Today Dee411 welcomes Pandora “Dora” Poikilos author and entrepreneur who is touring with Orangeberry Book Tours promoting her latest title, Frequent Traveller. Dora was most gracious and candidly answered some questions for us here at Dee411 so please sit back and relax whilst I introduce you to author and her creation:

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Title: Frequent Traveller
Author: Pandora Poikilos
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release Date: November 13, 2011
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Rating: PG
ISBN-10: 1467921653
ISBN-13: 978-1467921657
Paperback: 202 pages
Paperback: $14.95
Kindle Edition: $0.99

DESCRIPTION:

Catherine Dixon is everyone’s dreamgirl. Girls want to be her. Men want to be with her. From her charming smile to her gentle voice, one always turns to take a second look at Cathy. Wherever she goes there isn’t an ill word spoken about her. Her job as Vice President of Communications at MoonStar, one of the world’s top hotel chains is to make sure guests are happy to the point of perfection.

From the blue oceans of Antigua to the bustling streets of Vietnam, the racing adrenaline at the Green Hell, the devastating natural disaster in Japan and the stunning architecture in Germany, Cathy finds herself in a whirlwind of fine dining, plush clothes and sheer extravagance. But is perfection only a mask for untold disaster? In a job that deals so much with people, Cathy goes home to an empty bed. There are no pictures on her wall, no doting phone calls from a tongue tied lover and no family holidays to boast about.

What is Cathy’s secret and how will her world change when the world knows? What is the significance of the blue pendant round her neck? Who is the mysterious man she is seen with every three months? What are the contents of the brown envelope delivered to her on the fifteenth of every month? Will her secrets ever catch up with her or will Cathy continue to sail alongside perfection in the world she has created for herself as a Frequent Traveller?

AUTHOR INTRO:
International best-selling author, Pandora Poikilos has been writing for more than 10 years for various media which include newspapers, radio, television and various websites.

A social media enthusiast who is passionate about blogging and finding her way around the virtual world, she wills away time in the real world by reading, writing and people watching.

Dee411: Hello and welcome to Dee411, we are honored to have you drop in to answer questions about your latest release, Frequent Traveller. So without further ado, let’s get right to it:

Dee411: Why this subject matter…why now?

I think it was the right time. My first novel was written after my VP Shunt (brain) surgery and served as my journey of recovering emotions, body and mind. Frequent Traveller was something I have always wanted to do to share my passion for traveling and hotels.

Dee411: How much of you went into this storyline and how much was cut out?

Quite a bit actually. I worked with a hotel chain, dealt with most of the emotions Cathy deals with when you are torn between work and your personal life. I did not murder my father as a teenager but I did experience sexual abuse at a very young age and the reflections that Cathy and Thomas deal with are ones that my partner and I deal with on a regular basis. In a way, it was me working out my demons from the past.

The novel is fiction so I wouldn’t say things were cut out but new situations were created, ‘amended’, pulled, probed and exaggerated into a fiction piece.

Dee411: What did you learn about yourself while writing this book?

It’s okay to be different. Most people who read Frequent Traveller don’t like it commenting on the travel bits etc. I didn’t write the book to be loved. I wrote it because I was compelled to write it the way I did. I wanted to share Cathy Dixon as she is, a traveling hotelier who has plenty on her plate. Not everyone can relate to this and I’m fine with that.

Dee411: If readers get nothing else from Frequent Traveller, what is the one takeaway that you hope they don’t miss?

There’s more to life than what meets the eye. You see a hotel guest room where you can be comfortable. There are so many things that happen in the background to make sure you get the experience you do. That’s not fiction, it’s fact.

Dee411: What would equate success for you, with regards to this tour? 

1. *Sales
2. *Great Reviews (Kudos on your writing skills)
3. *Message received by intended audience
4. *All of the above?

Yes, a little bit of each would be oh so nice.

Dee411: What did you want to be when you grew up…was author on the list?

I had my first article published when I was 13, from that moment I knew I wanted to be a writer. My plan was to be journalist and I was on the right track till my degree from Curtin, then I was diagnosed with IIH and my writer plans had to take a step back. But still, here I am. And if I can do it, so can anyone else who sets their mind to it.

Dee411: What piece of advice would you give to first time authors?

To any writer wondering if indie publishing is the way to go, here’s the best advice I can give you from my personal experience – don’t expect overnight success. Rome wasn’t built in a day and people who tell you overnight success is achievable are lying because it just doesn’t exist.

Set your own trail. Be consistent. Keep away from negativity. And then work even harder.

Dee411: Is there any piece of advice you would like to ask from any of our veteran authors who may stop by?

Time management, some days are ever so hectic I can only write for one hour when I want to write for more. How do they do it?

Great responses and great question! Thanks Dora. So veteran authors out there, step on up the the mic and pontific…ahem…share!  (LOL)

I hope you all have enjoyed learning about Dora and Frequent Traveller. That’s not the last time you’ll be seeing her around these parts.  She will be serving up a guest post over at DeeSWhite.com, next week Tuesday, (May 8th) and I’ll be reviewing the book over at AgeIsJustANumber on August 17th.  In the meantime the Kindle version is only $0.99.  You don’t want to miss that bargain!

Peace,