenny Sanford, former First Lady of South Carolina and NYT best selling author, calls your book “Teeming with creativity, Andra writes with grit, wit and lots of heart. She is an earnest, humble storyteller.” Can you tell us a little about the main characters in your book?

Andra:

I Am Number 13 features the Biggest Scoundrel America Ever Produced. James Wilkinson worked for the first 5 Presidents of the United States while he took millions of dollars in today’s money to sell our secrets to a foreign enemy. He committed treason his entire career and was never caught. His Spanish patrons called him “Agent Number 13.”

Emmaline Cagney takes a gap year to volunteer with refugees in Honduras. She’s mourning her father’s death and overwhelmed by decimated immigrant lives all around her. When James Wilkinson comes back into her life during a hurricane, he causes her to question everything she thought she knew. Will she survive his hold over her? Or will he destroy her?

They say all books of fiction have at least one pivotal point where the reader just can’t put the book down. What is one of the pivotal points in your book?

Andra:

I Am Number 13 starts during a violent hurricane and keeps the reader churned up from the first page. When Emmaline discovers another person’s handwriting in her journal, she’s catapulted into a world she never fathomed, one she may not survive.

Do you proofread and edit your work on your own or pay someone to do it for you?

Andra:

Word Hermit Press takes care of editing, though I have a say in who edits my work. I write fiction and memoir, and I like to have different types of editors for each genre.

Do you believe a book cover plays an important role in the selling process?

Andra:

Yes! I’ve been traveling around the United States this fall, and every group gravitates toward I Am Number 13. It’s my most magnetic cover. People are usually floored when I tell them it was completely designed by artificial intelligence!

What did you want to become when you were a kid?

Andra:

I wanted to major in musical theater, but my mother was afraid I’d wind up starring in porn films. To make her happy, I majored in accounting and got my CPA license. I practiced tax accounting for over a decade, but I was miserable. I didn’t rediscover creative writing until my forties. It’s never, ever too late to pursue a dream.

Do your novels carry a message?

Andra:

My novels are about immortality. History is written by the winners; the losers are usually relegated to footnotes or forgotten entirely. I enjoy delving into little-taught stories and characters from history and weaving new stories for them.

But if a reader wants to turn pages and immerse herself in a thrilling story, my books do that, too. My Nowhere stories are tough to classify, but adventurous readers love them.

Is there anything you’d like to tell your readers and fans?

Andra:

You can get my books directly from Ingram Lightning Source/Word Hermit Press! Changes at Amazon are killing small authors and presses. Why should they get to decide who tells stories? Follow this link to check out ALL my titles and purchase them direct from the printer to your eager hands: https://aerbook.com/store/wordhermitpress/Andra_Watkins/175125